The expense of the weekly grocery shop has soared, with costs of numerous products barely recognisable from just a year or two ago. This makes maximising every penny spent on food shopping and minimising waste more vital than ever, particularly given the continuing climate emergency.
With this in mind, retail giant Tesco has provided invaluable guidance that could benefit your purse while also reducing waste. In a bid to stop us from unnecessarily discarding kitchen staples, the supermarket behemoth has revealed some handy tips on its website, including advice on bananas: freeze them to savour later.
“Using your freezer for just ice cubes and a packet of frozen peas? Wondering whether you can freeze milk?” Tesco enquires on its website, adding: “Freezers are the most efficient when they are full, so make the most of the space to prevent food waste and have ingredients ready to go. From milk and cheese to veg and rice, your freezer can do it all.”
Regarding ripe bananas, Tesco recommends peeling them before freezing them either whole or chopped up, reports Wales Online.
When you’re prepared to use them, they can be taken straight from the freezer and are ideal for adding to smoothies or providing the foundation for homemade ice cream, reports the Express.
Tesco has issued advice on food you can freeze at home.
Milk
Pop your milk in the freezer and you’ll never need a last-minute dash to the supermarket again. If full or unopened, pour a little bit out of the container before freezing so that it has room to expand as it freezes, or tip into an airtight container.
Defrost overnight in the fridge and shake well before using to mix the milk and fat back together, then use as normal.
Cheese
Hard cheeses like Cheddar, Red Leicester or Comte all freeze well if you are clearing out the fridge.
Eggs
You can freeze eggs. Crack into a small bowl and whisk together, then freeze in a freezer bag or individual ice cube trays defrost for omelettes and baking whenever you need.
You can also freeze just the whites ready for meringues.
Potatoes
If you’ve got too many to use before they start to sprout, peel, roughly chop and blanch until just cooked, then spread out on a tray so they’re not touching. Freeze until solid, then tip into a freezer bag roasties ready to go!
Yoghurt
You can easily freeze your spare yoghurt at home. If you’ve got kids, pop a lolly stick in mini yogurts ready for summer snacks at a later date.
Wine
If you don’t finish a bottle of wine, pour the remainder into ice cube trays (or a freezer bag if you have a larger amount), then add as cubes to recipes as needed.
Herbs
Roughly chop soft herbs, place in ice cube trays and top up with water, then simply defrost when ready to use, or drop whole into pasta and curries.