This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.
In a recent post on How to Save Money on Groceries When You’re Single, a reader asked if I could share a helpful list of what freezes well and what doesn’t. I thought that was a great idea, because I have found many people aren’t aware of just how many things you can freeze–but I also know people who have made the mistake of freezing stuff and it becoming unusable. Here is my list of what freezes well and what doesn’t! I hope this helps you know how to stock up on sales and how to keep food from going to waste.
What Freezes Well vs. What Doesn’t—A Simple Guide
Breads
This group includes not just loaves of bread, which freeze well, but tortillas, bagels, English muffins, pancakes, and waffles. If I see my kids’ favorite bagels on sale, I will buy several packages and throw all but one in the freezer. It’s the same with a low-carb bread I really like. It doesn’t go on sale often, so when it does, I usually buy 3-4 loaves. This can be especially helpful if you buy certain types of bread (such as organic or sprouted) that don’t have as long of a shelf life. You can keep the bread in the freezer and just pull out slices as you need them.
Cheeses
Almost all cheeses can be frozen, especially if the final texture doesn’t matter. You can freeze cheese before or after you shred it, but be prepared that if you freeze whole blocks of cheese and then try to shred it, it might be crumbly (which might be fine if you’re using it or something like macaroni and cheese. Cream cheese can also be frozen, but the texture will change, so only do that if you’re planning to use it for baking.
You can put pre-shredded bags of cheese directly in the freezer, or you can shred it yourself and then freeze it. This is my favorite way to freeze it because when you pull it out, you don’t even need to let it thaw if you’re using it for baking.
Dairy
Milk and heavy cream both freeze well as long as you let them fully thaw and shake well before using. Butter freezes beautifully. Yogurt can also be frozen, but don’t plan to eat it straight out of the bowl because the texture will change. Frozen yogurt works great for smoothies and baking.
Eggs
Anything made with eggs, such as egg bites, casseroles or breakfast burritos, freezes well. But did you know you can also freeze raw eggs? You can do this by cracking them in a bowl and whisking them, then pouring them into muffin tins and freezing, then removing and putting in a freezer bag.
Avocados
Avocados can be so finicky because sometimes they ripen before you’re ready to eat all of them. You can slice or cube avocado and freeze it for use in smoothies. However, don’t plan to use this avocado for something like guacamole or eating plain, as it won’t turn out to be the right texture.
Greens
If you’re going to cook them or put them in smoothies, greens like spinach and kale freeze amazingly well. You can also freeze fresh herbs!
Grains & pasta
Any grain like rice or quinoa as well as pasta freezes well, even if you haven’t already mixed it with other foods (like in a casserole). For pasta, make sure to slightly undercook it before freezing.
Tomatoes
Anything tomato based like cooked tomatoes, tomato paste, or spaghetti sauce freezes great. I like to freeze sauces by putting them in a freezer bag and laying them flat. This makes them take up a lot less room and it will thaw really quickly.
Produce people usually toss
There are several foods people sometimes toss that you could save for future cooking. This includes overripe bananas (peel them first); citrus zest, ginger, and the peels and ends of veggies. These items can be turned into smoothies or baked goods or added to meals for seasoning. In the case of the produce odds and ends, you can use them to make vegetable or chicken broth.
Desserts
Cookies, cake layers, and brownies all freeze well. You can freeze cookie dough or you can bake the cookies and then freeze them. This is a great tip because if you make a big batch of something but don’t want to eat them all right away, you can save them for a future event (or for an afternoon snack!).
Potatoes
Potatoes are hit or miss. You will not want to try freezing raw potatoes, but you can freeze cooked potatoes. Mashed potatoes will reheat well from frozen, and you can also freeze cooked potatoes as long as you don’t mind if they’re slightly mushy when thawed.
Other Stuff
Some other random foods that freeze well are nuts and seeds, flour, stock and broth, and leftover wine or juice that can be used for cooking. Freezing nuts, seeds, and flour can keep them from going rancid and also prevent potential pantry bugs. I also freeze yeast, because I buy it in bulk but don’t use it very quickly.
A few other things I was thinking about that I like to freeze are yogurt tubes, coconut flakes, pie and pie crusts!
Here are some other posts with helpful freezer tips!
Best Freezing Techniques
How to Freeze Fresh Vegetables
15 Foods You Can Buy in Bulk and Freeze
