March National Frozen Foods Month!

March is National Frozen Foods Month (who knew right?) and I am often asked about using frozen fruits and vegetables in recipes instead of fresh and I always say ABSOLUTELY! 

Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at their peak and frozen quickly locking in nutrients. Very often fresh fruits and vegetables sit on a truck and then a grocery store shelf and lose nutrients as the minutes (or sometimes days) tick by. 

So, no more guilt for using frozen fruits and veggies, your freezer is your friend. Your freezer can save you money by extending the life of many kitchen and pantry staples and save you time by allowing you to freeze portions of meals for the times when you are just too busy (or too lazy) to cook. 

1. If you are freezing a leftovers make certain that you let them cool completely before you divide into serving portions to freeze
2. Divide foods into serving portions prior to freezing
3. Use zip top bags, plastic containers, or aluminum foil depending on what you are freezing but DO NOT EVER reheat your leftovers in what you used to store them. Plastic containers and heat just don't go together.
4. Write what you've frozen and the date somewhere on the container. Trust me, you'll forget what it is in a month.
5. Use what you have frozen within a year (I shoot for six months)
6. The best tip I was ever given for freezing leftover soup or stew was to initially freeze your portion in the plastic wrap lined container you will be reheating it in. When the soup or stew becomes a solid (in an hour or two) gently remove from the container utilizing the plastic wrap and place the frozen "bowl" into a zip top bag. When you are ready to reheat just take out of the zip top bag and place into your bowl or pot and reheat.
7. Don't expect things to taste as good when you reheat them as they did when you froze them, with a few exceptions. 
8. Keep grains and flour in the freezer, it will extend the shelf life to one year for most whole grains and six months for most flour. Keep them in airtight containers
9. Frozen organic grapes make an excellent snack! Place the grapes on a cookie sheet until frozen then package in a zip top bag and eat as a snack.
10. Freeze extra pancakes or waffles so you can reheat quickly on the days you don't have time to make them from scratch (or just don't feel like it!)
11. Certain foods just don't reheat well so don't try to freeze them. (cooked pasta and leafy greens come to mind)
12. If you want to freeze herbs chop them first and freeze in an ice cube tray in olive oil.
13. If you freeze tofu and then defrost the tofu changes texture completely and becomes more "meat" like.
14. Frozen edamame is an awesome thing to have on hand. It makes a great appetizer when people just "pop in".
15. Adding frozen organic berries or pomegranate seeds to hot oatmeal not only adds some nice nutrients but also prevents you from scalding the roof of your mouth first thing in the morning.
16. If your bananas are about to turn brown peel and wrap in foil or plastic wrap and pop in the freezer, use for smoothies

Here is an addition from my brilliant friend Michele: The coolest thing I know about freezing stuff is for Stone Crab claws (although I'm sure it's the same for any shellfish) You submerge them in water - in a ziplock - then freeze the whole thing into one big ice cube with the meat locked inside. That way the crab meat retains it's texture and flavor. 

Share your favorite ways to freeze!

All my best,

Linda