10 FOODS YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU COULD FREEZE

It’s back to school season and saving money is on the top of everyone’s to do list. One way to accomplish this is to buy items in larger quantities when they are on sale.But what about those items that expire more quickly than others? I mean, we all know that we can freeze food like meat and vegetables, but what about those other perishables?

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10 FOODS YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU COULD FREEZE

#1) MILK – My cousin just tried this. They were leaving for an extended vacation and they still had jugs of milk in their fridge. So after everyone had breakfast the morning they were supposed to leave, she put the jugs into the freezer. When they returned, she pulled them out of the freezer and put them back into the fridge so that the next morning they had milk ready for breakfast! NOTE: Frozen milk WILL separate, but simply shake the contents to mix them back together.

#2) BUTTER – cut the bricks of butter into smaller pieces and freeze in freezer bags. When you are ready to use, pop it on the counter for 3-4 hours and you will have nicely thawed, still good, butter!

#3) EGGS – This one is a little more tricky. Eggs can be frozen, but without the shells. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them together. Remember how many eggs are in one batch so that if you are using them for recipes you know how many are in each container/bag. NOTE: Add a little bit of salt if egg yolks will be used for savoury dishes and sugar if they will be used for dessert dishes.

#4) FRESH HERBS – fresh herbs will stay good in your refrigerator for about 2 weeks. However, we often don’t use the whole bunch of herbs with one recipe. Simply wash, dry and chop the herbs up and place them in ice-cube trays. Add a little bit of water or oil and freeze them. Once they are frozen, pop out the herb ice cubes and store them in freezer bags.

#5) NUTS & SEEDS – Nuts in the freezer will stay good for up to 2 years (depending on the type of nut). Just remember that nuts and seeds will absorb the flavours around them, so make sure they are in a sealed container or bag. Thaw nuts and roast them slightly to bring them back to their full flavour.

#6) PEANUT BUTTER – During the year, we don’t go through a tonne of peanut butter, but around Christmas when I do my baking we go through MUCH more! Save the leftover peanut butter from Christmas baking in the freezer for up to 1 year. You can even freeze it directly IN the peanut butter jar!

#7) POTATOES – It is cheaper to purchase a 10 pound bag of potatoes, rather than just the handful that my family will need. So freezing potatoes will save a lot of money. While frozen potatoes can become watery when thawed, the secret is to blanch them BEFORE freezing! Leftover mashed potatoes can also be frozen in freezer bags flat saving room in your freezer.

#8) CORN ON THE COB – My family loves the sweetness of fresh corn in summer and it would be great to have that deliciousness all year long. And you can! Boil fresh corn for 2-3 minutes and then run it under cold water to stop the cooking process. This will help prevent mushy corn when it thaws.

#9) AVOCADOS – While avocados freeze well, their texture becomes less-than-perfect. They taste great, so they are perfect for guacamole and smoothies.

#10) WHIPPED CREAM – Place dollops of fresh whipping cream on a cookie sheet to freeze this delicious dessert treat! Frozen whipped cream thaws in minutes so it is perfect for those last minute dessert ideas or hot chocolates.

Buying in larger quantities and freezing what you don’t need right away is a great way to save money on your weekly grocery shop. I’m also excited to tell you about this new initiative from Safeway and Sobeys – they’ve lowered prices on thousands of items, up and down the aisles, in areas such as grocery, dairy, frozen and health and beauty.

THIS IS NOT A SALE!

Since 2013, Safeway and Sobeys have been on a mission to help Canadians eat better, more affordably, and this is the next step in the Better Food Mission. These are everyday prices that will help your family save money. You can check out these items at http://betterfoodstartshere.com/ as well as find great tips and even recipe ideas, perfect for weeknight dinners.

#BetterFoodStartsHere CONTEST!

Want the chance to win a $50 gift card? To enter, share a pic of your how you’re eating better, more affordably, thanks to new lower prices at Safeway and Sobeys! Make sure to tag @SafewayCanada and/or @Sobeys and include the #BetterFoodStartsHere. Click here for more details: http://bit.ly/2clL2E8 #sp

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The author has received consideration from Sobeys or Sobeys’ media partners in exchange for this content.  Sobeys is not responsible for the content.