Money hacks How using your freezer like a pro can save time and cash

Preparing meals in advance and portioning out meat, fruit and vegetables to be frozen can save money, avoid waste and cut the time you spend cooking.

- Shane Hickey

Plan ahead

Some foods freeze well, says Lisa Marley, a chef. "Soups, stews, casseroles and baked goods are great because they maintain their flavour and texture after freezing."

Key to making savings is to cook in large batches, she adds. "Double or triple recipes to save time and ingredients."

Package properly Once cooked, pack the meals in the portions you will eat them in. There is no point in defrosting four portions if you are dining solo as this may lead to waste.

Likewise, when freezing meats, it is best to portion out how much you are likely to use. Recipes tend to be in 100g increments so divide 500g of minced beef into five 100g balls and then freeze them on a covered tray before transferring them into a bag. It may sound like a faff, but doing that can mean you avoid having groups of them stuck together when you only need a couple. Do the same with individual sausages as well.

Freezer burn happens when food items are exposed to cold, dry air, resulting in them dehydrating and forming ice crystals, which affects quality. To avoid it, take time to package food properly before you put it in the freezer.

The first step is to make sure that food is cooled to room temperature, Marley says. After that, you should use vacuum-sealed bags, freezer-safe containers or aluminium foil to keep burn at bay.

Again, planning is key, says Ben Ebbrell, a chef who co-founded the YouTube channel Sorted Food. "The likes of Tupperware are convenient options and they stack well, although they often result in you locking in and freezing (sometimes large) pockets of air, thus wasting valuable space in the freezer," he says.