Healthy eating without extra effort: why and what foods should be frozen
Kyiv • UNN
Freezing food helps preserve nutrients and simplifies the cooking process. Fruits, broth, ginger, vegetables, cereals and meat can be frozen for long term storage without losing their nutritional value.
When it comes to healthy eating, it's important to remember that cooking at home is one of the best ways to ensure that you have balanced meals. However, we are often just too lazy to cook or don't have the time. Sometimes it seems that cooking healthy meals is too difficult. However, what if there are actually methods to help you simplify this process?
For example, freezing food is an option. This allows you to preserve many nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, which can be lost during prolonged storage or heat treatment.
Read the article by UNN to find out what foods you should start freezing to start eating right and save your time.
Fruit
Frozen fruit is an ideal solution for healthy eating. One of the advantages is that fruit does not lose its beneficial properties and retains its flavor during freezing. In addition, they are already peeled or cut, which makes it much easier to use them in cooking.
If you have leftover fresh fruit, simply spread it out on a baking sheet and freeze it, then store it in airtight bags or containers. This method will keep the fruit for up to a year, and it will always be on hand for smoothies, desserts, or other meals. Frozen fruit retains its quality for up to 12 months.
Broth
Not everyone has a lot of time for a lunch break. So a good solution is to freeze the stock, which you can then use in a variety of dishes. It is suitable for soups, stews, roasts, and even for cooking cereals without oil. Frozen broth can be stored for up to six months, unlike how it spoils quickly in the refrigerator.
To freeze stock, pour it into silicone molds or freezer bags. You can also use ice cube trays to have convenient portions on hand for sauces or stews. Frozen stock defrosts quickly and is easy to add directly to the pan.
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Ginger
Ginger is an ingredient with a spicy flavor and numerous digestive and health benefits that will add more piquancy to your dishes. Frozen ginger retains all of its beneficial properties, which is no less important. In addition, it can be added not only to dishes but also to make delicious vitamin teas.
To freeze ginger, simply place the unpeeled root in a freezer bag. When cooking, you can grate the frozen ginger directly into the dish. You can also chop it before freezing. Whole ginger keeps for up to six months, while chopped ginger keeps for three to four months.
Vegetables
Vegetables, just like fruits, are great for freezing. Not only do they retain most of their beneficial properties, but they also allow you to enjoy the flavor of a variety of vegetables even out of season. Frozen vegetables sold in stores are harvested at the peak of their ripeness, which allows them to retain their maximum nutrient content and flavor.
If you decide to freeze your own vegetables, the process is not complicated. The first step is to prepare them: peeling, cutting and blanching (briefly immersing them in boiling water and then cooling them with cold water). This helps to preserve the flavor, color and texture after freezing. Then spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, they can be transferred to bags or containers for long-term storage.
Cereals, cereals
Cereals and cereals are an important source of carbohydrates, which are the main source of energy for the body. However, they can be time-consuming to prepare, especially when it comes to more filling varieties such as wild rice or quinoa.
To make cooking them faster, you can prepare a large portion and freeze it for later use. Simply cook rice, for example, cool it to room temperature, then spread it out in an even layer on a baking sheet and freeze it.
After that, put the rice in freezer bags, remove excess air and store them in the freezer.
When it's time to use the frozen grains, simply place them in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight to defrost. Then they can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave and added to a variety of dishes such as soups, stews, and pilaf.
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Meat and seafood
Meat and seafood are great sources of protein that add to the richness and nutrition of your diet. Instead of buying them on a regular basis, you can buy them during a sale and freeze them, which will save you money and keep the ingredients on hand for a variety of dishes.
Meat or seafood can be frozen either raw or cooked. If you are freezing already cooked foods, be sure to let them cool to room temperature before placing them in the freezer. Warm foods can form condensation, which leads to the formation of ice crystals that affect the texture when reheated.
It's a good idea to freeze food in portions that you can use at one time. For example, salmon fillets can be separated into individual freezer bags or containers to avoid defrosting more than you need. Grilled chicken can be shredded or cut into pieces before freezing.
