Essential Foods You Should Always Have in the Freezer

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Vegetables

Frozen vegetables are a no-brainer food item to have in your freezer. Fortunately, most supermarkets sell a variety of them, both individually and in medleys or mixes. Like fruits, they're typically frozen at peak ripeness so they'll still be healthy and delicious when you consume them. The only suggestion we have is that if you do buy frozen vegetable mixes, don't use any seasoning packets that might come with them, as they may be high in sodium. Besides, it's more fun using your own collection of spices and seasonings when cooking. Most of the time, you can cook these veggies from frozen, as they'll thaw quickly upon cooking. Toss them into stir-fries, give them a quick boil in leftover hot pasta water or add them to casseroles before baking. Keep track of the "best by" dates for optimal flavor and texture.

Here are 25 ways to transform frozen food into a 5-star meal.