Summer is a great time to do some freezing and meal planning! Here are two great summer recipes to freeze and below are my tips for freezing and some common summer foods and how to best freeze them this summer!
Click here for more information about the meal exchange I organize.
Cherry Burgers: https://diningwithalice.com/twin-cities-live/cherry-burgers/
Pulled Pork and Peaches Pizza: https://diningwithalice.com/twin-cities-live/pulled-pork-and-peaches-pizza/
Alice’s Top 5 Freezer Tips
- Air is your enemy. Squeeze air out of bags. Or if using Tupperware, wrap items to ensure limited air exposure.
- Keep your freezer organized and labeled. Also regularly go through your freezer and toss old and freezer-burned items.
- Label, Label, Label. Use Sharpies and painter’s tape to ensure you know what is in each package.
- Do not use generic freezing products. To ensure seals and coverage, splurge and buy brand-name products.
- For safe freezing information use the US Department of Agriculture Guidelines for Freezing available here.
| Summer Food | Can you freeze it? | Notes |
| Hummus or Pesto | Yes | For best quality freeze for shorter durations, store in original container or in ice cube trays. |
| Pasta Salad | Yes | Freeze cooked pasta and ingredients without dressing. Add dressing when serving. |
| Fresh Herbs | Yes | Freeze in ice cube trays with oil or water. Pop out and put in freezer bags. |
| Corn on the Cob | Yes | Cook and then wrap with plastic wrap and squeeze out air of freezer bag. |
| Baked Beans | Yes | For smaller amounts and for kid meals later, put in ice cube trays. |
| Raw chicken in a marinade | Yes | Double bag in freezer bags. Try different salad dressings like Italian or Raspberry-flavored. |
| Raw hamburgers made into patties | Yes | Freeze patties in parchment and wrap in plastic for longer storage. |
| Pizza | Yes | Par-bake crust and then freeze topped pizza. Or freeze crust alone. |
| Watermelon | Yes | Cube and save in freezer bags use that summer. |
| Pie Dough and Pizza Dough | Yes | Spray with nonstick spray and freeze for 3 months. Defrost in fridge overnight before using. |
| Jam | Easy storage in glass canning jars and defrost in the fridge. Freeze for a year. |
