What's in your freezer?

from Microsoft.com

Well, what is in your freezer? Some ice cream and a few ice cube trays? A frozen pizza? Your freezer can be an important and convenient tool in the quest to be healthy as well as thrifty. Here are some examples:

• Buy meat when it is on sale and freeze it to use later
• Make a batch of food like chili or soup and freeze in individual containers to bring for lunch
• Before a big event, such as the birth of a baby, make and freeze dinners so you don't have to cook
• Make a large batch of baby food puree and freeze in ice cube trays for easy serving
• Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh and taste better than canned. They are also easy to make, just steam on the stove.

Some Tips:

• Always label your frozen food. Include what it is, the date, and the amount or number of servings. It's easy to forget what something is! I have a roll of masking tape and a marker in the kitchen just for that purpose
• It's usually better to package in smaller amounts (one serving at a time) so that the food takes less time to thaw and so you don't have to thaw more than you need
• Make sure to thaw the food safely, in the fridge, in an ice water bath, or in the microwave

Here are links to a couple websites about freezing that have a lot more great tips
Center for Home Food Preservation
Article about how long you can freeze food

How do you use the freezer to help make life easier in the kitchen?