A chef has shared her top ten foods that are suitable for freezing to help households limit food waste amid a staggering cost of living crisis. New research shows that four in 10 Brits are already working to cut costs on bills and dumping unused groceries is quite literally throwing money away.
While it's a common practice and sometimes can't be helped, knowing what ingredients freeze well can help households cut back on spending. An extensive study conducted by appliance retailer AEG examined the UK’s food waste practices and also looked at Brits' attitudes and behaviours in tackling it at home.
Findings show that UK households are responsible for 60 per cent of food waste, while business and the hospitality sector account for the remaining 40 per cent. Results also show that 62 per cent of Brits freeze fresh food on the day of purchase, which can greatly extend it's shelf-life.
In light of these findings, AEG spoke to professional head chef Anna Williams for her guidance for freezing the most Googled food items. She said: “Food Waste is something we should all start to be creative with - it's a skill. We all should be creative with our cooking and while doing the food shop be mindful of what’s in the cupboards at home.”
Google searches show there is a sharp increase of people searching for “Can you freeze” queries, with an average increase of 51 per cent from 2021-22. Dairy food items top the list, with searches for ‘Can you freeze cheese’ and ‘Can you freeze milk’ coming first and second respectively.
Collectively these queries hit one million annual searches and while freezing is a great method for long term food storage, doing it incorrectly may make food unsafe to eat. Eggs also appears near the top coming fourth with 187,100 searches per year. Fruit and vegetables also dominate the most searched for ‘Can you freeze queries’ with mushrooms, potatoes, bananas, courgettes, and avocados all making the top 10.
Here's what the professional chef had to say about the top ten foods which she says freeze best and how to store each one safely, as reported by Wales Online.
1. Cheese
Hard cheeses are the best to freeze since they hold less moisture. The best way to freeze the cheese is in a food storage bag tightly sealed so that as little moisture gets in or out. Make sure to squeeze before fully sealing, so all the air is sucked out.
2. Milk
It is important to freeze milk before it’s best before date. You can freeze in its original plastic container but not glass or cardboard as it does expand. Ice cube trays and freezer bags can also be used to store milk but ensure these are tilted appropriately to avoid any leaks.
3. Mushrooms
You can freeze these raw but be mindful, as they contain a lot of moisture their texture can be affected. It’s important not to wash mushrooms before freezing otherwise they will go soggy. To save space you can also slice them down without any issues.
4. Eggs
Eggs can be frozen, but I do not recommend doing so whole in their shells. You can crack the eggs and store them in a container as a whole egg or freeze beaten. I also would not advice freezing soft- or hard-boiled eggs as they tend not to recover from the process.
5. Potatoes
Potatoes can be frozen in many ways, but I do not advise freezing straight from raw due to their water content. Mashed potatoes can be easily frozen in any freezer bag as well as roast potatoes and homemade wedges. Boiled potatoes can also be frozen and easily reheated in boiling water.
6. Bananas
You can place bananas in the freezer whole with their peel on, just note that they will need to thaw a little afterwards otherwise they won’t peel. Chopped banana can also be easily stored in freezer bags, perfect for adding to smoothies or popping onto your morning toast.
7. Rice
Cooked rice can be frozen but, it must be cooled down quickly. The best way is to spread cooked rice over a flat tray and place it in the fridge beforehand. When reheating, it’s best to do so in the microwave and make sure that it is piping hot throughout before consuming.
8. Courgette
Like mushrooms, these can be sautéed off before freezing to remove the excess water or frozen whole. Just be mindful when they are defrosted, they will be very squishy as such a high percentage of them is water.
9. Avocado
The best ones to freeze are ones that are still a little firm. First, remove all skin and the stone and then place on a silicone lined tray. I always squeeze a little lemon or lime juice on before freezing to prevent them from browning. After a few hours remove and place in an airtight freezer bag and remove all air before placing into the freezer.
10. Coconut Milk
Similarly to ordinary milk, this can be frozen using ice cube trays and freezer bags that are tilted appropriately to avoid any leaks. Once the ice cubes are frozen you can remove these and place them into a freezer bag to free up some space.
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