Stock Up On Winter Frozen Foods Now With These 6 Deals

With fall officially about to begin, you are probably in hunter-gatherer mode for all the best money-saving deals to stock up on before winter. Just like the creatures out in the wild, we have to prepare for the long cold months ahead and the best way to do that is by loading up your kitchen, cabinet, and even freezer with your favorite foods for the upcoming cold months.

If you think that frozen foods do not need to be on your grocery shopping list because it will be cold outside, think again.

“The freezer is any home cook’s friend, especially during the winter,” said Ashley Schuering, food blogger and freelance writer at Confessions of a Grocery Addict . “When the weather outside is frightful and it gets dark at four o’clock, knowing you have something yummy on deck even if you haven’t been to the store in ages is deeply reassuring.”

Here are six frozen foods to stock up on for winter that are priced at great deals.

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Fruit

Peaches, plums, stone fruit and other berries can be frozen without blanching, according to Schuering.

“Simply wash, dry, remove any stickers, slice as needed, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to freezer bags and pressing the air out,” Schuering explained. She also noted that you can opt to pack sliced fruit with juice or toss it with a bit of ascorbic acid before freezing to prevent discoloration.

There’s also lots of great pre-frozen fruit available at your local grocery store, such as Strawberry Banana Frozen Fruit Blend from Good & Gather. Right now a 48-ounce bag is on sale at Target for just $9.99.

Premade Meals

Schuering recommended if you’re hosting or attending a party and are making items like hot dips, chili, sautéed or grilled veggies, pasta sauces, salsas, etcetera to consider doubling up and freezing half.

“Many prepared items can be frozen for at least three-to-six months,” Schuering said. “Similarly, if you’re making a pie from scratch, make an extra batch of dough; make and freeze cookie dough balls for cookies on demand; freeze extra frosting for cakes; freeze cake layers for up to 2 months, etcetera.”

If you head over to Walmart right now, you can pick up a Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie in the frozen food aisle for just $2.98.

Dairy Items

According to Schuering, most hard and semi-hard cheeses can be frozen for nine-to-12 months while soft cheese like cream cheese, Neufchâtel and goat cheese can be frozen for three-to-four months.

“Fresh cheeses like ricotta and mascarpone can be frozen for 3-ish months, but may separate a bit — they should generally be used for cooked or baked recipes rather than used as “fresh” for the best texture,” Schuering described.

“Heavy cream can also be frozen for six-to-12 months, though it’s better in cooked form (e.g. soups and baked goods) than whipped,” Schuering said.

Right now, if you head over to Costco, you can get a five-pound tub of Galbani Professionale Ricotta Cheese for just $12.09.

Ice Cream

“Most commercial ice cream will last three-to-four months in the freezer if unopened,” Schuering said.

“Vanilla goes with everything,” Schuering explained. She added that pies, crisps and cobblers are favorite treats to go à la mode. “But grab whatever your family likes,” she said.

And if you are in the mood for a sweet treat, throw a 1.5 quart of Favorite Day Vanilla Bean Ice Cream into your cart for a steal of a deal at $3.49.

Meat

“Whether you prefer chicken pieces or bone and skinless chicken breasts, the frozen aisle is a great place to look,” Schuering explained.

“Frozen is often cheaper than fresh and since the items are frozen individually, they’re easy to grab just what you need from the bag,” Schering explained. She added that frozen meat options are usually more scarce at her local grocery store.”

“If you see anything on discount, grab it now — most meat will keep well for at least six months under proper freezing conditions,” Scheuring said.

Currently at Target, a 20-ounce bag of Good and Gather All Natural USDA Grassfed Beef Meatballs is on sale for just $7.69.

Baking Items

Puff pastry and pie dough — especially if they’re made with real butter — and fillo dough and their cups are lifesavers during the holiday season, in Schuering’s opinion.

“They usually bump up in price during seasons of high demand, so snag them now for the best deals. Frozen whipped topping is typically pretty cheap all year round, but also keeps for several months,” she said.

At Walmart, you can get a 16-ounce box of Athens Foods Athens Fillo Dough for the low price of $5.18.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : Stock Up On Winter Frozen Foods Now With These 6 Deals