Just got free freezer...what to put in it?

randomer

Hello fellow money savers. After very many years of needlessly wasting money on numerous trips to the shops o/h and myself are obliged to stop. I was lucky enough to get a free fridge freezer. It was a bit smelly and dirty but I can remedy that.

Now I'm wondering about the best way to be economical with food. We have started a cash only weekly shop system which has worked this week What cheapie goodies can I freeze? We are 2 adults and 2 teens...not fussy eaters thank goodness.
I can think of the obvious ones like bolognaise but any other ideas?:rolleyes:

bellaquidsin

Until you get your stocks up in your freezer, it might be a good idea to look out for reduced bread or rolls and pop those in so that your are not freezing air.

In my freezer I have:-

Homemade bread, cakes and scones.
A mixture of bags of frozen vegetales.
Lamb and beef joints bought on half price offer.
A cheap chicken.
Pork (small joint) and beef mince - yellow stickered.
Frozen fish, pollack, for fish pies.
Homemade soup.
Several chicken carcasses to make into stock for soup.
Bacon stock, from cooking a bacon joint, waiting to be made into soup.
Enough milk for the week and a bit over.
Quite a few small boxes containing things like, egg white, lemon zest, turkey stock and small amounts of leftover wine, all will get used someday.
A few (homemade) ready meals, i.e. casseroles and a fish pie, for those lazy days when cooking is a no no.

There's more but these should give you some ideas.

Bella.

picklepick

off the top of my head when i cook i make two and freeze one of

chicken curry
lasagne
cottage pie
chilli con carne
homemade pizza
bolognese
sausage casserole
soups
salmon fishcakes

i also grow my own herbs and freeze them in ice cube trays

bread, so ive got a nice stash

zippychick

this thread is worth its weighh in gold. Only one that comes to mind

Building blocks for your freezer

Batch cooking ideas

Foods you can and cant freeze

im sure theres more!

Trinny

Hello there

My freezer is stacked full of whoops meat and fish ready to make meals. Othewise it has frozen fruit and veg from the garden
Frozen wild fruit and veg
Whoops bread
Frozen elderflower cordial HM - in the freezer because it doesnt keep for long
If you are stuck for space - fill old plastic pop bottles 3/4 full with water and use them to stack the freezer shelves until you can afford to fill the freezer with food - freezers run more efficiently if they are at least 3/4 full

spinningsheep

I have a single size chest freezer and I always visit my local Co-op at about 7pm as this is when they have a delivery! So, all the stuff that is shorter life from the bread and fresh meat goes on the "whoop shelf". So we tend to stock up on cheap meat and bread whenever we can, and freeze it in preparation for the leaner months. I always keep a well stocked freezer and we tend to live well on a very small budget!!

freebiequennie

we too are huge co-op whoopsie fans we stock up on meat and bread when reduced there, we also look in other supermarkets but find this one the best. Also when we make spag bol, curry, shepherds pie etc etc we always enough for another meal so freeze a pot for those days where can be bothered to cook, We rarely have space in freezer as always buying all the bargains.

Stephen_Leak

If all else fails, fill it up with loaves of bread. This saves you wasting electricity freezing air, which you can't eat.

I'd be lost without mine, and batch cook and then freeze pretty well all of the above suggestions.

However, I also do a "Keema" (minced meat) curry, which turns just 250g of minced meat, a tin of potatoes and a handful of frozen peas (OK, plus a few other bits and bobs!) into 3 portions of curry. If you fancy the recipe, let me know.

suseb_99

ooh that sounds nice...
can I have the recipe!!!
I have a tin of potatoes sitting in the cupboard and mince in the freezer!!!
Thanks
Suse

weezl74

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

If all else fails, fill it up with loaves of bread. This saves you wasting electricity freezing air, which you can't eat.

I'd be lost without mine, and batch cook and then freeze pretty well all of the above suggestions.

However, I also do a "Keema" (minced meat) curry, which turns just 250g of minced meat, a tin of potatoes and a handful of frozen peas (OK, plus a few other bits and bobs!) into 3 portions of curry. If you fancy the recipe, let me know.

yes please!

Although it might get a bit hidden on this thread?

boredjellybean

Hi there

well my freezer had a huge frost overload & everything had to go - so we have defrosted the freezer & are starting again from scratch

what would you do with your fantasy empty freezer???

also what order are you supposed to put things in the freezer (is it like a fridge with meats in a certain place?) I have never thought before & randomly thrown things in where there is a space

regards

BB