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8 Foods You Should Freeze in an Ice Cube Tray

November 4, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life2 Comments

How to prevent waste in the kitchen with an ice cube tray.

Do you want to know one of my very favorite kitchen secrets?  The one secret that I use multiple times each month to help me save money and prevent food waste???  It has everything to do with an ice cube tray!  Instead of tossing excess foods, freeze those foods in an ice cube tray to extend the life and use at a future time.  There are many different foods you can freeze in an ice cube tray, truly the skies the limit!

prevent food waste in the kitchen - what leftovers can you freeze

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Why Freeze Food in Ice Cube Trays?

Freezing foods in ice cube trays is not only easy, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run!

Many recipes call for half a can of this or a few tablespoons of that Tossing this leftover food aside may not feel like a big deal at the time, but when it is continually done over and over again the amount of waste adds up, which in turn means more money spent.

Instead of throwing the extra leftovers in a can away (which also means throwing money you spent away), freeze them in an ice cube tray. 

An ice cube tray is the perfect spot for freezing leftovers because the small cubes make defrosting easier and faster than when it is frozen in a large chunk.  These frozen ice cube leftovers are perfect for those quick meals!

How to Freeze Food in Ice Cube Trays

Freezing leftovers in an ice cube tray is so easy to do!  I personally use these trays from Amazon.  You can buy a fancier version, but I’m all for cheap and simple!

  1. Simply fill each ice cube tray with the food you want to freeze.
  2. Stick the tray into the freezer for 1-2 hours until each cube is frozen through.
  3. Pop those cubes out of the tray and into a freezer bag (I use these!).
  4. Get as much air out of the bag as possible by slowly pushing it out and then quickly zipping it shut.
  5. You can now pull out the cubes and use as needed in recipes.

These cubes will stay good in the freezer for 3-6 months.

When you use your cubes in a recipe keep in mind that each cube in a standard ice cube tray is about 2 Tablespoons (1 ounce).  This makes 2 cubes equals 1/4 cup.

Freeze these foods in ice cube trays to prevent food waste and to save you time and money #grocerybudget #savingmoney #foodtips #savemoneyonfood #frugaltips #zerowaste

What Foods Freeze Well In Ice Cube Trays?

Here are a few suggestions of leftovers that will freeze great in ice cube trays!

1.  Stock

Do you have some leftover Chicken Stock?  Maybe from a homemade stock or from a box?  Either works!  Simply fill your ice cube tray up with the stock and freeze.  These stock cubes are great to use for soups or in sauces.

2.  Yogurt

Another great food to freeze in ice cube trays is yogurt.  If you find yogurt in your fridge getting close to the expiration date, pour it into ice cube trays and freeze it for later use.  These frozen yogurt cubes are perfect for smoothies or oatmeal for added protein and creaminess!

  • Related:  Stock Piling your Freezer: How to freeze Pancakes for a Quick Frugal Breakfast

3.  Cream

Cream will stay fresh in the fridge for about a month, but if you have cream that is getting close to expiring you could freeze it in an ice cube tray for later use.  The frozen cream is perfect to use when making butter, ice cream, sauces, soups, or whipped cream.

4.  Pumpkin

My Pumpkin Cookie recipe (which you can find in my cook book here) calls for about 3/4 can of pumpkin puree.  Instead of throwing away the extra 1/4 can of pumpkin I have started freezing it in cubes, and loving it! 

These pumpkin cubes are perfect to add to smoothies or protein drinks, but can also be used in all of your pumpkin baking!  If you have a baby at home you can even use it to feed your little one!

5.  Pesto

Another food that will freeze well is pesto!  Freezing pesto in an ice cube tray is a great way to save it for use in pasta recipes, eggs, sauces, or salad dressing.  The cubes are so easy to pop out of the freezer to use in a quick fix!

6.  Tomato Paste

Most of my recipes requiring tomato paste only need 1-2 Tablespoons, making the majority of the can go to waste. 

Instead of throwing it away, I have learned to freeze that excess in ice cube trays to use for later.  These freeze really well and are perfectly proportioned for my stew recipes!  Yay!

7.  Lemon Juice

You can even freeze fresh squeezed lemon juice, or bottled lemon juice!  The ice cube portions are perfect for drizzling over salads, using in baking, lemonade or for making buttermilk substitute.

  • Related:  Freeze Chicken in Bulk and 6 Freezer Chicken Recipes

8.  Herbs in Olive Oil

Don’t let fresh herbs go to waste.  Instead of tossing out fresh herbs, use an ice cube tray to preserve them.  All you have to do is place the herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, and oregano work best) in an ice cube tray, filling it about 3/4 full, and fill the rest of the cube with olive oil.  Freeze the tray following directions at the top of the article.  You can pull these cubes out of the freezer to use in soups and stews.

In Conclusion

The next time you have a small amount of food leftover and you don’t know what to do with it, consider freezing it in an ice cube tray!  This kitchen hack is so easy and a great way to save some pennies!

Related Articles:

How to Freeze Raspberries

How To Freeze Fresh Corn

Best Ways To Store Produce To Keep It Fresh Longer

 

I hope this helps you learn how to prevent food waste by freezing leftovers in an ice cube tray.

How to Freeze Pancakes

January 15, 2019 By: Sweet Frugal Life1 Comment

Tips to store pancakes in the freezer.

Trying to get my three kids fed, ready, and out the door every morning can get a little hectic.  One of my favorite hacks to make these mornings a little easier was to start making breakfast ahead of time to store in the freezer.  One of our favorite freezer breakfast meal are these pancakes.  They are so easy to make and freeze!  Today I am going to share everything you need to know about how to freeze pancakes.  You will love doing this!!  Promise!

This idea really started because I’m trying to be like my mom.  I really think my mom was supermom.  Granted, I didn’t think that when I was growing up….but now that I have become a mom myself, I am able to look back and realize just how hard she worked for our family.

I feel fairly confident when I say that many of you are supermoms as well.  You wake up early, spend all day serving your family, and go to bed late worrying about your kids.  My goal is to be supermom!  I fail about everyday, but I continue to try!

One of the many “supermom” traits from my mom was her willingness to make us a hot breakfast every single morning before school.  I knew that when I walked upstairs after getting dressed the table would be set, and a fresh warm breakfast would be served.  I TRY to do the same with my kids….but I REALLY struggle some mornings to find the energy and motivation.

I’ve recently started batch cooking many breakfast items and stocking up my freezer for quick breakfasts for my kids before they head out the door for school.  I want to share how you can do that too!

for all ages

  • Related:  Quick and Easy Overnight Oatmeal Recipe

“We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

How to Freeze Pancakes

To freeze pancakes, you first have to make the pancakes!  I love this pancake recipe, and I think your family will love it too!

Once you are done making your pancakes, including cooking on the griddle, let them cool completely.

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After they are cooled place the pancakes on a cookie sheet in a single layer.  Don’t let any of the sides touch each other.

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Put the cookie sheet into your freezer to allow your pancakes to flash freeze, this takes about 1 hour.

While the pancakes are in the freezer you can prepare your freezer bags.  This is easy!  Just get out a freezer bag and write “Pancakes” and the date on one side.  Done and done!

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Check your pancakes in the freezer after an hour.  Once they are frozen completely you can take the pancakes off of the cookie sheets and place them all into your freezer bag.  Feel free to fill the bag as full as you need to!  

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Stick the bag of pancakes in the freezer and you are done!  Yay!  Easy peasy!

How To Use Your Frozen Pancakes

Using your frozen pancakes are about as easy as freezing them!

When you are ready to use the pancakes, simply take out the number of pancakes you need and microwave them until they are warm, about 1 minute.  That’s all!  Now serve the warm pancakes with your favorite toppings!

These are also easy for the kids to get out of the freezer themselves!  If you ever have a busy morning, your older kids can get the pancakes out by themselves!  Yay for independence!

Related Articles:

How to Freeze Raspberries

Freezer Chicken Recipes and How to Freeze Bulk Chicken

8 Foods You Should Freeze in an Ice Cube Tray

Pin For Later:

how to freeze pancakes to save time and money

how to freeze pancakes - easy freezer breakfast idea

I hope this article helped you to learn how to freeze pancakes.

Hello! I’m Melanie!

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