10 Staples I Keep in My Freezer
Do you ever wonder what foods you should keep in your freezer? I personally like to keep mine stocked so I can easily pull something out to make a last-minute meal. Read on to find out what my 10 freezer staples are!
1. Vegetables
Frozen veggies are great in a pinch, especially during the winter months when less seasonal produce is available. They are packed with nutrition, sometimes even more so than fresh veggies!
I like the big bags of frozen broccoli and green beans from Costco. I often will just throw a handful of frozen veggies on a bowl of rice and beans then heat it all together for a quick and easy lunch.
Frozen stir fry veggie mixes are an easy way to make a balanced meal.
2. Berries
Every summer, I go berry picking at least once. Most of the time picking your own berries is much cheaper than buying them from the grocery store. Frozen berries don’t take long to thaw and are great in yogurt or oatmeal.
To freeze fresh berries:
Wash the berries and allow them to air dry on a towel.
Spread them in a single layer on a sheet pan so they don’t clump together when frozen and stick the sheet pan in the freezer for a few hours.
Once the berries are completely frozen, stick them in a freezer bag or storage container and enjoy fresh berries year-round!
Mashed thawed berries make for a perfect pancake topping that is lower in sugar than syrup or most jams.
3. Bananas
Smoothies are an easy meal or snack, so keeping frozen bananas on-hand is a must for me. I recommend peeling the bananas before freezing them. Check out one of my previous blog posts if you’re looking for a simple and healthy smoothie recipe!
Make sure your bananas are nice and ripe before sticking them in the fridge.
4. Meat and poultry
I typically keep a variety of meat and poultry on-hand. You’ll usually find chicken thighs or breasts (I prefer thighs because they have more flavor and are cheaper!) and ground turkey or ground beef in my freezer. I often buy meat and poultry when it’s on sale. Just yesterday, the packages of chicken breasts at the Fred Meyer near me were buy-one-get-one-free! Taking advantage of sales is a great way to save money on more expensive foods like meat and poultry.
Planning ahead is the easiest way to thaw meat and poultry; I usually just stick it in the fridge 1-2 days before I want to cook it. If you’re in a pinch, though, you can always thaw frozen meat and poultry in the microwave or you can even cook chicken from frozen in an Instant Pot!
5. Chia seeds & hemp hearts
Seeds can be kept at room temperature but will stay fresh longer when kept in the freezer. Check out one of my previous blog posts to learn more about ways to incorporate chia seeds and hemp hearts into your diet.
6. Bread
Bread is a staple in my house and it’s an easy thing to stock up on (especially when it’s on sale!) and store in the freezer. You can even stick frozen bread straight in the toaster.
7. Grains
Most weeks, I cook up a batch of quinoa or rice in the Instant Pot. I like to cook extra and stick it in the freezer to pull out for a quick side dish if I don’t have time to make a fresh batch. This is a huge time-saver!
8. Soup, stew, or chili
Cooking larger batches of foods like chili, soups, and stews is a great way to meal prep. These dishes freeze well and can help reduce stress in the kitchen during busy weeks. I like freezing them in single-serve containers so they thaw more quickly.
9. Baked goods
If you don’t want to eat the whole batch of cookies or brownies, sticking some in the freezer is a great way to make them last longer. Muffins are another quick and easy snack or healthy dessert. They freeze really well and are easy to pull out just a few at a time so they don’t go bad before they can all be eaten.
10. Dog treats
Last but not least, I love to make Tucker homemade dog treats! These are his favorite.
Do you have any favorite freezer staples? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
