Foods You Didn’t Know You Could Freeze — But You Can, You Monster!

Back when I was living in an apartment without a freezer and making $30,000 a year, I never quite learned how to buy and cook the exact amount of food I would need; what I did learn was how to destroy my need for variety by convincing myself I was totally fine eating the same quinoa salad five days in a row.

Reader, I WAS NOT FINE. No matter how good the quinoa salad was on day one, by day five it has had its moment in the sun, and trying to choke it down only results in quiet sobs and emergency Chipotle. Trust.

Now that I have a working freezer — the luxury! — I am learning more and more about what can be frozen, and how best to do it to minimize waste and maximize pleasure. Food waste is terrible — you know that, right? Don’t do it. Here are some foods you should absolutely be freezing:

Greens: Not salad-y stuff, although maybe you can freeze those too (?), but hearty greens like kale and spinach. When I notice the wilting begin, I shove handfuls into plastic containers to use in my smoothies.

Macaroni & Cheese: Make a huge batch of mac and then parcel it off into a few baking dishes before baking. I wrap mine in some plastic wrap and tinfoil and then bake for an hour out of the freezer, throwing some panko and goat cheese on for the last few minutes. (I use a version of this recipe, for what it’s worth.)

Cauliflower Mac N Cheese : Rachael Ray : Food Network

Herbs: Before they get all slimy, chop up fresh herbs and mix them with some olive oil before freezing them in an ice cube tray. They’re like little flavor bombs when you warm them up in a pan for a sauté.

Parmesan rinds: I have a million of these in my freezer because cheese, and I throw them into tomato-based soups and sauces to add richness because, again, cheese.

Lasagne: I’ll make a big vegetarian lasagne and then cut individual slices, wrap them in plastic wrap and tin foil, and throw them in the freezer to microwave individually when the idea of making dinner hurts my face.

Butter: You knew this one already, right? Especially good for baking pastry.

Avocados: Someone told me you can freeze avocados you don’t plan to use right away by mashing them up with a little lime juice, but I laughed in their face because WHY WOULDN’T YOU JUST EAT IT. Anyway, someone else try this one out and let me know.

What am I missing?

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