What’s worth freezing?

[Barbararara]

I’m one of those people who freeze everything and use my freezer to reduce food waste. So I have all sorts of things in there.

But now, I’m concerned about rising prices, shortages, a second wave, another lockdown in the winter months, etc. And I’m hoping that there will be a chance to prep through the summer. Until now I’ve been, at most, a prepper-lite, keeping about two weeks ahead generally. I managed about a month for this. But going forward I want to be more systematic.

So I’m sitting here, my stash dwindling alarmingly, and dreaming about where I’m should store things and it got me thinking about my freezer.

From a prepping point of view what do you think is worth giving space to in your freezer? And what would you say is a waste of space?

Personally I like having batch cooked meals in the freezer as I know it’s a complete meal for my family, in stock at the moment are sausage casseroles, chicken pies, lasagne, fajitas etc. The batch lady online is a good resource for recipes. I’m also glad I stocked up on frozen veg and bread. If this happened again I would add milk to the freezer and more baguettes as super useful for lunches.

www.marksandspencer.com/c/food-to-order/not-just-any-food/food-news/freezing-tips

I freeze butter, eggs, milk and cheese. I've got a load of veg growing in the garden (potatoes, Aubergines, tomatoes, runner beans, courgettes & salad) so I'll freeze the excess.

I'd recommend growing vegetables if you can. I bought a load of potted veg plants from Sutton online as I was late with the seeds.

Living in Australia our grocery prices are really sensitive and linked to weather/climate events. So my freezers are used to lessen the financial crunch, so generally I only freeze high value items. So meats, cheese, butter, small goods (bacon, prosciutto, pancetta, chorizo etc) I try not to waste any space in my large chest freezer with lower cost items such as bread or carbs (although I do have puff pastry, frozen chips and icecream in at the moment). I also freeze large quantities of chopped capsicums, asparagus and leeks (buy/grow & freeze in season) as these are really exxy out of season. I am a big reduced sticker shopper and buy up discounted meat to freeze when I see it.
I use my smaller freezer as a way to reduce food waste... Freezing extra bananas (I ramp up buying & freezing bananas if a cyclone looks to hit far nth Queensland - learned that lesson after yasi), fruit to be stewed and made into compotes/jams.

So high value protein/fats don't waste space with easier to buy carbs and veg 🙂

I have loads of yeast in my freezer - shoved into corners.

Bread takes up too much space. Buy the ready to bake dry boxes that you just add milk to to make fresh bread. Storing the milk is less room.

Thank you. Lots of interesting points.

On another note: does anyone have a good system for keeping track of use by dates for freezer food
In the normal course of events it’s easy enough to keep things together and pop new things behind the older things. But at the moment I have things jammed in everywhere.
I keep a list on the front of what is on each shelf. I should probably just add dates to that.
But maybe someone who isn’t as scatterbrained has a brilliantly obvious system?

I have too much bread in the freezer, we have switched to part-baked bread rolls and I need to slowly empty out the old bread rolls. Lots of anxient packets to clear out too.

I've decided once corona craziness has calmed my first purchase will be a decent breadmaker - mainly to avoid having to store any bread products completely in freezer. Just switch to a make and consume habit (with the occasional fresh loaf purchase)
I make a lot by hand but am struggling to keep up with growing kids

Yes, bread is a problem for me too and I’ve been thinking of a bread maker as an option too. It could relieve a lot of the pressure.

My Panasonic breadmaker- a suggestion on here a few months back - is a godsend. It was a pricey anniversary present from the in-laws and I don't think there is a good cheaper substitute.

I write everything that is in the freezer on the lid with a whiteboard pen.

@bellinisurge that's the one I'm after - a Panasonic. I'm going to duck into our local electronics store (not in U.K. So some retail still open) on Wednesday and see if I they have any in stock as near impossible to get online. We live in a big thick stone house and it's hard to find a warm spot for dough to prove without putting heating on (its autumn here and cooling down fast). The dough function would be so handy right now.
I just made a big batch of bagels and Nann breads to go along side lunch to see us through the next few days.

I don't freeze milk as it takes up too much space. I always have tins of exasperated milk, a carton of Marvel and a couple of bottles of sterilised milk in my cupboard. But I don't have milk-drinking young children.

@SavoyCabbage such a simple but brilliant solution

Skeleton, you can make a proving-box by putting a couple of hot water bottles or wheat bags in an insulated picnic box. It's very effective, though you have to remember to recharge the heaters.

Evaporated milk.

Exasperated is how I feel about autocorrect.

I always have tins of exasperated milk

Excellent autocorrect fail!

@Dilbertian thankyou! I ll just use our esky (assuming similar/same as a picnic box) with a heat pack! Brilliant!
Will trial with batch of bagels tomorrow.

@bellinisurge what model is your bread maker please? There's too many to choose from but Panasonic seems the biz

From watching Jamie Oliver on his lockdown cooking programme I’ve started freezing things I’d have thrown away as they were past their best ie fresh chillis and ginger, which you can grate straight into dishes from frozen. I’ve also had a carrier bag full of lemons given to me which you can also halve and freeze.

I’d love more of those kinds of tips because I’m still not sure what works from being frozen.