Cold as ice: 20 foods that freeze the best

If you’re not planning on serving your avocados diced or sliced, they’re fine in the freezer—just halve them first. In fact, they’ll get mushy in the freezer, so this is perfect for a future batch of guacamole. If you’ve already made the guac, that freezes well, too!

Sometimes it feels like bananas only exist in two states: shockingly green or completely black. Okay, maybe they’re in the sweet spot of ripeness for a day, but what if you’re not in the mood for a banana that day? Freeze them! To avoid mushiness or freezer burn, first slice the bananas, then place them in a single layer on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet and put the whole thing in the freezer. After 30 minutes, you can throw all the slices into a freezer-safe bag. This is especially handy if you’ll be using the sliced bananas in oatmeal or a smoothie.

It doesn’t matter if it’s strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries—all berries freeze well. This is especially useful considering the brevity of berry season. If you’re worried about the berries getting squished, use the aforementioned baking-sheet method before placing them into a bag. If you’re just planning on using the berries for smoothies, you can skip this step—but you might want to consider freezing them in smaller batches so you don’t end up with one giant frozen berry ball.

We’re fans of both buying and making fresh bread (a side effect of loving sandwiches), but it, unfortunately, gets moldy faster than the bagged varieties of breads and buns that contain additives and preservatives. If it’s been more than a couple of days, instead of chucking your bread in the trash, throw it in the freezer. It defrosts quickly, and you certainly won’t notice a difference if you’re toasting the bread. (You might want to consider slicing loaves prior to freezing, though.) This also works for tortillas!

As long as you freeze it prior to the expiration or use-by date, butter can last for about four months in the freezer. Be sure to use an airtight container—not just for optimal freshness, but also because improperly sealed butter can pick up tastes and odors from other foods in the freezer.

If you’re into nibbling on cheese with crackers (or wine!) then it’s best to eat the cheese fresh. However, if you plan to cook with the cheese, it’s absolutely fine in the freezer. The best candidates for chilling include hard and semi-hard varieties like cheddar, Swiss, provolone, Colby, jack, and mozzarella, as well as softer goat cheeses. You’ll want to avoid creamier options like brie and Camembert, curd cheeses like cottage and ricotta, and grated parmesan and romano (the latter of which are fine in the fridge for months anyway).

Worried about your chocolate (especially baking chocolate) turning that weird grey/white color while hanging out in your pantry? Pack it in an airtight container and freeze it. However, it’s important to freeze and thaw the chocolate gradually. To achieve this, place the chocolate in the fridge for 24 hours before putting it in the freezer. To thaw it, reverse the process!

You can get a great deal on eggs by buying in bulk, but using 24-48 eggs prior to their expiration date can be a challenge. Add another 9-12 months to that date by storing them in the freezer. Crack them open, give ‘em a quick whisk, and add a sprinkle of salt or sugar before putting them all in an airtight container—or divide them up by initially freezing them in an ice cube tray or muffin tin for 4-6 hours before transferring to a larger container.

Fatty fish like herring, mackerel, and sardines require glazing or vacuum sealing, but salmon and trout are fine in the freezer for up to three months. And you’ll get six months for coldwater fish like cod or haddock! Be sure to get as much air out as possible before freezing, and thaw in the fridge or with cold water.

We consistently buy flour in bulk, and inconsistently bake with it. Our solution: extending the shelf life of flour—all kinds—by putting it in the freezer. In fact, freezing whole grain and alternate flours containing additional nutrients is the recommended form of storage. Remove the flour from its bag and use an airtight container with as little air in it as possible for freezing. The best part? Since there’s no moisture in flour, you don’t need to worry about it freezing in a big block, and thus there’s no need to portion it out!

If you like to buy fresh ginger but only use a little at a time, try freezing it. Not only will the shelf life go from one month to six months, but it’s much easier to grate frozen ginger! You can also mince or grate the ginger first.

Although freezing cucumbers, lettuce, and watermelon isn’t recommended, grapes—which are also mostly water—freeze really well. In fact, they make a great snack while still frozen. Use the same approach as bananas: put them on a tray first before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container.

If you grow your own herbs (maybe you read our “Winter Harvest” article?) and are left with an abundance, the freezer can help. Cilantro, basil, oregano, dill, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are all freezer-friendly herbs. Be sure to dry them thoroughly after harvesting, or consider portioning and initially freezing them in ice cube trays filled with water or oil.

Raw meats of all varieties—beef, pork, chicken, turkey, bacon, sausage, steak—are all just fine in the freezer. That’s why we normally buy our meat in bulk! You might want to consider portioning out your ground meats, chicken breasts, burger patties, bacon strips, etc. prior to freezing so you can take out just what you need.

If you prefer to drink almond, soy, or another milk alternative, but still use moo juice for cooking and baking, freezing your milk is an excellent option. Instead of a week or two in the fridge, frozen milk can be safely stored in the freezer for three to six months. Milk will expand upon freezing and could break its original packaging, so it’s best to move it into a freezer-safe container. And for safety, thaw the milk in the fridge overnight.

Nuts are healthy, but man are they expensive! The last thing you’d want is for your pricey protein source to go to waste—which can happen easily, considering the oil content—so freeze them! Almonds, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts are all fair game. Wrap them in plastic prior to placing them in a freezer-safe bag.

To be honest, we think you should always freeze onions. Not only does it extend the life from two weeks to up to eight months, but chilled onions won’t make your eyes teary when you chop them! Our advice: put the whole onion in the freezer for 30 minutes, chop it all up, and freeze whatever you don’t use.

Whether you enjoy sweet or spicy peppers, both freeze well. The consistency will change a bit, but if you’re using the peppers for cooking, you won’t notice a difference. However, you’ll still want to wash, remove the seeds and membrane, and slice/dice/chop your peppers before putting them in your freezer-friendly bag or container.

Seeds and nuts go hand-in-hand, so it’s no surprise that seeds are also freezable. And also like nuts, nearly every variety is included—from hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin to poppy and sesame seeds. Be sure to properly dry the seeds before storage.

We love making soups and stews (including chili!)—not just because it gives us a chance to use our slow cooker, but also because leftovers are easy to freeze. Or, if you’re into meal prep, soups and stews are another great option. For the latter, you’ll want to invest in a good set of small-to-medium-sized freezer-safe containers so you can portion out your meals.