How to prevent food waste through freezing: 5 tips to use

Western Telegraph

7 days ago

However, there are a few methods people can utilise through freezing to help prevent this.
The supermarket Aldi has teamed up with food waste expert Kate Hall, who is behind the @thefullfreezer account.
It comes as new research by Aldi reveals the average Brit throws away around £387 of food a year, with seven in ten admitting to buying food knowing it will eventually end up in the bin.
Kate said: 'Using your freezer is such a simple way to press pause on your food so it doesn't end up in the bin.
'Freezing food can help our budgets stretch further, and you can actually freeze a lot more than people realise. The trick is knowing the best way to freeze food and what to do with it after freezing."
5 tips to help prevent food waste through freezing
Don't waste those potatoes
Roughly 4.4 million potatoes are wasted every day in the UK, but there are ways to try and lower that number a bit.
Keeping them in the fridge can make them last three times longer, and if you keep them in a cupboard, just make sure they're not close to onions.
Onions encourage spuds to sprout faster, and the moisture released from potatoes can actually make onions go mouldy too.
While you can't freeze potatoes raw, you can cook a batch of baked potatoes, prep roasties or some mash and place in the freezer.
Kate adds: "You don't even need to defrost them when you want them, just reheat straight from frozen until they're piping hot!"
Milk can be frozen
Storing milk in the middle of a fridge instead of the door can make it last three times longer, as it's much colder there.
Kate adds: "Or, if you need your milk to last longer, consider freezing it flat in a sealable freezer bag in usable quantities; this way it can be defrosted quickly in a dish of cold water.
"Some plant milks can be suitable for freezing too, but you should always check the packaging first to be sure.
"Don't worry if your milk splits when defrosted, simply give it a quick blend and it should be good as new!"
It works for eggs too
Eggs can be frozen, but it's crucial to do it on or before the best-before date.
You will need to break them out of their shells as they can be frozen as whites, yolks (with a pinch of salt or sugar) or combined.
If you're freezing the whole egg, always whisk it first, as it will be far harder to mix together after defrosting.
Kate adds: "I like to freeze mine in usable quantities (for example two for an omelette and three for a cake), flat in a labelled freezer bag.
"This means I can defrost them quickly in a dish of cold water and crack on with making my dish! You can use them for whatever you fancy (as long as they're cooked through), they're just perfect once they're cooked!
You'd be Bananas not to
If you peel and slice a banana you spread them out on a lined tray to avoid them clumping together and then store them in a resealable freezer bag.
Kate says: "These are perfect for making banana ice cream or chocolate peanut butter bites!"
A slice in time
Many will know you can freeze sliced bread, but there is a bit of information to keep in mind when freezing buns, baps and rolls.
Kate Hall says slicing a roll in half will make it thaw out quicker when frozen (Image: Tony Kershaw / SWNS / Aldi)
If you cut them in half before they go in the freezer, they will thaw much faster when you need them.
What is the UK's most wasted food?
According to analysis from Waste Managed, bread is the most wasted food item in the UK.
Approximately 900,000 tonnes of bread are wasted each year, both at the production and consumer levels.
Potatoes are next up at around 750,000 tonnes a year, due to overbuying, spoilage or "aesthetic imperfections".
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Around 490,000 tonnes of milk are wasted every year, alongside 190,000 tonnes of bananas and 170,000 tonnes of salads and vegetables.
What are the main cases of food waste?
The main causes behind food waste include shops and supermarkets ordering too many products they can't sell, and the overproduction of items that don't sell or get eaten.
On a consumer level, most of it comes from a lack of awareness around expiry dates and storing items in the wrong places so they go bad.