What foods can I freeze? Sainsbury’s urges shoppers to start freezing food to save money - full list of items

Sainsbury’s is encouraging shoppers to start freezing food items instead of throwing it out to save money this winter.

The move was prompted after food waste charity Wrap claimed that the average household wastes £60 worth of produce every month.

Sainsbury’s has said shoppers could save up to £720 a month by freezing a range of food, including eggs.

The supermarket has put together a list of all the products that can be kept in the freezer in a bid to help families through the cost of living crisis, and has opened a walk-in freezer concept store to show customers how to freeze foods.

What kind of food items can be put in the freezer?

List of food items that can be frozen

Customers are advised that almost all food items can be frozen - with some likely to come as a surprise. Sainsbury’s has said that the following foods are all suitable for freezing:

Dairy

Cheese: Grated in a freezer bag or container.

Yoghurt: Poured onto a baking tray with non-stick baking paper on.

Eggs: Cracked individually into resealable containers.

Fruit

Pineapple: Chopped into bite-sized chunks.

Berries: In reusable freezer bags or containers.

Grapes: Can be eaten straight out of the freezer.

Vegetables

Peppers: Slice and freeze them in reusable freezer bags.

Fresh herbs: Chopped in an ice cube tray with some olive oil.

Courgettes: Grated in a freezer bag.

Meat and fish

Mince: Freeze flat in reusable freezer bags to save space.

Salmon: Chop into portions and freeze in bags.

Chicken: Can be diced to save time defrosting and cooking.

Cupboard items

Chickpeas: Must be dried first.

Coconut milk: In ice cube trays.

Coffee: Cold coffee in ice cube trays can be used in iced coffees.

Bakery

Croissants: Can be added to bread and butter pudding.

Bread: Can be separated into freezer bags to prevent slices sticking.

Scones: In reusable containers.

What items can you not freeze?

Cream-based soups or sauces: Likely to split or separate.

Re-heated rice: Can pose a health risk.

Cream: Texture can change considerably.

Hard boiled eggs: White goes rubbery.

What is Sainsfreeze?

Sainsbury’s has now opened a walk-in freezer concept store to show customers how to freeze foods that they may not be used to storing.

The pop-up shop is located in Shoreditch’s Boxpark in east London and looks like a normal Sainsbury’s store.

A range of foods which would usually be considered fresh items are frozen in innovative ways, including herbs mixed with water or oil and frozen in ice cube trays. All of it is being given away for free until Thursday (29 September).

The focus is on items that are commonly thrown out when they reach their expiration day, such as milk, eggs, bread and onions.

The supermarket’s research found that over a third of customers find items have gone mouldy before they get around to eating them. The store has recently removed the best before date from 276 items to try and discourage food waste.

Ruth Cranston, director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Sainsbury’s said in quotes reported by the Mail: “When people think about climate change, food waste often gets overlooked.

“Around a third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted and it contributes a whopping 8-10 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions globally each year.

“That is why we are launching Sainsfreeze, to help customers try and combat food waste and learn handy hints and top tips along the way.”