What you can find in the back of your freezer is amazing: half-used bags of veggies and fruit, meat and fish, pizza dough, and French fries are all likely hiding in there. According to a recent survey, approximately 17% of people have kept food in their freezers for over a decade! Combine your odds and ends to create these fantastic dishes, which range from delicious bakes and main entrees to quick midweek dinners and snacks.

11 Top Benefits of Frozen Food

source: google.com

Peas:

Frozen peas are a popular freezer component since they may be served as a side dish, mixed into an omelette, pasta, or risotto, or puréed for soups. So, this recipe, which turns them into a quick and easy chicken curry, is a little unusual. There are no pricey ingredients needed, and you can put it on the table in about an hour.

French fries:

Take your half-used bag of French fries to the next level. Once baked, sprinkle with truffle or chili oil, grate with Parmesan cheese, and garnish with chopped parsley. It makes a lovely, simple snack to serve with a drink or two.

Broccoli:

Frozen broccoli is ideal for fritters. Thaw 300g (10.5oz) broccoli, then finely chop. Then, add 75g (2.5oz) self-rising flour, a chopped onion, and around 1 tsp chilli powder or paprika. Mix two eggs with 2 tablespoons milk and toss into the broccoli. Fry the mixture in batches, adding a few teaspoons at a time, until crispy and heated. You might also include chickpeas, grated cheese, or crumbled feta. Serve with a fried or poached egg and crispy bacon for breakfast or lunch.

Pizza dough:

Making a superb pizza topping at home is simple: just add tomato passata, mozzarella, pepperoni, and dried oregano. It's even easier if you have pre-risen and portioned pizza dough in the freezer. Try something new with this recipe for a Middle Eastern-style meat "pizza" topped with a savory blend of lamb mince, garlic, onions, chili, and tomato paste. It's incredibly simple and makes a significant difference.

Spinach:

Frozen spinach has a much deeper, stronger flavour than fresh spinach, and it truly shines in this 20-minute pasta recipe. Orecchiette means "little ears," and its form is ideal for scooping up the sauce. A little cream, garlic, and Parmesan complete the dish. It’s sure to be a hit.

Puff pastry:

Use up your frozen puff pastry in a decadent Italian pie. This dish also makes good use of any leftover cheese and ham in the fridge, and the only other primary ingredient is tomato passata, which is a store cupboard staple. Serve your cheese pie with a snappy green salad for lunch or super, or indulge in a sumptuous brunch.

Pearl/button onions:

These small onions are difficult to peel if purchased fresh, so they're an excellent addition for the freezer. Their sweet flavour shines in a traditional French beef bourguignon, but they also work nicely in any warm beef stew recipe. Simply add them about an hour before your stew is done simmering so they don't entirely break apart.

Bread:

It doesn't matter if you have sourdough, wholemeal, or white bread in the freezer; an Italian bread salad known as panzanella is the ideal recipe for it. The bread is re-baked in olive oil, then soaked in additional oil, red wine vinegar, tomatoes, and peppers. You can add any Mediterranean-style foods that you have on hand. It also makes an excellent side dish for barbecue.

Shortcrust pastry:

Chicken pot pie is an excellent way to use up leftover frozen shortcrust dough. Even better, you may add all of the additional vegetables and herbs you found in the freezer. Although the recipe calls for a whole chicken, you may easily substitute chicken pieces.

Green beans:

Green beans take center stage in this chili and Parmesan polenta recipe. The recipe is also an excellent way to use up leftover polenta or cornmeal. The polenta is cooked before you add the lemon zest, chili, butter, and Parmesan (or any other strong cheese). It is then fried and garnished with the beans and toasted hazelnuts. Basil oil gives a wow factor.

Sausages:

Make a few frozen sausages go further by incorporating them into a bean casserole. Simply sauté an onion, then add a few cans of drained, rinsed beans (whatever you have on hand), a can of tomatoes, and some passata. Season and boil until thickened, then add the cooked, sliced sausages for 15 minutes to absorb the flavours. Alternatively, you may try this recipe, which turns the sausages into meatballs for a toasty traybake.

FAQs

What is the advantage of freezing meals?

source: google.com

Freezing suspends the chemical movement that makes food decay. Keeping premium frozen feasts in your cooler means there is zero waste. They are additionally divided so you take what you want, when you really want it. Nothing ruins, so nothing should be tossed out.

Why is freezer better than fridge?

A cooler is intended for long time stockpiling or stockpiling of profoundly transient items like meat, fish, and so on where the temperature is kept up with at under 15°c, where as a fridge is intended to store for more limited length and for stockpiling of less short-lived items like vegetables, milk, and so on.