Expert Shares 6 Christmas Foods You Can Freeze to Reduce Preparation Time

Culinary expert Mimi Morley from HelloFresh has provided expert answers, which could help Brits prepare early for Christmas, as well as help them reduce food waste this festive period with these freezing tips.

The great thing about freezing certain foods is that you can prepare ahead for your Christmas dinner, so you don’t have to tackle the big food shop too close to the 25th. It also means you can prepare most of your dinner beforehand, so you can spend more time doing the things you love on Christmas day instead of spending it in the kitchen.

These freezing tips are also great for reducing food waste, so if you’ve got a lot of festive leftovers, you can save them later.

Suede

Preparing vegetables is probably the last thing you want to have to do on Christmas morning, but the great thing is you don’t have to. Prepare and cook your suede and carrots; mash them together and place them in a container before freezing.

You can also freeze other vegetables,  including sprouts, so if you want to get ahead of the game to enjoy a stress-free Christmas, you can prep all your greens beforehand.

Remember to remove them from the freezer on Christmas eve, so they’re ready to reheat on the big day.

Double cream 

Double cream can be frozen, but it’s best to do this when it’s whipped. If you want to get ahead of the game with your Crimbo puds, you can whip up your double cream for your trifle ahead of time and pop it in the freezer. I’d suggest removing it from the freezer one-two days before you need to use it, letting it defrost in the fridge before topping off your trifle.

Mashed potatoes

Mashed potatoes are one of the best forms of potatoes to freeze. My best tip would be to coat the mash in butter before freezing to enhance flavour when you defrost.

Eggs

Yes, eggs can be frozen, so if you want to do your Christmas shopping earlier, you can stock up on eggs for any Christmas baking you might do. I would advise using them within four months and defrosting them in a closed container overnight, using them immediately.

Buttermilk

Pancakes on Christmas morning are a must-try, and you can freeze the buttermilk if you don’t use it all. It’s good to note, though, if you are freezing liquids, they expand in the freezer, so make sure to use some of them first to avoid any leaks.

Dough

Pate and prawn cocktails are classic Christmas dinner starters, and what better way to enjoy them than with a slice of homemade bread.

But don’t panic; you won’t have to be up at dawn on Christmas morning to make it. You can prepare the dough and either freeze this and cook the bread fresh or bake the dough and freeze it in bread form.