Here at Gousto we are always trying to help you make the most of your kitchen, and it’s no secret that we aren’t a big fan of food waste. We go into detail about Why Food Waste Is a Global Problem here but we thought we better pass on a few tips to help you easily reduce the amount your feeding your kitchen bin.

Everybody knows that a freezer is a life saver for leftovers, and you’re probably already using it to keep meat, fish and the odd bag of frozen veg. But your freezer is capable of much more than you think it is. These 7 foods are often left on the side of the road for pick up on dustbin day, but we read My Zero-Waste Kitchen, and found out that by popping them in the freezer, you’ll be able to keep them a lot longer than you thought…

Eggs

Bet you didn’t know you can freeze raw eggs? – Don’t throw a whole egg in there though (in fact don’t throw a whole egg at all), it will expand and the shell will crack. You need to whisk them up first, and pour the mixture in an ice cube tray.

*Tip* If you’re a keen baker, you can freeze the whites and yolks separately.

Keeps for: 1 year

Fresh Herbs

When you order a Gousto box, you get all your ingredients precisely measured and ready to use, including your herbs. This not only eliminates the question of what your recipe means by a “sprig”, it also solves the issue of what to do with the rest of the bunch. But should you find yourself with a handful of leftover fresh basil (or any other fresh herb for that matter) you can place it in an ice cube tray, cover with a little water and leave it to freeze. Once its frozen, just transfer into freezer bags.

Keeps for: 6 months

Hard Cheese

Cheese has a tendency to stink out the fridge when it’s on the turn, it can also be pretty expensive, so it’s definitely worth getting it in the freezer if you’re not going to use it all. Grating it before freezing works really well, that way you can grab handfuls as and when you need them. Be sure to store it in an airtight container.*Tip* You can also freeze the cheese as a block or as slices, whichever works out as the most convenient for you.

Keeps for: 6 months

Opened Wine

Leftover wine can often get poured down the sink, and we aren’t afraid to admit that it can be emotional to watch it disappear down a plug. But when a bottle gets forgotten after a midweek glass it can seem like thats the only way. Now here’s where we really change you life. Freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays, then transfer the ice cubes in to containers. Then you can pop the cubes in sauces, stews or risottos straight from the freezer.

Keeps for: 6 months

Pasta

When you think about it, freezing cooked pasta doesn’t seem so strange, and yet people don’t seem to be doing it. Although leftover pasta seems like a tall order, (we’ve always found pasta to be much more of a clear-your-plate-dish) sometimes the situation arises, and its nice to know theres another option.

*Tip* Cook it al dente, so it doesn’t go mushy when you defrost it.

Keeps for: 2 months

Lemon and Lime

This is one that you either know or you don’t. Freezing sliced lemon and lime is a life saver during gin and tonic season, and we highly recommend it for cooking too. Just slice the fruit up and pop the slices in a container in the freezer. Then you can pull them out one at a time to use as a garnish for your dinner or your drinks.

Keeps for: 4 months

Chillies

Chillies can go off quickly, and unless you’re a real lover of the spice, often you don’t need to use them all at once. Freezing them helps ensure there’s always chillies on hand. Just chop them up and place them in an ice cube tray, cover with water, and freeze. Once frozen you can transfer them to another container.

*Tip* you can also freeze chillies whole.

Keeps for: 12 months

Reducing food waste is so important, and by increasing the use of your freezer you can drastically improve the life line of food and stop them from ending up in the bin. And if you have any foods to add to this list, please comment them below! we’d love to hear from you. And check out these blogs for more food waste reducing tips and tricks: 12 Food Scraps You Didn’t Know Were Edible, How to Make Amazing Homemade Crisps .