Aldi is urging shoppers to think twice before binning five common barbecue leftovers this summer, as households look for ways to stretch their food budgets. The supermarket has partnered with food-waste expert Kate Hall (@thefullfreezer) to show how many of the most wasted barbecue foods can be safely frozen and turned into completely new meals.
Freezing burgers and sausages
According to Kate, cooked burgers can be cooled, wrapped individually and frozen within two hours of cooking. They can then be reheated in the oven to enjoy in a burger bun or chopped into a meatball sandwich, tacos or bolognese.
For sausages, Kate recommends cooling, slicing and freezing on a lined tray within two hours of cooking. Once frozen, they can be popped in a reusable freezer bag and used whenever needed, such as in pasta dishes, risotto, omelettes or pizzas after defrosting in the microwave.
Dips, slaw and salad
When serving dips, Aldi suggests dishing them out in smaller portions and topping up as you go, so untouched leftovers can be frozen in ice cube trays or freezer bags. Homemade hummus and guacamole work best, but shoppers should check packaging on store-bought dips. If a dip is runny when defrosted, it can be used in wraps or burgers.
Not all coleslaw can be frozen: mayo-based slaw is unsuitable, but vinegar-based slaw can be frozen. Another option is to prepare your own slaw, and any leftover carrots or cabbage can be frozen separately—frozen carrot can be added to bolognese, and frozen cabbage can go straight into a stir-fry.
For salad, Aldi advises serving ingredients separately so anything uneaten can be frozen. Tomatoes, peppers and onions are great for cooking straight from frozen, frozen cucumber slices make great ice cubes, and frozen salad leaves can be blitzed into pesto.
Practical advice from Aldi
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said: "With household budgets under pressure, shoppers are looking for practical ways to reduce food waste and to get more from their weekly shop. When the sun's out and you’re cooking for friends and family, it's easy to over-cater, but Kate's advice shows how a few small changes to the way we serve and store barbecue food can make a real difference. From dips and salads to sausages and burgers, there are really simple ways to freeze and reuse barbecue leftovers that save money and cut waste."
Kate added: "If you don’t want to break away from the gathering to get your foods in the freezer, it’s fine to just get them into the fridge first, then into the freezer within 48 hours. Just make sure they’re fully cooled and covered, and don’t get forgotten!"
