Is it possible to freeze homemade sour cream in the freezer. Can you freeze sour cream? Add your price to the database Comment. Is it possible to freeze the cake

Today, many housewives prefer to use the freezers of their refrigerators not only for the preservation of meat products or various semi-finished products. With the help of freezers, many problems are now solved. They are used to preserve greens, some vegetables and fruits. Cottage cheese, milk and some types of cheeses are frozen and then successfully used in cooking. In the article, we will learn about whether it is possible to freeze sour cream in the freezer or, for example, on the street (for residents of private houses).

What is it for?

At what moments do we ask ourselves about the long-term preservation of certain products? Take at least natural cottage cheese, butter, milk and, of course, sour cream. It is not always possible to purchase real homemade products at a reasonable price. But what if you bought more sour cream from a grandmother you know than you can eat in a short shelf life? At such a moment, we begin to think about how to keep the product longer and whether it is possible to freeze homemade sour cream in the freezer.

I must say that sometimes you want to keep a store product longer. For example, it became clear to you that a certain portion of the sour cream product will remain uneaten and, most likely, will go into the garbage chute in a couple of days. Is it possible to freeze sour cream for storage and extend its shelf life in this case?

The taste won't come back

Before subjecting a lactic acid product to a deep freeze, it is worth weighing all the positive and negative points that await you after defrosting it. First of all, you need to be aware that the consistency of the melted product (however, like the taste) will not become the same. Is it possible to freeze sour cream if after defrosting it exfoliates? And why do you need a product that you can no longer add to a salad or soup?

For baked goods and sauces

Sometimes, in order to save a product, something must be sacrificed. And although you most likely won’t eat frozen sour cream with pancakes, you can find other options for using it. Add the product to dough, sauces or creams.

Leftovers are sweet

So, is it possible to freeze sour cream that has remained in small quantities and its expiration date is nearing completion? Yes, you can! But you should take into account some rules for competent freezing and comfortable defrosting of such a fermented milk product. You can freeze homemade sour cream only after preliminary manipulations with the remnants of the product. Do not be afraid, everything is done very simply. Read and memorize (and, of course, use this method of preserving a natural and healthy product).

Freezer for 3 months

Real sour cream has a fairly high fat content and, after defrosting, does not change the taste characteristics too much. Before placing the remaining product in the freezer, you must thoroughly beat it with a whisk. Such manipulation will help to evenly distribute the liquid and fat component, which are inevitably found in rustic sour cream. The product is placed in a glass or ceramic dish. These materials are practically neutral for reactions with acids.

The most preferred temperature for safe preservation of rustic produce would be -25°C. After freezing, the texture of your sour cream will inevitably become grainy. Do not be alarmed, this is not a sign of a bad product or unfit for consumption.

You also need to defrost in the refrigerator. Remove the dish with sour cream from the freezer and leave in the refrigerator for a day. Now it can be used for stuffed cabbage sauce or for baking. Although, to be more frank, this product can be added to the first courses, the taste will not suffer from this.

From the store

Is it possible to freeze sour cream from the store? Of course, if there is a little store-bought product left, you need to beat it, like rustic sour cream, and, placing it in a glass (or ceramic) container, send it to the bowels of your freezer until better times. It should be thawed according to the same principle as the village one: put in the refrigerator for a day. Only now such a product will look less presentable than its natural "brother": the liquid and thick (if you can call it that) parts will delaminate. Of course, you can whip the melted sour cream again or simply drain the resulting liquid.

Sometimes in stores we buy already frozen (and melted) sour cream. You can guess this by how the liquid part separated from the thick (at least a little). Is it possible to freeze sour cream if it has already been subjected to a similar procedure once? No, in that case, nothing else will save her. Re-freezing is highly undesirable and even contraindicated. It is better to use such a sour cream product before it expires. With this low-quality ingredient, you can bake a cake or cookies if you don’t want to send sour cream in the trash tomorrow.

Freeze for the future

A few tips for those hostesses who are not embarrassed by the fact of delamination of thawed sour cream. A store product can be bought for future use and frozen directly in packages:

  • Place a bag or plastic bag of sour cream in your freezer without opening it.
  • Write on the package the date you froze the product and the date by which it must be used. Now sour cream can be in the cold for up to six months. When you need it, take it out and put it in the fridge to defrost. After the product has melted, it must be slightly beaten (or mixed vigorously with a spoon).

Not all types of cottage cheese are suitable for long-term storage.

Do you often come across natural cottage cheese, sour cream, or at least milk from a domestic cow? Such products are rare today, and the price "bites"! Alas, dairy products are not stored in the refrigerator for more than two days.

The freezer has been a great choice for me. Is it possible to freeze cottage cheese, milk and sour cream? How long can they keep like this? And will their valuable qualities be lost from this? Now I will tell you everything in order.

Proper storage, freezing and thawing of dairy products

To begin with, it is inappropriate to freeze store-bought cottage cheese, packaged in packs. Manufacturers add some food additives to it, which allows the product not to deteriorate for a week or even two. But the longer the shelf life of cottage cheese, the less useful it is. Taste quality also leaves much to be desired. Well, if you put it in the freezer for a month or two, then it is unlikely that something good will come of it. Therefore, for freezing, it is better to take homemade fresh cottage cheese, ideally coarse-grained rather than pasty.

How to increase the shelf life of cottage cheese


Yes, the shelf life of cottage cheese in the refrigerator can be extended from two days to a maximum of five. To do this, remember a few simple recommendations:

Rule 1 Do not leave bulk cottage cheese in a plastic bag, otherwise it will become dry.

It is better to transfer it to food foil or a fabric bag dipped in cold boiled water and squeezed well.

Rule 2 If the product has strayed into lumps, then carefully crumble it before putting it in the refrigerator.

If this is not done, the cold will not reach the inner layers of the product, and they will quickly deteriorate.

Rule 3 Do not put cottage cheese in foil or bag directly on the shelf.

Additionally, put it in a plastic container, enamel, glass or ceramic bowl.

Put a piece of sugar on the bottom. Top not very tightly cover with a lid.

Rule 4 The shelf life of cottage cheese in the refrigerator largely depends on the correctly selected zone.

Therefore, choose the zone with the lowest temperature - from 0 to +2 ºC.

In fermented milk products, pathogenic flora develops very quickly. And if you have even the slightest suspicion of damage to the cottage cheese - do not take risks, throw it away. Do not even try to use it as a filling for cheesecakes, pie, dumplings, etc. This is fraught, at best, with indigestion.

Storing cottage cheese, milk and sour cream in the freezer


If you follow all the rules and nuances of keeping dairy products in the freezer, you can extend their shelf life up to 2 months! At the same time, useful qualities will not go anywhere. However, the curd mass after defrosting may become somewhat drier.

How to do it right:

Cottage cheese. For cottage cheese, the ideal solution is a plastic food container. Wipe it out with a paper towel. Crumble the product with your own hands and lay it on top. Do not fill the container to the very top, leave 2 cm.

Make sure that there is no moisture on the walls of the container, then tightly close it with a lid and put it in the freezer.

There is another option - to make bundles with cottage cheese from foil or fabric. They will freeze very quickly, but after defrosting, the texture of the product will noticeably deteriorate.

Do not store frozen cottage cheese in plastic bags! From this, it acquires a musty smell and an unappetizing gray color.

For quick freezing of the product, set -35 ºС. After 4-6 hours, rearrange to -18 degrees - no more.

If you freeze cottage cheese very slowly and at a low temperature, for example, -6 ºC, its taste will deteriorate sharply.

Milk. Can you freeze milk in the freezer? Yes, both goat's and cow's milk are perfectly preserved there for 1-2 months.

A suitable container is a plastic bottle or glass jar with a tight lid.

Cow's milk can be put in the freezer both raw and chilled boiled.

But goat's milk should be frozen only in its raw form!

The optimum temperature is from -20 ºC to -25 ºС. A higher temperature lengthens the freezing period in the freezer, which leads to the loss of beneficial trace elements and vitamins.

Sour cream. How to store sour cream in the freezer? There is no need to be smart here.

Its dense structure is very well suited for such a case.

It is advisable to put sour cream in a glass or ceramic dish with an airtight lid. In this form, it can lie up to six months.

The temperature of freezing and further storage, as in the case of milk, is from -20 ºC to -25 ºС.

  • After defrosting, such a product can be eaten without heat treatment. It keeps in the freezer for up to 2 months. Pasty store-bought cottage cheese for this method is unlikely to fit!
  • Pack the entire kilogram of cottage cheese (or how much you have) into small portions - it will be more convenient to defrost and eat at a time.
  • Label each container when you freeze it. This will help you keep track of how much you can keep and when it's time to throw away the product.
  • Do not freeze and defrost milk several times!
  • Thawed dairy products should be consumed within 48 hours. An exception may be sour cream.

It is even easier to solve the problem of storing fresh cottage cheese if you use it as a filling for semi-finished products - pancakes, dumplings, etc. You can keep them in the freezer for quite a long time, but it is better to eat them within 3-4 weeks so that the taste does not deteriorate and the aroma remains.

How to defrost dairy products


How to defrost cottage cheese from the freezer? This process has a great impact on the quality of the product, so it is better to follow simple rules. By the way, they also concern milk and sour cream:

  • If you are defrosting cottage cheese for casseroles, cheesecakes and other baked goods, you can leave it to thaw for 2-3 hours at room temperature, then drain the water.
  • If the cottage cheese will be consumed raw, then slow defrosting is required. Leave the product on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for about 10-12 hours. After the time has elapsed, drain off excess liquid.
  • It is also better to thaw milk and sour cream on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
  • Eat other types of cottage cheese (that is, non-cereal) after freezing and thawing only as part of various dishes, that is, after heat treatment.
  • Is it possible to eat defrosted cottage cheese if it seems to you that it is about to start to deteriorate? Personally, in such cases, I don’t eat it raw, but I use it with peace of mind for making casseroles and cheesecakes.

Conclusion

Remember the simple rules for freezing and thawing dairy products to maintain their freshness and taste. A pleasant milky smell and snow-white color of the cottage cheese after defrosting indicates that all conditions were met - the product retained its taste and useful qualities.

After milk, perhaps the most common dairy product on store shelves is sour cream. In the refrigerator of every family there is sure to be a jar of white thick treats. Fat content, nutritional and taste properties are highly valued not only in cooking, but also in folk medicine.

Is it worth freezing sour cream?

Shops offer a huge range of dairy products. Each hostess is worried about how long the purchased product will be stored. And if you bought more delicious sour cream than you expected and failed to eat it with your household on time?

This is where the question arises, how to keep the product longer than a couple of days? Can dairy products be frozen? The answer to it is positive. But it is worth remembering that after defrosting sour cream, it will lose its consistency and part of the taste.

Of course, you can’t add such a product to soup or salad. But it is suitable for the preparation of confectionery.

As we have already found out, sour cream can be exposed to low temperatures. But it is necessary to follow the rules for freezing these products. It's very simple: use this method to store delicious, nutritious and healthy treats.

Freeze sour cream for 2-3 months

Let's talk about homemade sour cream. It is she who should be given preference if you decide to freeze (and if possible, it is better to eat it in any case, and not “store-bought”).

Having a high fat content, when defrosted, it loses its taste and useful qualities least of all. First you need to carefully beat the sour cream with a whisk. This will avoid the loss of fluid and fat. Freeze in a glass or ceramic container.

But what if you bought sour cream in the store? Can it be frozen? And again the answer is yes. It is also necessary to carry out the whipping procedure with a whisk and freeze in a glass (ceramic) container.

Attention! If you decide to stock up on sour cream until better times, then store it in a closed package. Do not open and freeze immediately. It’s good if you stick a sticker on the package with the date the sour cream was placed in the freezer.

How to defrost?

Translating it from a frozen state to a “normal” one should also be done correctly. It is important to take into account a few points:

  • Transfer the frozen product to the refrigerator and let it thaw a little.
  • Add a small amount of flour or starch. This will return the sour cream to homogeneity.
  • Beat sour cream with a blender.

Remember! Do not defrost sour cream at room temperature. This will lead to the rapid growth of bacteria.

It is easy to freeze sour cream, but after thawing it will become crumbly and exfoliate. Re-freezing is not allowed!

The use of frozen sour cream in cooking

It was mentioned above that after defrosting a fermented milk product, its properties are lost. Therefore, it is undesirable to add it to soup or salads. We will advise you to use sour cream for the preparation of various sauces, creams. You can also bake delicious pies and cupcakes.

The shelf life of this fermented milk product is extremely short. Any sour cream, whether homemade or purchased, should be stored in the refrigerator. At room temperature, this product can go bad in just a few hours.

Previously (and even now in the villages), earthenware jugs with the same lids were used to store sour cream. To prolong the life of this product, as well as to preserve the smell and taste, a piece of sugar was dipped into the pot.

In order to enjoy a delicious product to the maximum, there are a few simple rules for use and storage:

  • crumbs and other food that may be in it with a spoon should not be allowed to enter the container with sour cream - it must be clean and dry;
  • only a clean spoon, previously scalded with boiling water, can be immersed in a container with sour cream;
  • the only materials suitable for storing sour cream are glass and ceramics, plastic and metal are unsuitable for this;
  • the best place in the refrigerator for sour cream is the middle shelf of the refrigerator;
  • sour cream should be taken out of the refrigerator for a short time, when the product is at room temperature for a long time, it may deteriorate;
  • do not leave foreign objects in a container with sour cream (spoons, for example);
  • if whey begins to separate, then you need to use such sour cream as soon as possible, as this means that it will soon deteriorate.

How to store sour cream in the freezer?

If the milk after thawing is shaken slightly enough to turn it into normal, then the sour cream will never be the same as it was before freezing. She will not go to the salad, but she can be successfully used as an ingredient in the dough. It is better stored and retains its consistency if it is simply overlaid with ice, as was done before, but deep freezing spoils the product.

It should be understood that sour cream and sour cream are different, since low-fat store products only have the name of a fermented milk product, but are not very similar to a homemade product. Homemade, real sour cream will not freeze at all, it will simply become thick, such a product can be safely stored in the freezer. If, when buying a store product, you saw that water had accumulated on the surface, and the thick was under it, this is just a sign that it was slightly frozen before putting the sour cream on the shelf. Ice cream used to be made from good cream, and sour cream is essentially the same cream, but only if it is natural and made from high-quality cow's milk.

If you need to freeze rustic sour cream, then it is best to beat it well before that, because this way the moisture will be evenly distributed. In the process of freezing, water crystals expand, and when defrosted, they separate from the rest of the molecules, hence the appearance of a large amount of liquid.

After defrosting, sour cream loses not only external qualities, but also taste, however, it is still impossible to get poisoned by it. The only suitable use is to make pies or bake a pie. In no case is it suitable for cooking dishes, for example, julienne or sauce, since the exfoliated fractions float on the surface like dust, and the defrosted product no longer resembles sour cream. But this all applies only to store goods and does not apply to sour cream, which is prepared at home.

Methods for freezing sour cream

  1. Freezing open package:
  • Whisk the sour cream in a container.
  • This will help to better distribute the liquid in it, as well as give it a more uniform texture.
  • Transfer the sour cream to a plastic bag or airtight container. If using a bag, remove excess air from the bag and tie off.
  • Place a bag or container of sour cream in the freezer.
  1. Freezing closed packaging:
  • If you bought sour cream and will not use it in the near future, it is better to freeze it immediately.
  • Just put the bag or package of sour cream in the freezer and let it stand until you need it.
  • The lower the humidity in the freezer, the longer the sour cream will be stored.
  • Do not forget to write on the packaging with sour cream the date it was placed in the freezer.

How to defrost dairy products correctly?

How to defrost cottage cheese from the freezer? This process has a great impact on the quality of the product, so it is better to follow simple rules.

By the way, they also concern milk and sour cream:

  • If you are defrosting cottage cheese for casseroles, cheesecakes and other baked goods, you can leave it to thaw for 2-3 hours at room temperature, then drain the water.
  • If the cottage cheese will be consumed raw, then slow defrosting is required. Leave the product on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for about 10-12 hours. After the time has elapsed, drain off excess liquid.
  • It is also better to thaw milk and sour cream on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
  • Eat other types of cottage cheese (that is, non-cereal) after freezing and thawing only as part of various dishes, that is, after heat treatment.
  • Is it possible to eat defrosted cottage cheese if it seems to you that it is about to start to deteriorate? Personally, in such cases, I don’t eat it raw, but I use it with peace of mind for making casseroles and cheesecakes.

Where is the best place to use frozen sour cream?

Freezing sour cream for the future is best for use in baking, namely in the preparation of various pies and muffins. Do not use such sour cream in cheesecakes, because it will no longer have a soft texture. Frozen sour cream should not be stored for a very long time. The faster you use it, the better its texture will be.

How to store open sour cream?

Store-bought sour cream should be sent to the refrigerator as soon as possible. If the factory packaging is opened, then it is necessary to transfer the product to a glass or ceramic dish with a tight lid.

If you prefer to store sour cream in the refrigerator in the plastic bag it comes in, cover the cut with a clothespin after each use and never lick the cut. Sour cream in a plastic glass can be tightly covered with a lid and sent to the refrigerator for a short time.

When buying sour cream in the store, first of all, you need to carefully read the composition on the package. If, in addition to cream and sourdough, something else is indicated, then this is the so-called “sour cream” or sour cream products that have nothing to do with sour cream. Try not to use this product at all. All that is good about it is a long shelf life.

Shelf life of sour cream according to GOST

If the product is prepared taking into account GOSTs, then its shelf life in its original packaging is 5-10 days. That's how much is usually indicated on the package. If the period is much longer than these numbers, then you have come across an unnatural product.

How to check the freshness of sour cream?

The first indicator of good sour cream is color. When fresh, it is creamy white. If a frankly yellow tint is visible, even if it is very light, this means that the sour cream is stale and should not be used. Pay attention to the top layer of sour cream. A small amount of water on top of it is normal. But the presence of mold is a sign of damage. If the sour cream looks normal on the outside, smell it. Fresh sweet smells of cream, spoiled has a sharp musky smell of mold. If you can’t identify bad sour cream by both appearance and smell, try it a little. You will definitely distinguish the spoiled from the good by taste. If frozen sour cream is good, it can be used in dishes.

11 foods you can freeze

Cheese

You can freeze a large piece of cheese, and once thawed, it won't crumble. If you prefer to slice the cheese before freezing, add a teaspoon of cornstarch or flour to the container to keep the slices from sticking together during defrosting.

If you like to add shredded cheese to your dishes, you can buy a large piece of Parmesan, chop it in a food processor and put it in the freezer in freezer bags. It can be stored in the freezer for several months, and during cooking it will be enough to open a container or freezer bag and get a couple of teaspoons of cheese.

Homemade pancakes, waffles and French toast

If you'd like to eat homemade pancakes, waffles, and toast more often, you can simply bake more on your day off, freeze on a cookie tray, and store in freezer bags. At any time you can get them out of the freezer, reheat in the microwave and have breakfast. In any case, it will turn out cheaper and tastier than buying frozen pastries in the store.

Rice

Instead of waiting too long for rice (especially brown rice, which takes about 50 minutes to cook), you can freeze it. First, the rice is frozen on a tray or parchment, and then placed in a freezer bag. Thawed rice can be fried, used for soup or casseroles. Cooking time will be reduced by about an hour (including not only boiling, but also rinsing and soaking).

Corn

The easiest way to freeze corn is not to get it out of the leaves, but just put it in the freezer. When you want corn, just take it out and heat it up in the microwave for 5 minutes. The leaves protect the corn kernels so it tastes fresh.

tomato paste

Simmer the Roma tomatoes over low heat with garlic, fresh herbs and olive oil for about 4-5 hours. Once the mixture has cooled, place it in freezer bags. You can use this mixture for chili base or tomato sauces.

Mashed potatoes

Use an ice cream scoop to scoop out a scoop of mashed potatoes and place a scoop on parchment paper. Freeze until balls are firm and then store in freezer bags. Puree will keep in the freezer for at least two months.

cookie dough

The cookie dough is frozen on parchment and stored in a freezer bag. You can divide it into separate portions or immediately make it in the desired form. Using this dough, you can cook cookies in 1-2 minutes, without dirty dishes and tables.

Bread

In order not to have to throw out dry bread, you can cut several loaves and freeze. As needed, take out the desired pieces of bread and defrost them in the oven or microwave. To prevent the bread from drying out until morning, you can leave it overnight in the switched off, tightly closed microwave.

Herbs

You can freeze aromatic herbs in ice cube trays with a little water or broth to use all year round in soups, stews, or casseroles.

marinated meat

Put the meat in a freezer bag, pour over the marinade and send it to the freezer. When you take it out, it will be marinated and ready to be cooked right away.

Fish sticks

Semi-finished products that are sold in stores can hardly be called tasty, so why not make homemade fish sticks? To do this, you need to buy fresh fish, cut it into small pieces, roll in egg, flour or breadcrumbs, put on a tray and freeze.

Both chefs and housewives will agree that groceries are expensive these days. So when we see our favorite product on sale, our first impulse is to buy more. We always need some products, both for everyday cooking and for culinary delights on holidays. Therefore, it would be logical to buy them in large quantities. But the same logic tells us that buying ten packs of butter or twelve heads of cheese at once is not a good idea.

On the other hand, if you plan on using all of these products within the coming year, feel free to. Because the freezer is your new best friend. Below is a list of the main products that you didn't know much about.

Surprisingly, some products that do not occur to us to store at a low temperature not only tolerate it perfectly, but are even better preserved in the freezer. Did you see a sale of nuts in the store at 10 rubles per kilogram? Take as much as you can carry! Do you have a lot of greenery in your garden? And there is a place for it in the freezer. In fact, almost any product can be frozen and thawed without harming the taste and useful properties. If saving money doesn't seem like enough motivation to you, consider dividing prepared meals into portions, freezing them, and thus not overeating.
With the help of aluminum foil, plastic bags and film, you can store food for months. So take a look in your fridge and make room for your new stock.

Here are 15 Foods You Can Freeze

Milk

Bought 5 liters of milk, and then it's time to go on vacation? It won't disappear! Milk can be frozen, but you need to follow some rules. Pour some milk out of the bottle so that when it starts to freeze, it has room to expand in volume. After returning home, put your frozen milk in the refrigerator for a day or two. It is best to freeze fresh milk and keep it in the freezer for no longer than 4-6 weeks.

Butter

Frozen butter is especially useful if you bake a lot. Everything is very simple. Place the packaged oil in a plastic bag or wrap tightly in foil and refrigerate overnight before use. Butter is usually stored in the freezer for no longer than six months, although there have been cases when it has remained tasty for up to a year.

nuts

How, you don't freeze nuts yet? Very in vain. If you need to always have several varieties of nuts on hand for different dishes, a freezer is the best solution. Nuts (especially peeled ones) contain a lot of fat, and therefore quickly deteriorate and become bitter under the influence of heat, humidity, light, or even metal. Store nuts in a vacuum sealed plastic container. Unshelled nuts can last up to eight months in the freezer. Just remember that one bitter nut can ruin your whole meal, so be sure to try them before using them.

Cheese

Any hostess who has ever organized a party knows how convenient it is to serve cheese plates to guests. So if you stumble upon a cheese sale, feel free to buy more. Cheese can be stored in its original packaging tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Soft cheeses and spreads are stored in the freezer for a month, but hard cheeses - up to six months. Don't forget to put the frozen cheese in the fridge overnight before serving it.

Bakery products

Bread, cookies, cakes, pies, whatever! Your freezer can handle all of these products. Freezing is a great way to prepare for a party ahead of time or to stash an extra serving of sweets away. After cooling, wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a vacuum container. So they can be stored for up to a month. Uncut cakes or brownies can also be wrapped in cling film and placed in the freezer for three months, and they need to be thawed at room temperature. Store-bought bread or muffins should be chilled in the refrigerator, unopened, and then transferred to the freezer, where they can stay for up to two months. You can use the microwave for quick defrosting. In addition, you can freeze raw dough and then quickly defrost in order to bake something.

Flour

Pesto

If you don't know what to do with a huge supply of basil, save it in pesto form. Prepare the sauce, spoon it into ice cube trays and freeze. Once the pesto has frozen, the cubes can be placed in a plastic vacuum container and stored for 6-8 months. To thaw the sauce, take the required number of cubes and let them stand at room temperature or in the refrigerator

Greens

Let's say greens and herbs have grown in your garden this year. Sometimes after drying, they lose their taste. Freezing fresh herbs helps to preserve their taste and smell as much as possible. Before freezing, greens can be cut into portions. Spread the greens on a baking sheet, cover with a sheet of baking paper and send to the freezer. Once the greens are frozen, transfer them to a vacuum-sealed plastic bag and store until you need them. You can also put chopped greens in ice molds and fill half with water. Cubes of frozen greens can be immediately added to prepared dishes, and mint can be added to iced tea or cocktails.

Cream cheese and sour cream

In the case of frozen cream cheese, there are some restrictions. If you plan on spreading it on bread in the morning, it's best not to put the cheese in the freezer, as the cold will change its consistency. However, if you are using cheese for cooking or baking, frozen cheese is fine. It can be stored in the freezer in its original packaging for up to three months. With sour cream, freezing works on the same principle: it freezes easily, is great for cooking, but changes its consistency. We recommend whipping sour cream before freezing to properly distribute moisture in it, and after defrosting in the refrigerator to return it to its former shape (you can also add two tablespoons of starch to sour cream). Sour cream is stored in the refrigerator in store packaging and a vacuum plastic bag for three months.

Jam

Each of us in the cold winter dreams of a spoonful of sweet homemade jam, and it is also very convenient to freeze it. Just fill a jar with jam and put it in the freezer! It does not expand much at low temperatures. To thaw the jam, place the jar in the refrigerator overnight. Enjoy fresh jam for up to a year, after which it will begin to lose flavor.

Rice

Cooked rice can be frozen quickly and then used when needed. Let the rice cool and then transfer to a container or plastic bag. To defrost, the rice is transferred to a bowl with a small amount of water and heated in the microwave.

Wine

If you have unfinished wine left, don't throw it away! Instead, it can be poured into ice molds or a plastic bag and frozen. Freezing will not affect its taste and smell in any way, and you will always have wine on hand for sauces.

Eggs

To freeze eggs, break them into a bowl, beat lightly and pour the mixture into ice cube trays or a plastic bag. For baking, you can freeze the yolks and proteins separately.

tomato paste

How many times have you had to buy an entire can of tomato paste for just a few tablespoons of a recipe? Try freezing leftovers in an ice cube tray next time. Now when you're making your next spaghetti sauce, you'll always have pasta cubes on hand.

Fresh juice

During citrus season, you can squeeze all the delicious juice you want and then freeze it. For example, juice can be poured into ice molds and sticks can be inserted into each of them, so you get healthy ice cream.

Now you see that freezing many products can not only save money, but also simplify the cooking process. We hope that our tips will be useful for you!