3 Surprising Things I Always Keep in the Freezer

I don’t have a particularly large freezer. It’s just one of those freezer-on-top, fridge-on-the-bottom situations and so it’s basically just a cubby with an ice bucket and a single shelf. Which means organizing it is a tricky game of Tetris and I’ve got to do what I can to maximize space. And yet I always make room for three things that aren’t exactly edible.

Here are three surprising things I keep in the freezer. I strongly believe that all well-prepared home cooks should follow suit. Hear me out.

Have you ever gone to pull off a length of plastic wrap, only to have static cling take over and turn it into an impossible-to-use ball before you can set it down on the counter? I stash my plastic wrap in the freezer and the cold air helps banish the static. If you don’t have room to keep the roll in there all the time, you can pop it in a bit before you’ll need it. Just know that the trick will be more effective the longer the wrap gets to sit in the freezer.

I like to be able to make fresh whipped cream at a moment’s notice — especially this time of year when I’ve got berries and ice cream on my mind non-stop. The colder the cream, the better/faster your results will be. Ditto for the bowl and the beaters, so I like to keep them in the freezer. It really does make a difference. And I toss bags of frozen strawberries and blueberries into the bowl (along with the beaters) so it also doubles as a makeshift storage basket to help with my organizing system.

I live in Upstate New York and we lose power a lot. We lost it yesterday, for example! I’ve found that keeping a gallon-sized zip-top bag of frozen water (read: a big block of ice) in the freezer helps to keep perishables cool. It’s also an emergency stash of water. And it means I always have an ice pack ready for an impromptu picnic.

Do you keep anything surprising in your freezer? Tell us in the comments below!