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.

• Coconut milk

  If you have any leftover coconut milk you can freeze in ice-cube trays. Once frozen transfer to freezer bags. It will keep for up to 3 months.

• Waste no wine...

  Submitted by Evie, Holywood

  Freeze any left-over bits of wine in yogurt pots. It all adds flavour and richness to stews, risottos, pasta sauces and even gravy and you dont have to open a new bottle every time.

• Don't waste wine!

  Submitted by Amanda, London

  Rather than let the end of a bottle of wine hang around only to go sour, pour into a small container or clean yogurt pot and freeze. Use in stews, casseroles or gravies - no need to defrost - put straight into the cooking.

• Storing bread

  Submitted by David Wall, Shaftesbury

  Buy sliced bread and store it in the freezer. Take out only what you need, the slices are easy to separate. Pop straight into the toaster, or thaw naturally for a minute or so, or defrost in the microwave.

• Freezer management

  Submitted by Trish Jones, Milton Keynes

  I regularly check all the content of my freezer - I list it on a spreadsheet (paper would do) and then I use this to plan my menu for the weeks. I do my menu plan on a Thursday, planning fruit, veg etc for the week and then I stick to that. It means that I only buy what I need and don't waste anything in the freezer. A freezer can be a god send, it shouldn't be used as a black hole.

• Leftover roast

  Submitted by Elizabeth Pratt, Romsey, Hampshire

  If you haven't got time to make a shepherd's pie from your leftover roast, whiz the meat with an onion in the food processor and pour into a freezer bag for later. It is then quick and easy to cook the prepared meat mixture from frozen to make a shepherd's pie or rissoles.

• Tortilla wraps for sandwiches

  Submitted by Bunny, Manchester

  Keep wraps in the freezer. They can then be defrosted individually under a grill within 30 seconds...long enough to assemble the ingredients. They don't go soggy and they are there for the days you run out of bread.

• Leftover pesto

  Submitted by Sarah, Romford

  Never waste pesto again! Mix left over pesto with butter, freeze in individual portions. Use the pesto butter on steak, chicken, lamb etc. Mix some garlic into it as well for a great tasting butter and spread on a toasted baguette.

• 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.