Stock your freezer for healthy diet with these key ingredients. It makes life so much easier. I’d like to share what works for me but please expand. I keep my “kitchen life” very simple but having some things on hand at all times really does help sustain a healthy diet. Since real food goes bad, we need to stock not just our refrigerator but our freezer too.
Stock Your Freezer for Healthy Diet With Produce
When I have too many ripe bananas, I peel, chop, and freeze them in a bag. It’s great for making healthy oatmeal banana bread, smoothies, desserts, etc. It’s rare that there’s leftover fruit in my family so I tend to buy frozen berries, pineapples, mangoes, etc. for making smoothies, healthy desserts, and popsicles for my 7 year old. You can freeze fresh ones before they go bad. I also buy frozen peas, corn, carrots, edamame, spinach, artichoke hearts, etc. When I have leftover baby greens that I can’t use up, I toss them in the freezer; that way I never waste food. They are great in soups, smoothies, and stir fries. Please also test out squash, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, and so much more.
Herbs in the Freezer for Healthy Diet
Herbs are great in the freezer. I do take lots of short cuts so I simply wash, dry, and toss them in the freezer. They may be more flavorful if you chop them up, cover them in olive oil or water, and freeze in ice cube trays. Then store them in labeled bags. Some ideas include basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, etc. I also love tossing an entire ginger root in the freezer. When I need it, it’s much easier to grate frozen ginger than fresh. Bonus!
Stock Your Freezer for Healthy Diet with Protein
I always have ground meat (i.e., turkey), chicken, a variety of fish, shrimp, etc. in the freezer. That way I don’t need to go to the grocery store every time I want to cook. I simply move it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before. It’s so easy!
When I remember or when I have leftovers, I’ll also store cooked chicken or cooked ground turkey so that I can easily use it for quick dinners. If I store it flat, then it reheats easily or I can break off the desired amount. Bacon also stores well. I can never finish an entire package and rarely purchase this so adding it to my freezer makes it easy to eat treats sparingly yet still enjoy them.
Sauce in the Freezer for Healthy Diet
I can never finish an entire jar of pesto, tomato paste, or tomato sauce. Portion this out and freeze for later use, any time. Stock your freezer for healthy diet and you will always have a variety of easy, flavorful meals.
Stock Your Freezer for Healthy Diet With Baked Goods
In order to enjoy baked goods yet not feel like I have to eat it all at once, I freeze them. Great examples include bread, tortilla (make sure they are not stuck together before freezing), muffins, cookies, etc.
Stock Soups and Stews in the Freezer
You can toss leftover chili and hearty soups or make extra so you don’t need to cook during those busy days. Noodles wouldn’t work; they get soggy.
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~ Samantha Hua, Online Nutrition Coach & Holistic Health Coach, San Diego, CA
