Ode To My Freezer

I don’t know what I’d do without my freezer. If I had the choice, I think I’d prefer a refrigerator with equal ratio of freezer to refrigeration space. Aside from the obvious residents (ice cubes, ice cream, flash frozen vegetables etc.), there are many other guests to invite to the party. Here are a few reasons I’m smitten…

As Jessie mentioned in Frugal Feasting: Mom's Even Better the Next Day Pasta Salad!, preparing food ahead of time for ready made lunches is key to a full-time work schedule. I take this one step further, as my freezer is generally more crowded then my refrigerator. After a meal, I fill multiple glass containers with hot recipe leftovers to freeze them the same day. After a few weeks of varying meals, I have different leftover options each day of my workweek. This way, I never get sick of the original dish. I pull a container out to defrost the day before I plan to have it for lunch. Instant, warm, savory meals at my fingertips!

My freezer is also home to many carbohydrate products, which normally spoil given there’s only one person working at consuming them. Bread and tortillas actually live there quite comfortably, ready to go when needed. Tortilla chips don’t even freeze and can be eaten straight out of the freezer as fresh and crispy as when you first opened the bag!

A go-to snack I always have on hand is frozen grapes. They’re more nutritious than ice cream or popsicles, but hold the same sweet, cold, satisfying crunch!

You can freeze fresh lemon or lime juice or even prepared pesto sauce in ice cube trays for quick, on-hand ingredients. I haven’t done it myself, but I’ve heard of many people using this method to store batches of homemade baby food purees for nutritious, convenient meals.

If you own an ice cream maker with a removable bowl, it needs to be completely frozen before you put it on the base, add ingredients and begin the churning process. I store my bowl in the back of my freezer in case an ice cream craving occurs when I least expect it!

Are you making good use of your freezer space?

According to an article in Real Simple magazine, here are some estimates of approximate freezer friendly timelines:

Breads and cakes: 3 months

Casseroles: 3 months

Cooked chicken pieces: 4 months

Raw chicken pieces: 9 months

Vegetable or meat soups and stews: 2 to 3 months