4 Things I Always Have In My Freezer
Here we are: It’s the beginning of the week and you’ve loaded up on fresh produce and meats at the store with the best of intentions to do some serious cooking this week.
Cut to: The end of the week when all of that food is still sitting in your fridge, some has started to wilt (ahem, spinach) and some is just looking a little browner than it should. You end up throwing most of it away while vowing that this will NOT happen next week... and the cycle repeats.
Enter: the freezer. What an invention, I tell ya. I love stocking my freezer for a few reasons.
I usually stock it with the things that I know I may not use a whole package of in one week, so by freezing it, I can keep it in tip-top shape for a LOT longer.
I buy organic frozen produce because it is usually frozen at its nutritional peak, preserving a lot of the nutrients therein.
A lot of times, it’s cheaper to buy frozen (especially organic) than to buy fresh.
I’m busy. It’s SO EASY to defrost and go when I need something fast and/or low effort.
So what exactly do I have in my freezer? Well… a lot of things, but here are the 4 things that I always make sure I have on hand.
1. Organic Broccoli
I always like to have “something green” with each meal and having this puppy on hand is a guarantee that it will be easy to do when I’m putting together a last minute bite. When it comes to veggies, you get a lot of “bang for your buck” with broccoli. It is high in vitamins like vitamin C and the B vitamins, minerals like calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and chromium (which helps with blood sugar balance), antioxidants (like glutathione, which protect from DNA damage), anticancer compounds like indoles (which helps with proper estrogen metabolism) (3), and anti-inflammatory compounds (like sulforaphane) (4). To boot, broccoli is rich in fiber and even has some protein (1). All veggies in the Brassica family (like broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, cabbage, kale, and arugula) are also great for the microbiome by decreasing the presence of harmful bacteria in your gut (2). Lightly cooking broccoli (like steaming for 5 minutes or so) seems to preserve a lot of these nutrients (1), which makes this frozen variety even better; just pop in the microwave for a few minutes to defrost/warm up, and it’s ready to go on the plate.
2. Organic Cauliflower Rice
Speaking of the Brassica family, here’s another one I always have on hand: frozen cauliflower rice. This one is a new favorite and I call it my “sneaky little friend”. I’ll “sneak” some cauli rice into dishes to bulk up the fiber in the dish and to add to my veggie count for the day. For example, if I’m making ground beef or turkey for pasta sauce, tacos or chili, I will add a cup of cauli rice in there, add the tomato sauce, and you and your family will never know there’s another veggie hiding in there… sneaky sneaky cauli rice. This also works with oatmeal and smoothies, by the way. The best part is because the pieces are so small, there is no defrosting needed -- just throw them in the pan and they will defrost very quickly while cooking. Cauliflower not only has some great fiber to offer, it also contains biotin (a B vitamin needed for healthy fat production), and like it’s cousin broccoli, is supportive of happy, healthy gut bacteria (1;2)
3. Chicken Sausage
In order for this one to work, you need to make sure it says FULLY COOKED on the package. Personally, I love Applegate Chicken & Apple Sausage (not a plug, just a fan), but any chicken sausage will do! I like to have an easy source of protein available when I’m super busy and need a quick bite. I will seriously just roll up in a paper towel and zap in the microwave for 1 minute and that’s IT. It works for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacktime and it’s a delicious source of complete protein (contains all 10 essential amino acids that we have to eat from our food). I love thinking about protein, fat, and fiber FIRST when I eat because I know what I’m like when my blood sugar crashes.. I’m out. Naptime. Bye bye, focus. Keeping protein-rich options on hand like these chicken sausages helps keep my energy stable and my appetite satiated instead of leaving me crashing and munching all afternoon (which is what happens for me when I don’t have some good protein on hand).
4. Organic Blueberries
I’m a big fruit fan. I love all the fruits. I love keeping frozen blueberries on hand for several reasons. I love being able to throw them into a protein smoothie or my oatmeal in the morning (or my overnight oats when I remember to make those). With their deep color, blueberries are super high in beneficial compounds. They have been shown to support a strong immune system, while also helping to decrease excessive inflammation levels (2). Blueberries are also a great source of manganese, which is needed for proper fat and carbohydrate metabolism (1). As far as sweet, delicious fruits go, berries won’t spike your blood sugar like some other fruits may, so I find them to be a great option for those who like a “sweet” breakfast every now and then (like moi).
Alright! So these are the staples. I know having these on hand will set me up for success with my own wellness goals (eating more veggies and keeping my blood sugar balanced) and also spare my wallet the pain of throwing unused food away.
Now I’m curious to hear from you! What are your favorite freezer staples?
Be well,
Nina
References
1. Fallon, S., & Enig, M. G. (2001). Nourishing traditions: The cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition and the diet dictocrats. NewTrends Publishing, Inc.
2. Li, W. W. (2019). Eat to beat disease: The new science of how your body can heal itself. Grand Central Publishing.
3. Rajoria, S., Suriano, R., Parmar, P. S., Wilson, Y. L., Megwalu, U., Moscatello, A., Bradlow, H. L., Sepkovic, D. W., Geliebter, J., Schantz, S. P., & Tiwari, R. K. (2011). 3,3′-Diindolylmethane Modulates Estrogen Metabolism in Patients with Thyroid Proliferative Disease: A Pilot Study. Thyroid, 21(3), 299–304. https://doi.org/10.1089/thy.2010.0245
4. Wang, T. T. Y., Schoene, N. W., Milner, J. A., & Kim, Y. S. (2012). Broccoli-derived phytochemicals indole-3-carbinol and 3,3’-diindolylmethane exerts concentration-dependent pleiotropic effects on prostate cancer cells: Comparison with other cancer preventive phytochemicals. Molecular Carcinogenesis, 51(3), 244–256. https://doi.org/10.1002/mc.20774