Tips from the Freezer

The freezer is a food lover's hero because there's not much that can't be frozen until its needed: homemade ready meals (see Timesavers); veg and wonderful herbs; grated cheese for toppings and meat cut in strips for quick stir-frying. This section has a few surprises for us all. Visit the freezer often to keep tabs on what's inside.

• Freeze Your Lemon slices

  Submitted by Carole Leary, Fontwell

  My daughter likes hot water and lemon every morning and lemon in green tea. Slice the fresh lemons as soon as they are bought and freeze the slices. Just take one when needed, that way the whole lemon is used, no shrivelling or drying out - perfect.

• Vacuum sealing machines are great

  Submitted by Angela, Plymouth

  I buy BOGOF offers and put in these bags which come on rolls, suck all the air out and freeze or store in fridge. I don't know how I managed before! No freezer burn ever. I have also cut an avocado in half put half in a vacuum bag and a week later it looks like i just cut it - they are amazing.

• Freezing milk

  Submitted by David Wall, Shaftesbury

  Buy semi-skimmed, or skimmd milk. Then before going away, you can freeze your milk ready for when you come home. Whole milk doesn't freeze well.

• Frozen vegetables

  Submitted by Dee, Nottingham

  With only two adults in the household I find fresh vegetables wasteful, so I always keep a good selection of frozen ones to use as and when I need them.

• Grate Idea for Cheese

  Submitted by Hina, Northampton

  I buy big packets of cheese and grate the whole lot, pack into plastic containers and freeze. No more mouldy or dried up cheese in the fridge and ready to use instantly for cooking or transfer from the freezer to fridge overnight if using for sandwiches etc.

• Leftover grapes

  Submitted by Lorraine Ottewill, Swanage, UK

  Buy a large bag of cheap grapes from the markets or use up surplus grapes. Freeze individually on a baking tray then put in a freezer bag once frozen. Eat when desired. They make lovely, refreshing treats for slimmers or diabetics. Also works well using raspberries!

• Freezing Bacon

  Submitted by Owen, Uttoxeter

  Buy a big packet of bacon and freeze each rasher between a layer of grease proof paper inside freezer bag. The grease proof paper will let you easily peel off individual rashers meaning you can remove only as much as you need. The frozen bacon rashers can also be trimmed of fat much easier, they don't even need to be defrosted before going in the microwave or on the grill.

• Freezing pizza dough

  Submitted by Linda Hastings, Bristol

  The recipe for making pizza dough in my bread machine makes enough dough for two pizzas. I use half to make a pizza for diner and freeze the other half in a ball in a sealed sandwich bag. When I am ready to use the dough I just get it out a let it defrost in the fridge for a few hours and then I am ready to top and cook my pizza. Less waste and much less hassle than starting from scratch.

• Leftovers

  Submitted by Sylvia Bailey, Telford

  Freeze any meat left over from a roast, like beef, pork and lamb to use at a later date in a tasty curry.

• Cheap and healthy batch cooking

  Submitted by Gemma Parnell, Bedfordshire

  Bulk up meals like pasta bakes, curry and chilli con carne with beans, pulses vegetables and potatoes. It's cheaper healthier and it means you can use up the rest of the vegetables in the fridge! I always make at least one extra portion to freeze when cooking, and I make food for my baby at the same time.