With rising prices making the most of any food you buy is a must. Research shows four in 10 people are already taking action to cut costs on regular household bills.
But throwing away food is a common practice for most families with the average household dumping 28.1kg of food waste every month. And while putting the odd squishy tomato or the leftovers from our plate into the bin might seem minor, food waste is a huge global issue that needs to be tackled.
However the problem begins at home, with UK households being responsible for 60% of food waste, business, and hospitality such as pubs and restaurants responsible for the remaining 40%. And while one solution is to cut back on what is being bought - what do you do if you find yourself with unexpected leftovers?
AEG has conducted an extensive study into the UK’s food waste discovering which UK councils offer a food waste service. It also examines Brits' attitudes and behaviours in tackling food waste in the home.
For 62% of Brits, freezing fresh food is helping them reduce food waste. Freezing on the day of purchase can increase shelf-life considerably - but for many knowing what you can freeze without compromising the taste or making it unsafe to eat can be an issue.
Google searches show there is a sharp increase of people searching for “Can you freeze” queries, with an average increase of 51% 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. 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.
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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.” Here is what she recommends:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
