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.

• FREEZING WINE

  Submitted by juliet, redhill

  Use up the last half glass of a bottle of wine (or wine that's been left open overnight, or even just wine you didn't really like) by filling an ice cube tray. Just pop one or two out straight into a sauce or casserole when you need it

• Pineapples

  Submitted by Jaqui Van Der Hoeven, WEST YORKS

  Save leftover pineapple(fresh or tinned)in the freezer, use defrosted in fruit salads, or... the best use I've found is to chop into small pieces before freezing and add frozen to other fruit and liquidise for a great smoothie! My kids also like it as ice cubes in their squash drinks.

• To make elegant ice cubes

  For ice cubes as clear as a Glacier Mint, use water that has been boiled for at least 10 minutes. Be sure to use them within 2-3 days!

• Freezing solid foods

  To freeze solid foods, pack them as tightly as possible, so that you can expel as much of the air as possible. Wrap foods in freezer wrap, which does not create air pockets. If a container isn’t full, fill the gap with crumpled foil or non-stick paper.

• Freezing liquids

  Remember that liquid expands by 10% when frozen, so do not over fill containers – leave a 2.5 cm space in a 500ml container or a 1.5cm gap in a 300ml container. If you don’t do this, soups, sauces and fruits in liquids will push off their lids, once frozen.

• Freezing organic or artisan bread

  Freeze organic or artisan bread in foil. Then when you are ready to eat it put the package in a hot oven for 20 minutes. It will taste and smell as fresh as the day it was baked.

• Too many tomatoes?

  To freeze tomatoes, remove their stalks and freeze whole in freezer bags. They can then be used in place of canned tomatoes, in a tomato or Bolognese sauce or chilli con carne. Just put the whole frozen tomatoes into the pan at the point when you would add the canned tomatoes. Don’t try to defrost them separately as they turn to mush.

• Frozen onion

  Submitted by Irene Dean, Isle of Man

  I always keep frozen onion in the freezer, it is just as easy to chop up 3 as 1 and freeze. When I am in a hurry putting a meal in the slow cooker it is a blessing and no smelly hands or chopping board to wash.

• Uncooked mince pies

  Make mince pies in early December and freeze uncooked in patty tins until solid. Then pack in boxes. Bake a few at a time when needed

• Freezing a sliced cake

  To freeze sliced up cake – put greaseproof paper between each slice, this allows you to remove a few slices at a time rather than thaw the whole cake.