Can you freeze cheese? Can you freeze milk? Here is a list of everyday foods that freeze well to reduce waste and save money! This post contains affiliate links for products I’m obsessed with.
I often get asked about freezer meals, but in addition to meals, I stock my freezer with all sorts of foods and ingredients that freeze well: cheese, leftover sauces, canned coconut milk, ginger, and so much more. Now, more than ever, I don’t want anything to go to waste, so I freeze foods that to use for another recipe or meal and this helps me save money and shop less!
The freezer is a great tool but I always hear from my readers that they aren’t sure which are the best foods that freeze. That’s why I put together this list of common foods that freeze well and help me make the most of my grocery trips.
Tips For Prepping Food for the Freezer
- Label everything! Grab a sharpie or freezer tape and label what the meal is, quantity, and the date.
- Frozen food typically lasts 3-4 months or longer, but I tend to think everything tastes better if eaten in the 3-4 month time span.
- I freeze food in my Souper Cubes, mini muffin tins, mason jars, traditional airtight plastic and glass containers, Ziplock Bags or Stasher Bags.
- I always measure so it’s easy to grab a correct portion later for a recipe or for the 21 DayFix and WW. This also allows me to maximize my freezer space.
Read on to find out more about Foods that Freeze Well!
Can you Freeze Cheese?
Yes! So many people are surprised to learn that you can freeze cheese, but it’s true! You can freeze shredded cheese or cheese that’s cut into small blocks or cubes. I prefer to shred or grate the cheese, measure it into 1/3 cup increments (the size of a blue container!) and freeze flat in ziplock bags. To thaw, I just pull the bag out of the freezer and thaw in the fridge before using.
I also love to make my cheese sauce to keep in the freezer! I freeze in these little silicone egg molds which come in handy for freezing all sorts of sauces, oats, and even eggs!
Can you freeze Milk?
Yes! Do you know that all milk can be frozen? It’s true! While we don’t typically need to freeze our milk because we use it before it goes bad, canned coconut milk is a totally different story! I hardly ever use the entire can of coconut milk for recipes like my Zuppa Toscana and Brown Rice Pudding, but if I put it in my fridge to use a later date, I will inevitably forget about it! So now I always freeze it in small ziplock bags, ice cube trays or my souper cubes! Just be sure to measure so you know how much you have frozen so you can throw it into a recipe when needed. To thaw, place in your fridge or place your bag in a small bowl of cool water – it thaws very quickly. If you are adding the coconut milk to a hot sauce or soup, you can even add it while it’s still frozen!
Can you freeze Bananas?
Sure can! I always have sliced bananas in my fridge, especially since my kiddos freak out with the tiniest speck of brown on the outside. But when you freeze sliced bananas and place them in an air tight ziplock, you can use them for smoothies, for Banana Ice Cream, or Ice Cream Pie. You can even use them for Banana Bread or Healthy Banana Oatmeal Blender Muffins.
Other Food that Freezes Well:
Spinach and Kale
I love getting large bags of spinach and kale, but sometimes we don’t use them in time. No worries – they freeze beautifully! Just place the leaves (be sure they are already washed) in an airtight ziplock – removing all the air from the bag before sealing. I love this option because bags of pre-frozen spinach are not my favorite, but it tastes SO much better when you freeze it yourself.
These frozen greens are great to use in my Lasagna Roll Ups with Spinach and Sausage, 21 Day Fix Spinach Pesto, Pumpkin Pasta with Spicy Sausage, and Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili (Stovetop/Instant Pot).
Ginger
One of my favorite things to have in the freezer! I use a ton of ginger in my recipes like my Easy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup [Gluten Free], Instant Pot Ramen Noodles, Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli, and my 21 Day Fix Chicken Satay with Creamy Peanut Sauce. And I love FRESH ginger, as I don’t think it tastes the same when it’s dry and you can definitely control the flavor better when it’s fresh. Because fresh ginger can dry out quickly in the fridge, I love buying it in bulk and freezing it.
Just simple peel your ginger and then wrap well or freeze in an airtight ziplock bag. Freezing actually makes grating the ginger even easier, too!
Leftover sauce/Tomato paste/Homemade BBQ Sauce, etc
Sometimes recipes only call for 1 tablespoon of tomato paste or a cup of tomato sauce. Don’t waste what’s left! Freeze it! And this goes for all kinds of sauce -Canned or jarred tomato sauce, Homemade Tomato Sauce, Vodka Sauce, homemade BBQ sauce, enchilada sauce, pesto, whatever you have extra of. I typically measure extra tomato paste into teaspoons for freezing – this helps for easy use in a recipe later. For extra sauce, I measure and freeze using my souper cubes or a muffin tin and again, label to make it easier to use up later.
Leftover chopped veggies
I use a lot of the same types of diced veggies – carrots, onions, celery, garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms just to name a few, especially when I am making soups like my Instant Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup [Gluten and Dairy Free] or my Easy 21 Day Fix Chicken Veggie Soup {Stovetop, Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, sometimes I have leftover veggies. I always chop them up, and if I have no immediate use for them, I freeze them. It’s great to pull out already diced veggies for breakfast hash, omelettes, or just as a veggie side when you need it.
Leftover Canned Beans
Due to the nature of the 21 Day Fix and the yellow container being 1/2 cup, I often have some canned beans leftover when I make recipes like my 5 Ingredient Instant Pot Chili or my 21 Day Fix Quinoa Taco Casserole. If I leave them in the fridge to use later, I end up forgetting about them and throwing them out. My fix? Now I freeze any extra beans that I have. I measure first, and then label the freezer bag. Then I can use the beans in a future recipe or in a salad or wrap for lunch!
Breads, Baked Goods, and Grains
Whenever I make a batch of Blueberry Muffins or Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Banana Bread, I try to make a double batch – one for now and one to freeze for later. The same goes for muffins and other baked, too. I also freeze store bought breads and tortillas, or those dreaded ends of the bread that nobody eats. I use them for breadcrumbs or Mini French Toast Casserole Cups!
I also freeze leftover cooked grains like Brown Rice and Quinoa. I love to make big batches, portion, and freeze them for a quick grab and heat side dish or lunch.
Fresh Herbs
As much as I love fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, and basil, I often can’t use them fast enough before they wilt. Don’t let them go to waste! Wash and dry them, then place the leaves on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with another sheet. Freeze overnight and then place in ziplock or Stasher bags!
Another way to use the freezer to Save Money, Reduce Waste, and Shop Less:
Freezer Meal Prep Bootcamp! You can set aside a few hours to prep a bunch of freezer meals for a future date. Not sure where to start? Instant Pot – 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Freezer Meal Prep (Free Printable Grocery List and Step by Step Prep) or Crock Pot – 21 Day Fix Crock Pot Freezer Prep (Free Printable Grocery List and Step by Step Prep) only take a few hours and I give you step by step prep instructions.
More helpful “stock up” posts:
Healthy Freezer Meals [Instant Pot | Slow Cooker | Oven]
Healthy Pantry Staples and Shelf Stable Fruits, Veggies, and Protein
Healthy Pantry Staples Recipes
31 Days of Healthy Instant Pot Recipes [21 Day Fix | Weight Watchers Freestyle]
The Ultimate Portion Fix Recipe Guide | 31 Days of Ultimate Portion Fix Recipes
Samantha Giammatteo says
Omg! This was sooo helpful! I didn’t know you could freeze a ton of that stuff! This is going to save me sooo much money!
Nancylynn says
YAY! This comment made my day!