Many South Africans are looking for ways to make the most of their disposable incomes and be more spending-savvy. At the same time, environmental concerns mean everyone should be thinking green when it comes to the products they buy. In order to save money on food, reduce your carbon footprint and – most importantly – ensure your family gets all the nutrition they need, households should be returning to the time-honoured practice of home freezing.
 
“Home freezing allows you to buy fresh produce in season, when it is at its lowest price and safely preserve it for use later. Home freezing also enable you to cut electricity costs by preparing larger quantities of cooked food and saving portions to be quickly defrosted and reheated in a microwave at a later stage. With careful planning, home freezing can help individuals and families slash their monthly grocery bills,” says Michael McKechnie, Director: Digital Appliances at Samsung South Africa.
 
Meals may safely be frozen for between three and twelve months, depending on the items. Using a frost free freezer extends the life of perishables, because there is no requirement to regularly defrost the freezer and risk foods defrosting while you do so. “Properly freezing foods retains all their nutritional value and assists busy parents with preparing wholesome dishes for later reheating, whenever the family needs quick and easy meals,” says Samsung Brand Ambassador, Jo-Ann Strauss. She adds that it is crucial to her to keep foods fresh and nutritious for longer, particularly when it comes to ensuring a healthy diet for her children.
 
Top tips and tricks for home frozen foods:
 
Buy fresh vegetables in season and prepare these for freezing by peeling, chopping or slicing and blanching for one to five minutes in salted, boiling water. Submerge the vegetables in ice water, dry well and store in labelled freezer bags or airtight containers in the freezer for up to twelve months. Onions, pumpkin, carrots, green beans, corn, spinach, chard and kale are among the vegetables that freeze well.
 
For home-frozen wedges or oven chips, peel and cut potatoes or sweet potatoes and partially cook in boiling water. Drain and dry, then freeze the wedges or chips in a single layer on a baking tray. Once frozen, they may be transferred to a labelled freezer bag for later use.
 
Freeze sliced soft fruit and summer berries for year-round use in smoothies and desserts, by washing, freezing in a single layer on a baking tray, then transferring the frozen berries to a labelled freezer bag.
 
Make a delicious fruit ice cream by simply freezing bananas and whipping these up in a blender until creamy.
 
Prepare colourful ice lolly treats by adding a variety of fresh fruit and yogurt to ice lolly moulds and then freeze.
 
Make the most of abundant summer tomatoes by cooking large quantities of simple pasta sauce and freezing batches in smaller airtight containers for convenient dinners all year round.
 
Ensure supplies of freshly-baked treats whenever you need these, by preparing large quantities of biscuit and pastry dough or muffin mixture and freezing it in smaller portions for quick defrosting and baking later. You can also successfully freeze baked pastry cases for quick defrosting and filling ahead of special occasions.
 
“Home freezing is back in fashion as consumers seek better value and more wholesome meals for their families,” says McKechnie. “Samsung refrigerators are designed to support this trend with larger capacity and frost-free energy efficient operation in freezer compartments, to extend the life of perishables and make home freezing a pleasure.”

With weeks of gloomy winter weather ahead, Samsung suggests you look to your microwave oven to help keep your family warm and comfortable.
 

Michael McKechnie, Director: Digital Appliance Group at Samsung South Africa, points out that the microwave is by far the quickest way to prepare delicious meals, nourishing soups and steaming hot beverages. “The microwave is not just for reheating or defrosting. It reduces the time needed to prepare hearty winter comfort food, hot beverages and even modern-day hot water bottles,” he says.
 

“Most people have access to a microwave, but they tend to just use it for heating and defrosting food. The fact is, you are able to use your microwave to bake, roast, boil, steam and even air fry food in a fraction of the time it would take using a stove. Busy professionals and hard-working parents could be turning out wholesome home cooked meals in minutes, using just a bit of imagination and their microwaves,” McKechnie continues.
 

Not only does microwave cooking drastically lessen the time needed to prepare meals, it retains the nutrients in vegetables more effectively than many other cooking methods. Thanks to Samsung technology innovations like smart sensors, Slim Fry technology and convection fans, today’s microwaves produce virtually instant meals cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of crispness and browning on the outside, while ensuring a delicious and juicy inside.
 

Samsung’s offers some hot tips for using your microwave to take the edge off the winter chill:
 

Use your microwave to heat grain-filled warming packs to safely warm beds without having to resort to electric blankets. Microwave neck and back warmers, gloves and slippers can also be quickly heated in the microwave to keep the whole family cozy on the coldest winter’s night.
Make old-fashioned cocoa as rich and chocolatey as you like – without any mess – by heating milk with cocoa and sugar to your taste in the microwave. For a decadent treat, heat mugs of milk in the microwave and stir in a few blocks of your favourite chocolate bar; or top your hot chocolate drink with mini marshmallows.
Surprise your family by baking delicious winter puddings, cakes and cookies in minutes using the microwave.
Warm a winter’s morning and start the day right, without adding extra time or effort to your morning routine, by whipping up porridge, scrambled eggs, French toast and even crispy bacon in the microwave in minutes.
Take hours off the preparation of comfort foods such as curries, stews, jacket potatoes and soups, by cooking them in the microwave instead of in the oven or on the hob. Less time in the cold kitchen means more time in the comfortable living room, enjoying quality moments with your family
New parents who bottle feed their babies would not spend ages warming formula and sterilizing bottles in a freezing kitchen in the middle of the night: with a microwave, they can quickly heat a bowl of water in which to place the baby’s bottle to warm up (do not heat the bottle of formula in the microwave, though, as it may become dangerously hot). Parents can also effectively sterilise bottles and teats using a microwave bottle sterilising kit.
“Kitchens are typically chilly in winter and nobody wants to occupy too much time in them during the coldest months. Using microwaves not only reduces the time it takes in preparing food – it also cuts cleaning time. All you need is a damp cotton cloth or a sponge. Wipe the oven from inside and you are done. To get rid of the odor of food, boil a bowl of water in the microwave oven with a few droplets of lemon juice and your oven is ready to use again,” says McKechnie.
 

“Being a leader in technology innovation, we understand the demand for healthy, nutritious food that should be cooked quickly and easily – particularly in the winter months, when people want warm, hearty and healthy meals with minimum effort. As people lead increasingly busy lives, they need appliances that make life easier. In addition to engineering our appliances to meet these fundamental needs, we ensure our products are created with premium design as a key feature, adding a sophisticated look and feel to the kitchen,” he concludes.