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9 Foods You Didn't Know You Could Freeze

Faster dinner prep, fewer shopping trips, lower food bills? Cool!


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​Your freezer is one of the most underrated kitchen tools, says David Lee, cofounder and executive chef of Planta restaurants in Miami and Toronto. It can help you jump-start dinner, take advantage of sales, reduce waste and spoilage, and always have the ingredients you need on hand. Try keeping these unexpected items in the freezer. It’s a game changer!​

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1. Avocados

Slice in half, peel and remove the pit. Brush the avocado halves with lemon juice and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Add them to a freezer-safe bag, then press out the air before sealing and freezing. Thaw, then mash into guacamole.​

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2. Butter

Stock up on high-quality butter when it’s on sale at the supermarket, and it will stay fresh in your freezer for up to nine months. Keep the butter in its original paper covering, wrap with a dry paper towel and place in a freezer-safe bag, says Richard Sandoval, a global restaurateur and leading chef in Latin cuisine. To thaw, microwave a tempered glass or jar half-filled with water for 1 minute, then pour out the water and place the warmed glass over a stick of butter on your countertop. Avoid melting butter from the freezer to use in baking, however, as added liquid will result in dense dough.​

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3. Lemon or orange slices

Freeze them in a glass container. Defrost them for eating or cooking (such as adding them to a sheet pan dinner or using them to stuff a chicken), suggests Palak Patel, chef at the Institute of Culinary Education.​

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4. Dried chili peppers

If left on the counter and exposed to light, dried chili peppers become brittle and lose their vibrancy, says Sandoval. Pack dried peppers into a double-zippered, freezer-safe bag and they’ll stay fresh for up to one year. To thaw, soak the peppers in warm water until they’re soft, then blend them into a paste. ​

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5. Milk

Pour the milk into a container, allowing enough room for the liquid to expand. It will appear curdled when you defrost it (but it will taste OK), so it’s best used for baking, Patel says. Or use the thawed milk to make homemade buttermilk, blending it with a touch of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar.​

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6. Pasta

Speed up dinner prep by defrosting partially cooked and frozen pasta. Undercook the pasta by a few minutes, then rinse it with cold water, Patel recommends. When it’s cool, toss it with a little oil, spread it on a baking sheet and freeze it for a few hours before transferring it to a bag. Ready to eat it? Finish cooking it in a sauce.​

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7. Cheese

Harder kinds of cheese, such as aged cheddars or Parmesan, withstand freezing better than soft ones, says Joe Baird, cheesemonger and culinary consultant for Real California Milk. Keep the cheese whole, in its original wrapping, and place it inside a freezer bag near the front of the freezer.​

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8. Fresh herbs

Don’t let excess parsley or basil go to waste. Blend it with olive oil or water, then freeze in an ice cube tray, notes Mario Garcia, executive chef with Hilton Chicago. Stir the frozen cubes into sauces.​

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9. Leafy greens

Steam spinach or kale until it’s completely wilted, then allow it to cool. Freeze up to 1 pound at a time in a sealed bag, Lee says. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the fridge overnight; heat the greens in the oven after tossing them with olive oil, salt and pepper.​

Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 28, 2021. It has been updated to reflect new information.

Video: The Right Way to Freeze Fresh Food for Later

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