Shoppers in Northern Ireland are being urged to take on regular freezer maintenance to help cut household bills and food waste.
The frugal team at MuscleFood.com have revealed seven ways to improve freezer efficiency, cut weekly food costs and reduce food waste.
The experts claim freezer organisation plays a major role in reducing household food wastage.
Having food with shorter expiry dates placed at the back and underneath other items can increase the likelihood it won’t get used and will have to be thrown away.
Defrosting the entire freezer every three months will help use the stored items to prevent wastage and save money.
Ashleigh Tosh, from MuscleFood.com, said: “A freezer can be a money-saving gem if it’s used correctly.
“It’s all to do with what you store in there and how it’s organised. It’s important to place all items with shorter expiry dates at the front so they don’t go to waste.
“It’s also worth defrosting the entire freezer every three months so it doesn’t become a complete ice block and you’ll then feel encouraged to use up what’s in there.
“We encourage people to follow this advice to help reduce the amount of waste households toss away every year so there’s less in the landfill and more money in their back pockets.”
Seven ways to make the most of your freezer:
1. Defrost every three months
Defrosting every quarter will help encourage you to use what’s left in the freezer so you’re not leaving it to waste and expire. It’s also good for the appliance’s health so it doesn’t completely freeze over.
2. Divide by expiry dates
Those with the longest expiry frozen dates should be placed at the bottom as they won’t need to be used immediately.
3. Separate by food group
Keep meats and fish at the bottom of the freezer away from other food groups. Not only will it be easier to locate the items, but it will also prevent cross-contamination.
4. Batch cook and store in sandwich bags
Making a week load of meals on the weekend means there’s always food available to defrost and heat up as and when you choose. Store the meals in sandwich bags and label them so they’re easily identifiable.
5. Freeze leftovers
If you have any leftovers don’t simply throw them away, look at how they can be used for leftovers. For example, cooked meats, leftover veggies and even stock mix are worth keeping for future meals.
6. Look in the freezer before meal planning
Before deciding what meals you’re going to cook for the week, have a look in the freezer at what you have available before overspending on the food shop.
7. Use ice cube trays
Store any leftover sauces or oil that you don’t want to waste into ice cube trays and pop it on the pan to melt when cooking a meal. It’ll help save money in the long run and prevent waste.