While storing ice cream and frozen pizza are certainly important tasks, a typical freezer is capable of so much more. Our favorite freezer storage hacks not only preserve food, but simplify meal prep and offer everyday shortcuts to make life easier. From freezing pre-chopped vegetables to extending battery life, here’s how to use this kitchen staple to its fullest potential.
Make Life Easier with These Simple Freezer Storage Hacks
Anything that saves time or streamlines a chore can be vital on a busy day. But rather than buying a fancy gadget or device, your trusty freezer is ready and waiting with a range of possibilities. These easy freezer storage hacks can be just the game-changers you need to simplify everyday life.
1. Use Ice Cube Trays for Meal Prep
One of the best uses for your freezer ice cube trays simplifies meal prep with easy individual storage. Pour sauces like pesto or marinara, or excess ingredients like egg whites or yogurt, into an ice cube tray and freeze. They’ll be ready and waiting to throw in the pan or blender, in perfectly-sized portions, when whipping up a quick breakfast or dinner.
2. Freeze Pre-Chopped Vegetables
Freezer hacks that help with meal prep don’t stop with ice cube trays. Storing fresh vegetables in the freezer can also cut down on kitchen time. After chopping into bite-size pieces, blanch the veggies in boiling water for 2 minutes to preserve their color and nutrients. Plunge the softened vegetables into ice water to stop the cooking process and allow them to dry on a towel. Seal in zip-top bags before freezing and add to stir-frys, pasta or rice bowls after a quick thaw in the pan or microwave.
3. Chop Bacon With Ease
Slicing or dicing bacon for recipes can be a slippery process when you have to cut through an excess of fat. Here’s how to use a freezer to slice through bacon with quick precision: freeze the slices for 15 minutes. Freezing will firm up the fat and make for easier slicing or chopping. The same trick can be used when you need to cut thin slices of beef or chicken for soups and stir-frys.
4. Store Plastic Wrap
Of all the unexpected things you can freeze, we bet you never would have guessed plastic wrap. But while this may be one of the least-known freezer storage hacks, it works like magic when the plastic sticks to itself. Simply place the whole roll in the freezer for a few minutes. The chilly temp will release some of the plastic cling so it easily unrolls.
5. Prolong Battery Life
Freezer storage hacks don’t stop at food. On the contrary, storing some everyday items in cold temps can prolong their lifespan. Instead of keeping your batteries in a drawer, store them in the freezer in a sealed, zip-top bag. Freezing not only provides them with a longer charge, but can lengthen their shelf life by as much as 5-20%. Freezer tips and tricks that improve performance and save money? Yes, please.
6. Keep Sliced Bread Fresh
Sometimes it’s hard to finish a loaf of sliced bread before it starts to go stale. Fortunately, bread is one of those foods you can store in the freezer that still tastes great when it defrosts. For easy removal of individual slices, place a sheet of parchment paper in between each slice and wrap them in foil. Place the foil-wrapped package in a zip-top bag and store in the freezer to ensure fresh bread when you want it.
As helpful as freezer storage hacks or refrigerator organization tips can be, they can’t do much if you have a fridge malfunction. When you need an expert freezer repair service, call Aviv Service Today.
