Chill Out! Freezer tips to make life easier

1. Smoothie packs: Create pre-portioned smoothie packs with your favourite fruits and veggies, and freeze. In the morning, just grab a pack, blend with your favourite liquid, and voilà! Instant breakfast.

2. Cool wine: Freeze some grapes to keep your wine cool without watering it down.

3. Iced coffee:  Freeze freshly made coffee in an ice cube tray for an iced coffee (or an espresso martini!).

4. 'Fresh' herbs:  Freeze leftover fresh herbs before they go limp. Push the herbs into an ice cube tray and top with a little bit of oil before freezing; then store in a container or zip lock bag.

5. Cookie dough on demand:  Make a big batch of cookie dough, shape into a log and freeze. Then just slice off the number of cookies you want and pop in the oven.

6. Mince magic:  Freeze mince in zip lock bags and flatten it out. Then it’s easier to store flat and will defrost faster. Also wrap deli meats individual portions so you’re not defrosting more than you need. How long does food stay fresh in the freezer?

7. 'Instant' pasta: Freeze cooked pasta in portions then just pour over boiling water to defrost.

8. Cheese please!  Grate cheese and freeze in portions to avoid waste.

9. Stock up:  Freeze homemade or leftover stock in ice cube trays and then pop them into a container.

10. Nicey ricey: Cook up a batch of rice, freeze flat in a zip lock bag and microwave when you want to use it. It's like the store-bought microwave rice, but better!

11. Banana bonanza: Before those bananas go bad, peel and freeze them. They're perfect for smoothies or homemade banana bread on a whim - or even to whip up some quick, creamy banana ice cream.

12. Bread bounty: Freeze leftover bread before it goes stale. It's perfect for making toast or last-minute breadcrumbs.

13. Pizza party: Prepare and par-bake your own pizza crusts. Freeze and wrap them up for a quick pizza night - just add toppings and bake.

14. Marinated meats: Freeze meats in your favourite marinade. As they defrost, they'll marinate for perfectly flavoured dishes with zero waiting.

15. Lemon zest: Freeze lemon or lime zest in ice cube trays topped with water. They're perfect for adding a zing to drinks or dishes.

16. Seasonal fruit frenzy:  Stock up on seasonal fruit at its peak, chop, and freeze on a tray. You’ll have top-quality fruit ready for desserts or smoothies anytime.

To get even more out of your freezer, try some of our time-saving, freezer friendly lunchbox ideas