Beat food waste - 9 surprising foods you can freeze

If you're only using the icebox for peas, pizzas and the odd tub of ice cream, you're missing a trick. Apart from these usual suspects, your freezer can help reduce food waste and save you money – with just a tiny bit of prep.

Emma Brown, in-house nutritionist for calorie experts, Nutracheck, said: "We know we ditch over 7 million tonnes of food and drink a year, costing the average UK household around £60 a month – so any dents we can make in these numbers have got to be good."

"Lots of foods go to waste simply because people don't realise they are freezable. We've rounded up a few everyday favourites you can freeze – you may be surprised!"

Did you know you can freeze...

1. Leftover wine – freeze in ice cube trays and add straight to recipes (not so good for drinking!)
2. Cheese – grate and store in a freezer bag; grab a handful when you need it
3. Pasta – cook the whole pack, cool under the cold tap and freeze in weighed portions (very helpful if you're watching your weight). Reheat by pouring boiling water over, or add straight to soups and casseroles
4. Bananas – freeze over-ripe bananas with or without the skin
5. Cooked rice – if you've made too much, don't bin it – let it cool then freeze it
6. Egg yolk and whites – whisk in a bowl, then pour into a freezer bag or ice cube tray
7. Nuts – freezing makes nuts last longer as it stops the oil going rancid
8. Fresh herbs – finely chop, pop in an ice cube tray and cover with water
9. Left over meals containing previously frozen meat – can be safely frozen

Emma said: "We should be casting the frozen net much wider – the freezer can help us all cut down on the amount that we chuck in the bin – and that's good news."

"And it's also helpful if you're watching your weight. Freezing foods it's easy to overindulge in – like nuts or cheese we've mentioned – helps with portion control. Chocolate is another thing you can pop in the freezer – it's a great way to limit how much you eat when a craving strikes!"