How to Freeze Herbs and Save on Food Waste

If you’re looking to learn how to freeze herbs in ice cube trays, you’re in the right place! Frozen herbs are incredibly convenient to have on hand when a recipe calls for them. Plus, they allow you to skip the stress of having fresh herbs and worrying about rushing to use them before they go bad. Read on to learn how to do it.

Why learn how to freeze herbs?

Much of the herbs we get at the grocery store are packaged in plastic. Dried herbs come in plastic containers, wet herbs come in squeeze tubes, and some fresh herbs even come in pre-packed plastic bags. When you learn how to freeze herbs, you can skip all the plastic and enjoy them whenever you want! You can feel the added joy of saving your homegrown plants while they are fresh and ready for picking.

Then there’s the food waste to consider. Americans waste 103 million tons of food each year. That works out to about 1 pound per person, per day. In the UK, the food industry alone wastes 3.6 million tons yearly. 

That food waste then ends up in landfills, where it rots and releases methane. Methane is 28 to 36 times more potent than carbon, so it’s even more destructive to our planet. 

Another huge factor is the energy it requires to produce and ship that food – all of it goes to waste when we throw it away. By preserving your fresh herbs in the freezer, you can avoid adding to this problem.

How to freeze herbs in ice cube trays

You will need:

• 2 cups of fresh herbs of your choice (basil, coriander, dill, etc.) Pro-tip: When picking up fresh herbs at the store, bring your own produce bag to avoid plastic.
• Ice cube tray – silicone works best
• Olive oil (optional)

Method:

1. Rinse the fresh herbs and pat dry with a dishcloth
2. Chop the herbs as finely as you desire
3. Add the chopped herbs to the ice cube tray, filling each well about ¾ full
4. Cover each with water or olive oil – just enough so that they are completely covered
5. Freeze for at least three hours
6. Store in a reusable silicone bag like this one

To use:

• If you use water, place the frozen herb cube in a small bowl a couple of hours before you want to use it. Allow it to thaw and use as normal. You can also add this cube directly to anything warm that you’re cooking, just be sure to have something already in the pan so the herbs don’t burn and stick to the pan.
• If you used oil to make the cubes, add it to any hot dish as needed, there is no need to thaw. 
• Both options are great for homemade salad dressings!

Now that you know how to freeze herbs, leave a comment below and let me know what you’ll use yours for!

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