Everybody has a list of staples they can’t live without. Here’s my list of staples to keep in the freezer.

You can also share your own list.

1) Ice cubes! I don’t use them a lot BUT it is nice to have some on hand when we have guests over. If you have a bag (even a small one) of ice cubes you can look at it to be able to recognize if your freezer is working properly. I keep a small bag in the deep freeze – if the cubes melt and then freeze together in a big clump you will know that there has been a problem, like a power outage.

2) Cooked Turkey. I typically buy 4 or 5 turkeys when they are on sale at Thanksgiving. They are kept in my deep freeze. I cook one about every other month and freeze it in small bags so it can quickly be reheated and used for casseroles or soups.

3) Cooked Ground Beef can be tossed into a sauce and served with pasta or mixed with taco seasoning for quick tacos or burritos. It’s ready to be assembled in a casserole, dropped into a soup, seasoned for sloppy joes or mixed with beans for chili.

4) Cooked Rice is a huge time saver. Frozen rice can be reheated in minutes to serve as a healthy side dish or use as a ingredient in another recipe. My family definitely prefers eating regular rice over the quick rice products so having some in the freezer is great for nights when I need something quick.

5) Juice. I love the convenience of frozen juice concentrate. I think it has a longer shelf life than bottled juices.

6) Chocolate Chips — not only for baking but for a quick mommy treat!

7) Homemade waffles or pancakes. I am not a fan of the ones from the grocer’s freezer. Every few weeks I make a BIG batch and freeze them. They can be put into the toaster or microwave for a quick weekday breakfast.

8) Frozen Fruit is perfect for smoothies and desserts. Use frozen fruit instead of fresh fruit and you don’t have to add ice to your smoothie.

9) Meatballs can be made into a million other meals. They are small so it’s easy to grab just as many as you need and they thaw and reheat fast. My kids LOVE meatballs so I buy a big bag from Costco. They are precooked and quick to reheat. I make a spinach meatball soup that my family loves.

10)Homemade Broth or at least the item necessary to make it. I have broth frozen in sour cream and cottage cheese containers. I also have a bag of cut vegetable pieces (like the tops of celery and carrots) and I have a bag with leftover chicken trimmings and chicken bones that I will be making broth with soon.