Meal prepping
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Blanch vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, and squash prior to freezing to maintain their flavor and texture.
This is required for good taste; it is a quality concern rather than a safety one.
- Most need to be blanched by submerging in boiling water for a short period.
3 people, independently
Split large Sunday meal batches between the fridge and freezer to cover the entire week.
Leftovers do not last more than three or four days in the fridge.
one person who lived it
Buy cheese in bulk blocks or offcuts, divide into 250g portions, and freeze to save money.
Bulk and offcut purchases are much cheaper.
one person who lived it
Limit kitchen messes to once a week by batch cooking, which keeps the freezer stocked and is very frugal.
very frugal
one person who lived it
Make dumplings, perogies, or ravioli filled with veggies and freeze them for quick cooking later.
They freeze fantastic and cook quickly in simmering water.
one person who lived it
Spray breads, rolls, or pizza dough with water from a bottle before heating to restore freshness.
Adding back moisture helps immensely, making it as good as or better than fresh.
one person who lived it
Chop vegetables at the beginning of the week to use throughout the week.
to save time and do the work in one session so you don't get tired
one person who lived it
Buy Romaine lettuce heads with white stems, looking at the stem to determine freshness.
The whiter, the fresher
one person who lived it
Blend raw spinach with a bit of water, freeze the mixture in muffin pans, and transfer the frozen pucks to ziplock bags.
This allows you to use less ice while keeping smoothies cold.
one person who lived it
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Shred cheese in a food processor and freeze it in bags for use in dishes like pizza and lasagna.
Being shredded allows it to thaw quickly.
one person who lived it
Add flour to shredded cheese before freezing.
It freezes with the same texture as pre-shredded grocery store cheese at a lower cost.
one person who lived it
Package curries with high fat content (like butter or olive oil) in rigid containers instead of bags.
To allow for proper heating.
one person who lived it
Use frozen fruit in smoothies instead of ice cubes.
To avoid watering down the smoothie.
one person who lived it
Freeze half of your fresh produce immediately after grocery shopping if you live alone to reduce waste.
It prevents food from going bad before you can consume it, especially for items like fruits for smoothies.
- Some vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, and whole tomatoes do not freeze well.
one person who lived it
Cook and freeze meals like lasagna before an extended vacation to have ready-to-eat food upon return.
It is easier than grocery shopping and cooking when you are tired after traveling.
2 people, independently
Flash freeze certain vegetables immediately rather than chilling and transporting them for over a week.
it preserves more nutrition
- applies to some veggies
one person who lived it
Cook noodles al dente before freezing to prevent them from becoming mushy upon reheating.
Reheating affects texture worst; cooking very al dente results in slightly soft noodles rather than a pile of mush.
2 people, independently
Slightly freeze bread-type items before vacuum sealing them.
To prevent them from getting squished.
one person who lived it
Freeze sandwich bread or dessert items like cupcakes to keep school lunches cool.
This keeps sandwiches nice and cool when lunchtime arrives.
one person who lived it
Consult J. Kenji López-Alt's guide to freezing for culinary questions.
He is considered a highly respected food expert.
one person who lived it
Use glass containers instead of plastic for freezing meals to avoid chemical leaching.
To avoid taking the chance with anything leaching into food when heating.
one person who lived it
Freeze black raspberries grown in summer for use in baking later.
They remain delicious when used in items like muffins.
one person who lived it
Avoid freezing cabbage unless you plan to blend it into a smoothie.
It becomes a soggy, smelly mess upon thawing.
one person who lived it
Immediately portion dinner leftovers into bags and freeze them for future lunches.
This prevents tossing them out after a week.
one person who lived it
Learn which produce needs blanching or parboiling before freezing.
Some items like raw potatoes become a textural mess otherwise.
one person who lived it
Blend fresh herbs with a bit of oil and freeze them in ice cube trays for convenient flavor pucks to add to soups and sauces.
4 people, independently
Place frozen food portions from ziplock bags into a large Tupperware container to prevent freezer burn.
To prevent freezer burn on portions stored in ziplock bags.
one person who lived it
Portion leftover meat into strips or chunks before freezing, but do not slice it thinly until after reheating to prevent drying out.
Slicing before reheating causes it to dry out more.
one person who lived it
Dehydrate cherry tomatoes (cut in half), sliced mushrooms, herbs, peppers, kiwi, and berries.
Kiwi tastes like candy when dehydrated.
- If dehydrating hot peppers, do it outside.
one person who lived it
Freeze the sauce separately instead of freezing cooked pasta.
pasta cooks fast and easily
one person who lived it
Defrost frozen milk in a sink filled with water, shaking it periodically to prevent separation.
Shaking solves the separation problem.
one person who lived it