The Good Foundation
Our freezers can be a treasure trove of leftovers – made up of helpful last-minute meals and half eaten frozen peas. To help keep us organised, eating well and getting the most bang for our buck, here are Jamie Oliver’s freezer must haves:
- Vegetables: If vegetables are properly prepped and frozen at their freshest, they will retain most of their nutrients. Freeze a glut of fresh, seasonal produce (peas, broad beans, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli, spinach, sweetcorn and green beans all freeze well), then grab a handful whenever you need to add a veggie hit to your dinner – the possibilities are endless!
- Fruit: Don’t throw away fruit that’s overripe – chop it up, bag it, and freeze it. Very ripe fruit is ideal for a morning smoothie or a quick frozen yoghurt. You can even freeze grapes whole and use them as ice cubes.
- Bread: Got a loaf of bread you know you won’t use before it’s stale? Slice it up and freeze it for emergency toast, or try blitzing it into breadcrumbs – they can be used immediately on pasta bakes, parmigiana, or to bind mince into meatballs and burgers.
- Dough: Next time you’re making pizza from scratch, think about making an extra batch of dough. Divide and roll it out into rounds, pile them up with a layer of greaseproof paper between each, wrap in clingfilm, and freeze. Pizza bases can make a quick and delicious meal – just throw on whatever odds and ends you have in the back of the fridge and bake straight from frozen.
- Dairy and eggs: While yoghurt and whole eggs don’t freeze well, milk, hard cheese and egg whites do. Try grating hard cheese into a reusable freezer bag or container and sprinkle it directly onto pasta bakes or pizzas before cooking. If you’ve made something with egg yolks, like carbonara or aioli, pop the leftover egg whites in a reusable freezer bag (labelled with the number of eggs used) and freeze for making meringues.
Learn more tips and tricks like these in Jamie’s Ministry of Food’s online classes. For more information or to register visit jamiesministryoffood.com.au/online-courses
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