Tips / Cooking and storing
Using your freezer to save money
The freezer is a pause button for food. Used well, it lets you buy on sale, cook in batches and throw away far less.
What to do
- Freezing keeps food safe
- Food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe, but quality slowly declines, so aim to eat most frozen food within a few months.
- What freezes well
- Bread, cooked grains, soups, chili, sauces, most raw meat and poultry, and many fruits and vegetables.
- Thaw safely
- Thaw in the refrigerator, in cold water changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave if you'll cook it right away. Not on the counter.
- Portion before freezing
- Divide family packs into meal-sized portions so you only thaw what you need.
Ask yourself
- What is in our freezer right now?
- Which bulk or sale items could we portion and freeze?
Helpful resources
- USDA freezing and food safety
- Guidance at fsis.usda.gov.
General information for US households. For food safety, follow FoodSafety.gov and USDA guidance. The Penny Stretcher isn't paid by any store, brand or organization mentioned here.