Why freezing is good this Christmas!

This Christmas, many of us are looking forward to enjoying time and good food with friends and family. Even if you’re catering for a small group, those festive treats, ingredients for Christmas dinner and other delicious luxuries soon stack up.

Whether your budget is tighter than Santa’s waistband, or maybe you just like to be savvy with your spending, you can still have all the trimmings and save money at the same time - all you need is your freezer!

Think of your freezer as your new best friend - your Christmas helper! Making the most of your freezer will help reduce your food waste and costs.

It acts like a pause button, giving us more time to eat the food we buy. Once frozen, it won’t spoil and puts the Use By date on hold. If you’ve got a pack of ham in the fridge and you’re not going to eat it in time, just put it in an air tight bag or container, freeze before the ‘use by’ date, defrost when needed and use within 24 hours. If it’s a lot of ham, freeze it in smaller portions and only defrost the amount you need. Just a couple of ham slices left? Freeze them. You can then add them to pasta dishes, salads, soups and more.

Lamb, beef, fish, seafood, chicken, minced meat, bread and cakes are all commonly frozen foods, but did you know you can freeze eggs, dairy and fruit as well? While some food, like eggs, need a bit of preparation first, and others, like yoghurt, may change texture once they’ve been frozen, they all taste just the same in a smoothie, or stirred into a curry.

Before you start freezing anything, it’s important to check you have enough room, so take a look at what’s in those frosty depths of your freezer and plan to make meals that will use up frozen food in the run-up to Christmas.

Once you’ve made space, why not get ahead of the game and start preparing your Christmas food? Mince pies, roast potatoes, sausage rolls, pigs in blankets and lots more can all be made ahead and frozen. 

If you are guilty of buying too much for fear of running out over the Christmas period, stocking up on freezer-friendly items will ensure you always have food available. You then only need defrost the amount you need, so it won’t go to waste.

For more tips and advice on reducing food waste and saving money this Christmas and beyond, visit the Love Food, Hate Waste page.

www.recycledevon.org