It's that time of year again, when our freezers are filled with the summer's bounty in preparation for the long winter months ahead. Get the most out of your freezer, and learn a few of its other uses, with these great tricks.
Photo by: Stevedepolo
Freezers are hard working appliances that can do more than just keep your bagged veggies chilled. Try on one of these 10 ideas below and see if you can make it pull double duty, or at least keep it running a little more efficiently:
Can I freeze that? A Guide to Freezer Do's and Don'ts
More often than not things can be saved from expiration date, mold or for a later use, by freezing them. But how do you know what can be frozen and how long it keeps? The National Center for Home Food Preservation has done the dirty work for you and made a list! (Original Post) Photo by gregoryjameswalsh
Unstick Plastic Wrap in the Freezer
Plastic Wrap loses it's static cling when placed in the freezer. It will attach to any bowl or plate that needs covering, but eliminates it sticking back on itself. (Original Post) Photo by Mike Wade
Freeze Ground Meat in Small Portions with a Chopstick
The extra 10 minutes it takes to thaw ground meat in the microwave is time you could have spent doing something else. Eliminate it by pressing a chopstick into the meat on the outside of a zip top bag. It will allow you to break off as much as you need without thawing the entire amount. (Original Post)
Preserve Surplus Summer Herbs for Winter Use
Fresh herbs bought from your local grocer can cost more than buying an entire plant. Try chopping and covering them with water, stock or oil before freezing. They'll be ready for any dish, all winter long. (Original Post) Photo by suavehouse113
Make Your Freezer More Efficient
Freezing used plastic bottles or jugs (milk and orange juice work great) full of water will help keep your freezer at a level temperature and use less energy to maintain it. (Original Post) Photo by Sarah Rae Trover
Save Your Hard Drive in the Freezer
A hard drive that is left in the freezer for 24 hours and then quickly inserted back into your machine can make a recovery. Or at least long enough to back things up before it says adios forever. (Original Post)
Tame Freezer Burn to Keep Food Tasty
Freezer burn can get the best of everything in your freezer. To make sure it doesn't happen as frequently, try keeping your freezer at a more steady temperature and keeping out as much air as possible. (Original Post)
Make Freezer Jam as an Easy Alternative to Canning
Freezer Jam is an easy way to use up remaindered fruits and doesn't even require a waterbath or any other canning know-how. Just a little pectin. (Original Post) Photo by Jennie Faber
Convert a Chest Freezer into a Super-Efficient Refrigerator
Chest freezers use 1/10th of the energy that an upright refrigerator does. With the addition of a thermostat, a chest freezer can end up being the ideal place to keep things cool, without freezing them. (Original Post)
Frost-Proof Meat with "Drugstore Wrap"
Zip top bags and Seal-a-Meal systems can be time consuming and inefficient. Try kicking it old school and wrap your meats in freezer paper for a frost free freezer experience. (Original Post) Photo by Rio Designs
How do you put your freezer to good use—apart from the obvious? Have something to add to the list above? Sound off in the comments.