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If you’ve been watching your spending, there’s a good chance your grocery bills are the part of your budget that fluctuates the most. Aside from scouring the BOGO section of your local grocery store and clipping coupons, there’s another way to save money. We’re talking about taking advantage of food storage.

Freezing allows you to put away food for longer. In other words, this method will enable you to use what you buy and ensure the money you spend doesn’t go to waste. Here are some helpful tips that may make the freezer a significant part of your grocery savings.

The Advantages of Freezing Food

There’s a good chance that you are already using your freezer. After all, many convenient foods we enjoy, like pre-packed meals, pizza, and chicken nuggets, require they be kept frozen before use. Of course, this home appliance can do more than hold midnight snacks.

When used properly, the freezer can serve as a treasure trove of food that lets you save money, optimize your meal planning, and even spare you a visit to the grocery store or two.

There are many benefits of owning and using a freezer. Whether as a standalone unit or part of your refrigerator, you can’t go wrong using the freezer more often. Here are some of its key strengths at a glance:

Stores food for longer. The strongest selling point of a freezer is that it can store food for much longer than other storage methods. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it’s possible to freeze virtually any food for an almost indefinite length of time.

In other words, freezing lets you buy more food on sale or in bulk and store them for use later. This allows you to take advantage of “last chance” clearance items without fear of spoilage and might even allow you to skip buying some essentials if you line up your purchases strategically. All in all, it can lead to saving more money.

Optimizes meal preparation. Generally speaking, buying prepackaged meals tends to be more expensive than cooking something from scratch. Also, certain “TV dinners” may not necessarily align with everyone’s nutrition and health goals—and finding health-conscious brand alternatives isn’t always budget-friendly.

Having a freezer allows for more efficient meal preparation while keeping you in control of your diet. For example, imagine preparing a batch of breakfast burritos before your work week and freezing them. Now, you can access a quick meal to take some stress out of the morning rush. A freezer lets you save more in terms of time and money.

Handy Tips for Freezing Food

Now that we’ve covered some of the standout advantages of freezer storage, here are some tips. By following these pointers, you may find that using your freezer more often will allow you to keep your grocery bills in check and save time in your day-to-day activities.

Organize your items. One of the biggest challenges to freezing is that losing track of the things put away for storage is very easy. Every food item can transform into an unidentifiable ice block on a long enough timeline.

Label and date your items before freezing them. Also, arrange them so the items are easy to reference. Use a combination of freezer-safe storage boxes and bags. Labeling makes it easier to identify contents as ice forms on the food.

Labeled food items also provide a quick reference for planning your grocery trips. Use it to track your inventory. Knowing what you have in the freezer reduces the chances of buying more of the same item.

Cook in batches and embrace leftovers. Freezing makes it easier to cook “in bulk.” Try preparing food in batches and freeze the leftovers after the first meal. Bonus points if you portion things out before storing.

Batch cooking and freezing simplify meal preparation and save time. It also adds more flexibility to meal planning. If you know you have fully cooked meals in the freezer, you can give yourself a break during weeknights and heat something. Less time in the kitchen means more time for yourself and your family.

Take advantage of bulk and clearance items. Bulk pricing is attractive since it offers a lower cost per unit than supermarket pricing. If you can access a bulk store, try stocking up on grocery essentials and freezing them.

Bulk buying isn’t just for animal protein, either. Most frozen produce can be prepared just like their fresh counterparts. Just be mindful that some ingredients might need to be thawed during the day in a refrigerator before cooking.

Some popular foods you can freeze for meal prep include:

• Nuts
• Fruits
• Bread
• Non-Leafy Vegetables
  

A quick heads up: while most foods can be frozen, not all of them should. That’s because freezing affects the characteristics of items, making them lose some of their qualities. Fresh leafy greens, for example, lose their texture after freezing. However, this is just advice for cooking an item—freezing remains one of the most effective ways to store food safely.

With a freezer, turning almost any food you buy into a delicious, nutritious, and convenient meal is possible. It may open up new options and change how you approach grocery budgeting.

Taking every opportunity to save money lets you live your life more confidently. First Florida Credit Union makes budgeting easier thanks to First Florida Rewards and our banking tools. Explore our website to learn more.