Freezing These 25 Foods Saved Me Hundreds of Dollars! Here's How...

[@sylviahufer7019]

I live by myself and I always buy a bag of onions , capsicum ( 1kg ) come home and cut them all up the way I use them for cooking , then I portion them up in small containers and freeze them , so all I do is grab a container and add to my soup casserole or frypan .

[@LilyLightOne]

Yogurt can be strained through a coffee filter if it is "watery". The liquid that comes out is actually whey, which can be mixed in with your dogs food or added into soups or sauces. Its high in protein, but can be a bit acidic so just try using a small amount to start. Strained yogurt usually has a smoother, thicker consistency like Greek yogurt.

[@auntiedoni]

Just my 2¢ - whenever I freeze food items, I put them into zip-top bags, lay them flat, freeze and then they will take up less space in my freezer. I have dollar store plastic bins that are marked for the stand-up freezer and old fabric tote bags with handles for the chest freezer - the frozen-now-flat bags are neat, tidy and easy to grab `n cook/reheat. Oh, and of course I label each baggie with a permanent marker so I know what's in there... sometimes I use inexpensive freezer zipper bags and other times, for solid items like meats, I use a vacuum sealer bags.

[@ros8986]

Herb butter is a great way to freeze/keep herbs

[@GrowingUpJersey]

I make big batches of bean, rice and cheese burritos. wrap in foil and freeze. 3 minutes in microwave to thaw, and a quick trip in a frying pan to crisp up a bit.

[@kimbeau1979]

I freeze fresh garlic. We buy the bulbs in a pack, so we just separate all of cloves in a ziplock bag. When a recipe calls for garlic, we just defrost as needed :)

[@annelawver2703]

At 9 or 10, I saw a friend’s Grandmother pull out old, but washed well, TV dinner trays and portion out the leftovers from dinner. She covered it with aluminum foil and put in their freezer. GENIUS! I remembered that and have done the same with inexpensive small aluminum cake pans. They can be put into the Instapot in the morning and ready for dinner. Because I am on a very restrictive diet, I tend to freeze a lot of dinners for my husband and daughter. A few tips…bake lasagna in a large loaf pan. Cool it, refrigerate well and then slice into single serving size slices. The slices reheat much faster than a portion from a traditional lasagna pan. Burritos freeze really well. Wrap in foil and then place in a freezer bag. Buying meat in bulk and then portioning out is a morning’s work, but saves a lot of money, time and energy. I freeze nearly everything in a single layer on cookie sheets, wrapped as needed. This allows for quick freezing which increases food safety and reduces freezing time. When thoroughly frozen, I put into freezer bags that fit upright into a variety of bins that live in the freezer. Of course, everything is well labeled. One last tip to know if your freezer defrosted. Freeze a small canning jar or similar container filled 1/2 full with water. When frozen solid, place a coin on the top of the ice and put back in freezer. If you ever lose power, go out of town, etc, you can check that jar. If the coin is in the bottom of the jar (even if refrozen), you know your freezer lost power at some point, thawed and refroze. Great video! I am a new subscriber and though I have taught frugal living for decades, am still learning new tricks and relearning some I forgot!

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Good morning I freeze nearlly everything

[@suek7086]

I freeze diced onion and bell peppers for omelets.

[@SimplyKatieWalks]

I have virtually no food waste because I freeze leftovers. Maybe I'm out of the loop, but I never thought of full meal freezing! Thanks for that tip!

[@BSGSV]

It's so much fun to hear all these ideas! 5:19 I do the cookie dough thing. PLUS: toss a few balls of dough into the air fryer for 7 minutes at 285 and you have fresh baked cookies on demand. 5 minutes at 285 and they are soft enough to use for a pizzookie with ice cream. 5:44 I keep a stock of washed fresh leaves of basil, dill and mint in ziploc bags in my freezer at all times. No water or oil needed. To use simply open the bag and crumble the frozen leaves into the pot or bowl. Flavor is the same as fresh.

[@AmySimmonds-luv4Jesus]

@BSGSV great idea! Thanks for sharing.

[@RangeGleasry]

I do that with spinach

[@mizg1595]

We have an upright and a chest freezer packed full. The upright is generally full of homemade casseroles, meatloaves, meatballs, pre-cooked Italian sausage, stuffed peppers, burritos, side dishes, breads, etc.

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Clever about rolling up wraps freezing this is one of your best videos thank you so much

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@dianewiegel7136]

We freeze all kinds of casseroles, sauce, meat dishes, quiches in serving size containers. Then you use and just rewash the containers and do it again.

[@SusanRobinson-k3s]

Be sure to label your freezer meals with content and date!! We use our freezer for everything you've mentioned but don't forget dehydrating. Dehydrator are relatively cheap--I found a great one at the thrift store. I buy marked down veggies and dry. I now have all the great veggies for soup and am filling pint jars with veggie soup mix. If you have leftover pride in in your freezer , throw it in the slow cooker for easy meals....

[@jennyeagan1840]

Am purchasing a food dehydrator soon. Had to squeeze it in the budget but gave me time to windowshop online for prices, reviews. Am needing to get the dissectant packets. Am looking forward to being able to purchase more produce when on harvest sales. Am hoping to powder down in the blender. My daughters family going camping all summer. They love their smoothies, so if I can powder down, they will enjoy the extra nutrition. Or if not powdered down, then dehydrated produce to add to their camp meals.

[@RangeGleasry]

00:00 intro 00:54 soups and stews 01:08 chili 1:43 casseroles 2:33 meatballs 2:55 pizza 3:29 freezer meals (link in description) 4:30 pancakes/waffles 4:48 muffins 5:11 cookie dough 5:26 herbs (use oil) 5:57 berries 6:39 veggies (link to gardening master class in description) 7:08 stocks/broth 7:21 pasta sauce 7:48 pesto 8:06 butter 8:22 yogurt (caution re: texture) and milk 9:22 rice 9:44 mashed potatoes 10:06 cheeses 10:33 bread and bagels 11:03 tortillas Don’t mind me, just taking notes 😅 Ps: I freeze whole tomatoes. For soups, stews and sauces, I run the frozen tomato under the water and this allows me to peel it easily then I just pop it in my dish and let it simmer.

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

I just counted them. I swore I had 25 on my list😂 what did I forget?!? lol!!

[@RangeGleasry]

I counted 25 sis (some are grouped together)

[@pamwyatt9787]

Thank you for making the list, especially for us with a little adhd

[@susiegray8968]

My diet only allows me to have white bread.[It's a kidney thing] and have found that Wal- Mart sells their Italian loave for $1.00 and will slice it for free.

[@elizabethsydnor5247]

Your hair is GORGEOUS!!!

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Awe. Thanks so much!!

[@olderandwiser78]

Good advice. I had a business for 30 years and worked 6 days a week. It was such a pain to close the store at 6:30 and then have to go home and cook dinner. We would cook on Sunday and then freeze the meals in flat containers. Everyday we would take our evening meal to the store and after we closed we would heat it in the microwave. ( Always put on plates and never heated in the plastic ). We could then go home and relax and not feel pressured to buy takeout. I have had and used a separate freezer for over 50 years and have gardened for 70 years. All of the produce gets canned or frozen. I also freeze lemons, mandarin oranges, limes and avocados as well as berries when they are on sale. For lemons and limes I cut into wedges and for the oranges peel and separate. Then they are put on trays to freeze and pack in Ziploc bags. I also slice peppers and freeze this way as well. I use 1 to 2 pint plastic freezer containers mostly. The ones I like are by Arrow Plastics and are available online from Walmart and Amazon.

[@dawnjeffersramstad8401]

We are now empty nesters and I still make chili, Tater Tot Hot Dish (ATK recipie), and chicken rice casserole in double batches. I freeze these in single meal potions. The chili is a one quart freezer bag. Both casseroles add frozen ingredients just before baking, so I freeze just the beef/mushroom part of TTHD, and the chicken rice casserole without its frozen broccoli. All are defrosted by placing them in a pot of cold water on the counter at breakfast time, and heated to 165°+ for supper. For the casseroles I add the vegetables just before baking in a covered pan at 375° for 20 minutes, uncover and add the toppings later and finish uncovered. 🎉

[@KerryJames-l6z]

I do same I portion out my meals in a muffin tray

[@lindabeard488]

Make double the size and freeze half. You gave me tips on a few things I had never thought of before. Thanks 🙏 so much. Love 💕 and Hugs. 💙💙💙

[@hoosierpioneer]

This is your most helpful topic yet! If you want to turn this into a small book, I'd buy it. So many ideas my brain didn't retain them all. I will have to watch again and take notes!

[@ros8986]

Containers - Ikea square and rectagular containers - they nest and stack great.

[@allinotte4263]

You are my new fav KZbin. I’m happy to know I’m doing some things right but appreciate to learn more!! Excited to see more tips 🎉 my fav recipe to make two of is lasagna. So much mess and work for the first one but always appreciate the second one from the freezer ready to go. I love freezing big batches of sauce and soups. I need a bigger freezer! When meat is on sale I like to stock up on that for the freezer.

[@suzettecooper382]

I freeze figs of my tree and use them in the winter. Freeze herbs in ice trays and then place in larger containers. I'm by myself and make large batches of meals in my slow cooker.

[@goodenoughgirl8102]

You had me at pizza. Lol. I have recently discovered frozen diced mirepoix. (Onions, celery, green peppers). It’s cheap and super quick and easy for soups, casseroles or cooked meat enhancements, etc. To me so worth $1 something to not have to buy those three fresh, have chop them all up or worry about them going bad or limp. etc. Me and the cats have it going on with chicken and broth. So much broth I don’t know what to do with it anymore. Lol. (Beef also). I’m mostly switching to corn tortillas now. I like them better and they don’t stick to one another as much (and lower carb also lol). Great for carnitas and street tacos etc. I keep a lot of the breads in the fridge (occasionally freezer) and it lasts for months. But then again, I toast everything like that when it eat it anyways.

[@dizzysdoings]

I buy a gallon of milk at a time, then pour it into quart containers. If I still have milk in the fridge, I freeze all of them. If not, I put one in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. I've never had to shake it up. I've even stuck it in the microwave if I don't have enough for what I'm using it for. I thaw it out just enough to get what I need, then stick it in the fridge to finish thawing. More often than not, it's still partially frozen when I use it next. I'll freeze a lot of things in sandwich or snack bags, even soups and stews. If it's going to be in the freezer for a bit, I'll stick the bags in a cardboard box. This does 2 things, it helps me organize the freezer and it helps prevent freezer burn.

[@gaelenoconnell-bidabadi]

HI Sara! Subscriber here, I love your channel. I'm excited to watch this one... not just bc it saves money but because it's so efficient to batch cook and then freeze items that have the capability. As a mom of a preschooler, I find it really vital to do that for several items to then whip out and just later defrost on demand, esp. for breakfasts when we're wanting to be on time for school. Thanks in advance for these tips! P.s. Your hair looks beautiful in this cut and style!

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you!

[@secondactsuccess]

Ahh, I needed this! Especially with the cost of groceries now. Thank you, thank you!

[@beckypeacock631]

I already do most of these. Work great. Thanks for a few tips I had not tried yet.

[@rileyj5491]

I freeze herbs covered in olive oil in ice trays. Pop them out when you need them!

[@ros8986]

Buckwheat is main ingredient of my new healthier diet - got a great price on 25 lbs organic so it is in my new chest freezer. Whole grains are an easy switch for healthy eating.

[@ginajordan5016]

Good information! I do many of these things. Thanks. I wish our local "pick your own" berry farms were cheaper. I always fins a cheaper price at my grocery store. And pesto...yes! I make it and freeze it all the time. I can't afford the pine nuts, so I make mine with walnuts.

[@nolaa.1815]

I cook for just one or two. I like to buy a sack of onions, peel, cut into quarters, then run through the food processor with the grater attachment. Freeze in a single layer [or close to it] on a cookie sheet. once it's frozen break it up and transfer to a regular freezer bag. when it's time to cook that's what I'm reaching for. I put it in the pot or whatever still frozen. don't have to chop onions or manage a fresh supply of onions [and watch them rot]. Way cheaper than any pre-cut onions at the store. my mother likes to cook a whole package of bacon and freeze it as bacon bits which I think is genius. she also freezes "chili starter" basically just cooks meat, onions, and all the seasonings she puts in her chili with just some tomato paste. Later she takes a whole frozen block and adds the canned beans, tomatoes, corn etc. I actually just dump it all in the crock pot, an hour later the starter is thawed and you can stir it. berries and other fruits always freeze better on a cookie sheet in a single layer. otherwise they'll clump up. can't finish a whole jar of pasta sauce or canned pumpkin? put the leftovers in an ice cube tray, that's what I do. later you've got enough sauce for one or two bowls of pasta at a time. lately been experimenting with cooking plain ground meat and freezing it like that so it's easy to throw together a meal later.

[@TameraReynoldson]

Excellent video. Thanks

[@retrosuze]

Thanks for that great freezer tortilla tip ❤

[@nancyh1892]

I always thought my freezer was a lifesaver. But last night our electric went out and I have two full freezers. I was so worried but lucky it was only out for two hours. A couple of years ago I started canning my foods to save me from worry. I make soups and can them so when I need a quick homemade meal. I even can my hamburger and it works great in many things.

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Bread vegies tomatoes rice voffee

[@feliciaharbach610]

I like to freeze mashed potatoes (no butter or milk, just plain) and then I can use them for gnocchi or for croquettes/patties, pierogi filling. It's like Ive got a head start and these recipes then don't take so long to make.

[@wandahall4435]

Great job Sarah ❤❤❤😮😮😮😊😊😊

[@janejdough2230]

thanks

[@sokalbenoit]

amazing video, so helpful, so informative! Thank you very much :)

[@micheleplante8010]

you are so interessing, just love your videos

[@balicard00]

If you don't like peeling your mashed potatoes you should try making the dish with out peeling I personally think the skins make it better

[@1mourningdove54]

My favorite thing to freeze is spagetti-meat, pasta and sauce, and it's delicious!! I freeze it in small containers. The worst things I have ever frozen is beef stew. The potatoes get mushy and really bad.

[@ros8986]

I found out that the defrost cycle in no-frost freezers is what destroys the texture of veggies. I ahve a new chest freezer so I am going to see how that works for me.

[@KerryJames-l6z]

Clever free,E muffins cookies

[@KerryJames-l6z]

We can eat out of our freezer

[@heleeneverson8256]

I also freeze onion and peppers but how do I get that smell of onions out of my freezer

[@cissylanier7035]

Can you freeze eggs right from the shell.

[@lindadenneypu6315]

When u freeze ya cheese dosent it go flakey

[@RangeGleasry]

Ya but if you’re melting it anyway it doesn’t matter 🤓

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Im ok with the flaky block cheese it’s not a deal breaker for me.

[@saversavvy2670]

Let it thaw back to room temperature if it's a block of cheese. Then when you put it back in frig it slices better.

[@sophiawolthof1238]

👍👍👍

[@pamelaland-s9x]

You don’t need to peel your potatoes.. was them well and cook them. Nutrients in the skin..

[@jennyeagan1840]

My mom did this along with my grandma. Rinsed some dirt off, but no scrubbing. When potatoes were finished boiling, dirt in the water. They said they did not want to wash the nutrients off.

[@ros8986]

Except if they have gone green.

[@sherisutherland1416]

Frozen mashed potatoes are kinda gross as a side dish they go mealy. The rest are no brainers.

[@mizg1595]

My “Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes” are good enough to serve for holidays! The secret is to add cream cheese when you mash them. They are divine!! I make up batches with five pounds of taters at a time.

[@rileyj5491]

“Unthaw,” (which isn’t even a word) and “de-thaw” mean the complete opposite of what you mean. It means you’d be freezing the food 🤭

[@saraconklinfrozenpennies]

Actually, according to Meriam Webster Dictionary, they recognize the as a word because "lthough unthaw as a synonym of thaw is sometimes cited as an illogical error, it has persisted in occasional use for more than four centuries. It occurs in both American and British English." Thanks for the feedback

[@rileyj5491]

@@saraconklinfrozenpennies Bravo to you for copying and pasting the very first hit on Google. Thaw, and UNthaw literally cannot be synonyms. It’s like saying done and UNdone…are THALSO the same thing? Nope. Pack, and UNpack?

[@jennyeagan1840]

Wow. I grew up with both interchangeable terms. But mostly in my family home, 'thaw out' was the simple term.

[@jennyeagan1840]

​@@rileyj5491relax. You know the correct usage to be used in your family home. Everyone is different. Sometimes words that get a bit of scrambling up, end up being something to laugh at.