Throwing away food is such a bummer. I’m always on the lookout for tips and tricks to prevent foods from going bad too quickly and ways to use up what’s in my fridge before it goes off.

If I can’t use something right away I’ll usually either juice it or freeze it. My blog is filled with posts and videos about how to juice so today I want to talk about freezing.

It’s of course so simple but people often forget about this simple trick and end up throwing away usable produce.

You can do this with just about any fruit and many veggies; just cut it up and freeze it in a freezer-safe glass or BPA-free plastic container. (I was pleasantly surprised that Ziploc brand bags are formulated without BPA.) Just remember to write the date on the bag or container and use the food within 3-4 months. Also, press as much air out of the container as you can to prevent freezer burn. Chopping and doing the prep work before freezing makes using this stuff up a breeze. I often do this with fresh berries, apples, peaches, pineapple, and red bell peppers that might go bad before I can get to them.

This works especially well with bananas because they become more nutrient-dense as they ripen, and frozen bananas work beautifully in just about any smoothie.

When bananas start to over-ripen, peel them, 1/2 them, then freeze them. Add them to your daily smoothies as needed for nutrients, fiber, and an extra creamy texture. Another option would be vegan banana ice cream, you can find that here.

Frozen Banana & Cacao Smoothie Recipe

Serves 1

• 1 cup purified water
• 1 whole frozen banana (2 frozen halves)
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao,
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• dash of cinnamon
• handful of ice
• optional: add 1 serving of high-quality, organic chocolate or vanilla protein powder if drinking post-workout

Method: Blend all ingredients until smooth; serve cold.

Your turn! Share any of your food saving tips in the comments below to help and inspire other readers in our community.

Frozen Banana & Cacao Smoothie

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• Author: Elizabeth Rider
• Yield: Serves 1

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Ingredients

Units USM

• 1 cup purified water
• 1 whole frozen banana (2 frozen halves)
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao,
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• dash of cinnamon
• handful of ice
• optional: add 1 serving of high-quality, organic chocolate or vanilla protein powder if drinking post-workout

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Instructions

Blend all ingredients until smooth; serve cold.

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