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Are you tired of breaking the bank on bloated grocery bills?
Stop wasting hard-earned cash and start using what’s already right in front of you.
Unleash an array of massive savings by discovering the hidden treasures tucked away in your freezer!
You can use these quick, easy, and delicious chilling hacks to save time and money while also enjoying amazing meals that will satisfy both your taste buds and pocketbook.
With just a few simple adjustments, gone are the days where empty wallets put a chill on cooking projects; now is the opportunity to take control with transformative rather than transactional food solutions!
Get ready for some seriously icy adventures as you navigate through our multipurpose freezer tips.
Table of Contents
1. TV Dinners
Finally, this ingenious idea was to pre-make frozen ready meals.
Freezing portions of lasagna, leftover roasts, or steamed vegetables can provide a perfect square meal on those days you can’t face cooking the family dinner.
2. Freeze Your Fruit
Fruits are one of the most expensive items in your grocery cart.
If you buy them “in season” when they are the least expensive, then freeze for later use, you can save a lot on your grocery bill.
The trick is to freeze fruits at their peak ripeness and flavor so that when you thaw them later, they will still be delicious.
Be sure to wash your fruit and dry it completely before freezing.
Cut into slices or cubes if needed, and then place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet so that the pieces don’t stick together.
3. Save Your Daily Bread
Are you still buying your processed breadcrumbs from the supermarket at $4 a jar? You can save money and freeze all your bread cuttings.
Once thawed, stale bread blended with saltines makes an even better blend for your veal chops and eggplant Parmigiano.
4. Freeze Water
As crazy as this sounds, freezing large amounts of ice is a clever way to use the space, and more so if you use a lot.
The added benefit here is you will save money on electric costs by packing your freezer full. When there is a lot of empty space and you open the door, this cold air rushes out. After you close the door, the freezer has to begin to run again.
But if there is very little free space when you open the door, less air rushes out and the freezer remains cold.
5. Freeze Milk
This takes some practice and labeling is essential, while the milk that is defrosted does need to be finished within a day or two.
That said, a family of cereal eaters or chocolate milk lovers can get through a gallon of the good stuff in no time.
6. Bone Broth Is Magic
Any carnivores out there who are throwing their discarded bones out, this is for you. Bone broth for one is a miracle food that provides vital collagen, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.
Bones are great for stews and for adding richness to pasta sauces — even Tony Soprano’s mother would approve (note: Sopranos fans know this reference).
7. Vacuum Seal Your Food
Making food airtight before freezing ensures it lasts much longer. Just throwing meat directly into the fridge is a no-no if you wish to maintain its quality. Exposure to ice can damage meat’s consistency, and it looks much nicer having an organized freezer anyway.
The good news is a vacuum sealer and a pack of bags will run you less than $100. And many times you can find them on sale to save even more.
8. Organize Effectively
The more chaotic members of society find their freezers can fill up quickly because of bad space management, meaning space can run out quicker.
Using baskets to organize food into groups and labeling everything can alleviate this frustration.
9. Buy Your Food in Bulk
This is an obvious solution to saving money overall.
Rather than buying just enough at high prices, wait until the bulk deals come along and freeze them until needed. Simple.
10. Grow Your Own Vegetables or Help a Neighbor
Nothing fights inflation like green fingers. There are millions of novice gardeners now; anybody with green space and sunlight can grow certain vegetables in season and freeze them — onions, carrots, and garlic can all be frozen en masse.
And those with little green space can take advantage of indoor gardening.
Asking around the neighborhood for anybody’s excess produce to freeze is a good suggestion also.
11. Go Hunting
One of America’s favorite pastimes is hunting. Whether shooting ducks, trapping rabbits or stalking big game, a chest freezer is a hunter’s best friend.
Those not averse to hunting can keep a family going for months — they just need to be or know a good butcher.
12. Rice And Beans
Rice and beans are a cost-effective and filling meal that can be cooked in bulk.
Once cooked, portion out into individual containers or zip-top bags for easy storage.
Freezing the rice and beans is a great way to make sure you always have some ready-to-go when time is tight!
Be sure to cool down the cooked mixture before freezing to avoid sogginess.
Reheat in the oven or microwave with a few tablespoons of water for added moisture. Enjoy!
13. Restaurant Supply Stores
Restaurant supply stores, serving the needs of food establishments, offer a wide range of affordable, large frozen food items.
These products provide excellent value for money compared to smaller consumer-sized options. To find a store nearby, a quick online search will do.
Stock up on value-priced frozen goods for all your culinary needs and satisfy your appetite for savings today!
14. Protect Your Investment
To maintain frozen food quality and prevent freezer burn, store it properly.
Wrap items securely in freezer-safe bags or airtight containers to create a moisture and air barrier.
This extends shelf life, reduces waste, and lets you enjoy frozen goodies for longer.
Develop Good Money Habits
In order to get ahead financially, we need to develop good habits. Most people talk about bad money habits to get rid of.
Here are good money habits you need to follow if you want to take the next step financially.
17 GOOD MONEY HABITS TO DEVELOP
Get Free Things When Shopping Drugstores
Did you know you can walk out of many drug stores with hundreds of dollars worth of items and only pay pennies?
It’s called the drugstore game and I walk you through how to save thousands every year by shopping at CVS, Walgreen’s, Rite Aid, and more.
HOW TO PLAY THE DRUGSTORE GAME AND SAVE THOUSANDS
Save Money On Groceries
It’s no secret that grocery shopping is a significant expense every month. While most of us know a few ways to reduce this bill, there are many other simple things we can do.
Learn the easy tricks to spend less on groceries and pocket some savings.
LEARN HOW TO SPEND LESS MONEY ON GROCERIES
How To Get Free Food With No Money
If you are short on cash, not eating doesn’t have to be a reality.
There are options out there that allow you to get free food, even if you don’t have any cash. Here is what you need to do.
How To Get Free Food With No Money
Fun Money Saving Challenges
Do you find it boring to save money?
If you are motivation by turning things into a game, check out these money saving challenges. There is a game for you that will make saving fun and exciting so that you make it a priority to save money.
49 FUN MONEY SAVING CHALLENGES
Inspired by this thread.
I have over 15 years experience in the financial services industry and 20 years investing in the stock market. I have both my undergrad and graduate degrees in Finance, and am FINRA Series 65 licensed and have a Certificate in Financial Planning.
Visit my About Me page to learn more about me and why I am your trusted personal finance expert.