4 food items you can freeze to save money

Make ice cubes with the dregs of your wine bottle. Image: Shutterstock

One of the go-to practices for reducing food waste and better managing one's food budget in this period of high inflation is freezing. As long as you consume the food that's been frozen in the appropriate time frame and pack it in the right containers, you can save a lot of money, even with products you may not have known could be frozen!

Wine

Because an impromptu cocktail party can arise at any moment, we sometimes have no choice but to slip the bottle into the freezer for a short time in order to serve it to guests chilled. Wine aficionados know this is a last resort, but that doesn't mean that the freezer is a no-go zone for wine.

In fact, British newspaper The Independent published a trick of making ice cubes from the bottom of a wine bottle. Instead of throwing the liquid remnants into the sink, this is a way to "recycle" it in order to have some wine on hand in case it's called for when cooking a certain dish. White wine in a risotto or red wine in a Bolognese sauce, it's often important to add a little bit of acidity to a recipe with a dash of Bacchus's favorite tipple.

Egg whites and even whole eggs

This tip comes from Mercotte, the faithful sidekick of French chef Cyril Lignac on the TV show "Le Meilleur Pâtissier" ('The best pastry chef'). A specialist in macaron making, the pastry chef advises using aged egg whites to optimize her macarons. And you can freeze the substance in order to use it the next time you decide to do some cooking or baking. You can keep a frozen egg white for up to ten months. While pastry connoisseurs may be aware of this trick, it's not common knowledge that eggs can also be frozen. However, it is necessary to take several precautions if you want to keep your eggs in the freezer because of the health risks. According to aluminum brand Albal, the eggs should be beaten into an omelet and then poured into a freezer bag. Be careful to note the date of freezing! And don't try to put a whole egg with its shell in the freezer because it could explode!

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Flour

In one of her videos, TikToker Caroline Neat, who regularly posts tips and tricks to simplify household chores, shows everything in her freezer. And among the foods there, you might be surprised to see flour! But it's not so strange after all, because freezing it can extend its life. When dry, this key ingredient for making cakes and sauces loses its qualities over time. Furthermore, storing it in a cupboard can encourage the proliferation of parasites and insects. Indeed, there's a good reason that flour packages are marked with an optimal use-by date. Beyond the indicated deadline, there may indeed be a problem of contamination of this type. It is best to use it up quickly. Otherwise, the flour can be poured into a freezer bag and placed in the freezer.

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Butter, grated cheese and even milk!

France's dairy association specifies that milk can be kept in the freezer for up to six months as long as it is in its container. This applies to pasteurized and sterilized milk because whole milk can only be kept in this condition for two months. Don't be surprised -- the cold will cause the fats to coagulate, leaving you no choice other than to stir it properly before using it. The best bet is to use it in cooking and baking. The same goes for butter, which can be left in its original packaging and then wrapped in aluminum foil. Butter can also be kept in the freezer for six months. The association advises packing butter in small portions to avoid waste and make it easier to use. Even liquid cream can be kept in the freezer if you take the time to beat it beforehand. However, don't expect to make perfect whipped cream using cream that has just been defrosted...

In the cheese department, freezing works well in particular for pressed cheeses. They can simply be put into a freezer bag; don't forget to expel the air. You can also choose to grate it in order to use when you need to. Since the texture can be altered by the cold, it is better not to experiment with fresh cheese.