Finding food in your freezer might be a bit like playing a game of Tetris but with a few tips and tricks, you can maximise the space in no time.
This is particularly useful for veggies, where the key is to pack flavour and nutrients into your cooking wherever you can! So learn to make the most of the space, stock up on flavour bombs and get excited about your cooking!
Fresh herbs
Most fresh herbs freeze well, which is handy to know if you’ve picked up a large bunch, or if you want to make them go further. Always wash your herbs well and leave them to dry on a paper towel. Chop finely and pop them into ice-cube trays (filling the tray up with water once the herbs are in) or into small freezer bags or containers.
Veg stock
Use any extra veg or peelings in a veg stock and stash it in the freezer. Start by washing them well and gently boiling them in water with aromatics. Use onions, carrots, fennel, celery, all sorts of herbs and fresh black peppercorns. Drain off the liquid as stock and freeze in ice-cube trays or small freezer bags. Leave the stock to cool completely before freezing.
Curry bases
Easy homemade curry pastes and Jamie’s Curry base sauce can be made in advance and frozen. Blitz the garlic, ginger and chilli together in a food processor or by using a pestle and mortar and lightly toast any spices before adding. Portion the curry base or paste up into individual bags ready to use later.
Wine cubes
If you ever have any leftover wine in the bottle, pour into ice-cube trays or small bags and freeze. Frozen wine cubes can be used to add loads of flavour to sauces and stews, such as bolognese sauce or a quick tomato sauce.
Ready-to-go cookie dough
For a speedy home-baked sweet treat, make double or triple the recipe for cookie dough, then roll up the dough and wrap well in cling film before freezing. Or, roll the cookie dough into individual balls and freeze on a flat tray before transferring to freezer bags. The cookie balls will thaw as your oven pre-heats.
Egg whites
Egg whites freeze well, particularly in ice-cube trays. You can then transfer them into a freezer bag. Make sure you label them clearly and use them within twelve months. Thaw the egg whites in the fridge overnight and use them to make meringues, Pavlovas and macaroons. Try Jamie’s Tray-baked meringue with rhubarb, cream & toasted almonds for a fabulous summer dessert.
Fruit and berries
Summer fruits and berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries (stems removed) and rhubarb are ideal for freezing. Wash your fruit and drain away as much water as possible, then place the berries or chopped fruit on a flat tray, in a single layer, so that when the fruit freezes it doesn’t clump together. Once frozen, you can pop the fruit into individual freezer bags or containers.
Frozen fruit thaws quickly, so add handfuls of frozen berries to your cereal, or to cakes and muffin mixes, or use in crumble bases. Frozen berries can be used in most recipes in place of fresh berries.
You can freeze bananas, too, either whole (peeled or unpeeled), or in slices ready for banana bread or Stuffed French toast.
Find out more ways to make the most of your freezer space here.
