Eight foods you probably didn't know you could freeze

Freezing the food you haven’t had time to eat acts like a pause button and gives you more time to use up the products that you’ve bought.

Which is also good news for your pocket as it means food you’ve bought that’s going out of date, can be frozen right up until the best before date expires.

Most foods can be frozen, unless they have a high water content like lettuce and cucumber, including some you may not be aware of such as eggs, chocolate and cooked pasta.

Thrifty shoppers on NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have developed a list of eight of the lesser-known food items that can be safely stored in a freezer to help households save money and reduce their food waste.

Storing food below zero degrees prevents products from spoiling or becoming harmful to humans by preserving the ingredients in a dormant state. 

Most foods will last at least three months in the freezer, so you can defrost in the fridge and eat at a later date.

Just remember not to re-freeze defrosted food as this can lead to serious illness.

A spokesperson from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk told Hull Live : “Food waste costs Brits a lot of money, plus, it’s really bad for the environment.

“By learning some of the surprising things you can freeze you’re helping save the world and your bank account – what’s not to love?

“Freezers can become messy quickly, so try and freeze food as flat as possible, and get rid of any excess packaging to help keep some order.”

Here is the list of eight surprising foods you can freeze, compiled by NetVoucherCodes.co.uk

1. Eggs

You can freeze eggs, but not the shell (Getty)

The shell of eggs can’t be frozen, but everything else can. Crack the eggs into a muffin tray, then place these into the freezer. Once fully frozen they can be transferred into a plastic container, creating even more space.

2. Cheese

Blocks and grated cheese can be frozen (Gety)

This can be frozen as a full block, or if you mainly use it grated, you can grate the block and freeze it, meaning you can grab handfuls of cheese when you need it. Anything from mozzarella to parmesan can cope with being put in the freezer, but be warned, cottage cheese may react badly.

3. Milk

Milk can be frozen (Getty)

Frozen milk should be thawed before it is used and be sure to give it a big shake before pouring to ensure all the solids and liquids have been fully mixed. Milk will also expand when it’s frozen, so don’t squeeze it into a tight container.

4. Bread

This should be frozen when fresh otherwise it will still be a bit stale once defrosted. You can freeze it as a full loaf, or in individual slices. You can then leave your bread to thaw naturally or pop it straight into the toaster.

5. Chocolate

No need to panic if you get a luxury Cadburys chocolate hamper for Easter, make it last all year by freezing the contents (Cadburys)

Chocolate doesn’t contain much water which means that it won’t change as much as other items when frozen and defrosted. Put the chocolate in the fridge for a few hours before placing it into the freezer as this will help bring the temperature down slowly, reducing the risk of the flavour or appearance changing.

6 and 7. Rice and Pasta

It’s impossible to make the right amount of pasta or rice, but next time instead of throwing the excess away, you can freeze it. Place it onto a flat baking tray and into the freezer. Once fully frozen you can then transfer them into a different container. Simply pour hot water over the rice or pasta to defrost and cook.

8. Yogurt

(Getty)

Fro-yo is an increasingly popular dessert which you can enjoy at home too. Some yogurts can be affected by the freezing process, so it’s important to try freezing a small amount beforehand to ensure the taste isn’t affected.