BY JESSICA BOOTH
Poultry
It’s never a bad idea to freeze a few pieces of chicken, which can safely be stored in there for about four months. “The most important staples I keep in my freezer are boneless, skinless chicken breasts,” Chef Shelley of Chef In The Burbs tells Woman’s Day. “It’s a good lean protein and extremely versatile.” Defrosting chicken is faster than other pieces of meat, and you can then throw it into almost any type of dish.
Bananas
Bananas can go from not-so-ripe to overripe pretty quickly. Once that happens, you have two choices: you can either bake or cook with them right away, or you can freeze them, and the second option may be the best.
“When bananas become too ripe or brown for your personal taste, the best thing to do with them is to peel them, ziplock bag them, and save them in the freezer for later use,” Jessica Randhawa, the head chef, recipe creator, photographer, and writer behind The Forked Spoon, tells Woman’s Day. “Ripe frozen bananas are a perfect ingredient to make healthier waffles/pancakes, banana bread, or a strawberry banana smoothie.”
Avocado
Avocados are another fruit that can get way too ripe way too fast – and once they’re ripe, they have an even shorter shelf life than bananas. So, once they’re ready to be eaten, freeze them. “Frozen avocado chunks are great to keep on-hand,” Chef Mee McCormick, the author of My Pinewood Kitchen, tells Woman’s Day. “You can add these to smoothies or whip up a chocolate avocado mousse for a healthier take on dessert.” You can also let them thaw and then use them for avocado toast.
Crusty Bread
Sure, there’s nothing like a soft, fresh piece of bread. But if you’re worried about not using it right away, you can freeze it for up to six months. “After slicing the end off a loaf, I wrap the bread in the paper it came in, then in a plastic bag, squeeze the air out, tie with a twist tie and freeze,” Chef Bruce Hill, owner of The Chef’s Press, explains to Woman’s Day. “The frozen bread can be thawed by placing it cut-side down on a warm griddle, then slice off a slice at a time. Frozen bread also can be made into breadcrumbs, which are handy for meatballs.”
Frozen Berries
Not every fruit will do well in the freezer, but berries definitely do. “I am a big fan of frozen berries,” Shockey says. “Often the quality will be just as good as fresh berries (especially when berries are out of season) as frozen produce tends to be picked at its peak. Frozen berries are great for making pies or scones or an easy smoothie.”
Lime or Lemon Juice
If you use limes and lemons often, then freezing the juice is a good way to ensure you always have it when you need it. Chef Marie Surakul, head chef of Bamboo inside Pechanga Resort Casino, recommends squeezing out the juice and storing it in ice cube trays. “You’ll gain the ability to have pre-made juice, sauce and pastes at the ready just before you begin cooking,” he tells Woman’s Day.
Broth
Homemade broth is delicious and extremely versatile. Unfortunately, it only lasts about a week in your fridge. But in the freezer, it can stay good for at least six months. “Having some chicken or vegetable broth on hand can help any time you’re in the mood for soups and sauces — and it never hurts to kick things up a notch when sautéing veggies either,” Steph Young, founder and writer at CampingCooks.com, tells Woman’s Day.
Shiitake Mushrooms
You’ve probably never thought about freezing mushrooms to use for later, but why not? They freeze well and are a great addition to most recipes, like soups and stews, according to McCormick. To freeze, “just place mushrooms on a parchment-lined tray and place in freezer until they are frozen. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight reusable freezer bag,” McCormick says
Herbs
Fresh herbs can hang out in your freezer for up to a year without going bad. That means that the over-abundance of basil you grew during the summer can easily be stored and then used in the middle of the winter. Mitch Prensky, an award-winning Chef and seasoned culinary professional, tells Woman’s Day he chops up fresh herbs and then portions them out in ice cube trays. “These are great for adding to a sauce or making a dressing,” he explains. “They are pre-portioned and stay fresh forever.”
Butter
“I freeze salted and unsalted butter in bulk, as I go through a lot of it, and if others do too, it’s a great thing to freeze and then you never run out of it,” Jessie Sheehan of The Vintage Baker tells Woman’s Day. She adds that you can freeze butter for up to four months.
Bacon
While many types of meat will only last about four months in your freezer, bacon can last up to six months. And Chef Jennifer Scism, chef and co-founder of Good To-Go, has the best method for storing it. “I lay it onto a sheet tray lined with plastic wrap. Freeze it until it is good and hard, an hour or so. Then wrap it up tightly in plastic wrap and pop it into a freezer bag,” he tells Woman’s Day. “The pieces are separate so you can pull out what you need and will defrost quickly. So easy and so good.”
Pesto
Spend some time whipping up a huge batch of fresh pesto, then freeze it so that you can enjoy it for months to come (it can last in the freezer for up to six months). “It freezes perfectly, and is standing at the ready for your next pasta, grilled chicken, or burrata recipe,” Chef Dennis Prescott of Netflix’s Restaurants On The Edge, tells Woman’s Day. He recommends portioning the pesto into ice cube trays so you can easily pop them out and use small amounts at a time.
