Did you know that your freezer can actually save you money? Not only can you place your credit cards in blocks of ice to curb spending, but you can freeze a number of foods so that you get the most for your money. Whether it's soups or chicken breasts, you can utilize your freezer to make the most of your money. Let's take a closer look at some things you can freeze to save money.
Soups, Stews, and Chili
Did you know that you can make double or triple batches of soups, stews, and chili and freeze them for later? All of these items freeze amazingly well. The only thing you want to avoid is freezing cream based soups. These soups will separate and just not be as good when thawed and reheated. Freezing these items allows you to always have delicious foods on hand without spending a lot of money on canned or premade foods.
My favorite recipe to double and freeze the leftovers in meal-size portions is my homemade spaghetti sauce. It's a staple in our house!
Berries
During the summer, you can find great deals on berries. Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and more can be found for so much less than what you'd spend other times of the year. Instead of simply enjoying the berries during the summer, why not freeze berries for later? You can spread the berries out on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat and flash freeze them. Once the berries are frozen, transfer to a container or zip top bag. You can add these to smoothies or even snack on the berries frozen. You can also use these in pies, jams, etc. They even make great substitutes for ice cubes.
Meat
Are you tired of paying crazy prices for meat? The next time you see a good deal, stock up. You should also invest in a vacuum sealer. Vacuum seal the meat and place it in the freezer. The meat will last for months and months with zero freezer burn. This allows you to build a nice stockpile in your freezer. Soon, you'll be stocked up on all the types of meat your family loves to eat and you'll never have to pay full price again.
The truth is there are a number of items you can freeze, but these are items that will really save you some serious money. These are items that can be pricey if you buy premade or when they're not on sale. Learning to utilize your freezer for stockpiling can save you a lot of money. It does take time to get your items ready for long-term freezer storage, but it's well worth it.
Anders says
Hi Corrie!
One great thing about freezing soups (and other liquidy things) is that they don't really need to take a lot of space. We used to freeze them in jars but that took too much space. So we started freezing them in zip-lock-bags. It's really a good space saver for us who doesn't have a big freezer. Do you use bags or lunch boxes, or similar, to freeze soups and such, Corrie?
When thinking about freezing berries, I always think of my mother. We used to have a really big freezer in the basement of my childhood home. In the garden, we had a bunch of bushes that gave berries and every year my mother picked them clean and put the harvest in the freezer. But, it never got further than that. If we wanted to, we could probably have had jam for the rest of our natural lives. 🙂
Thanks for sharing this post!