Coupon Queen: Freezing food can save you hundreds

One of my favorite ways to stretch our grocery budget is by treating my freezer like a second pantry. When I find a great deal on items that my family uses regularly, I stock up and freeze extras. It may take a little planning, but having a well-stocked freezer saves up hundreds of dollars per year. Here are four things I always buy or make extra to freeze: Meat Ground beef and boneless skinless chicken breasts are staples in our house, so when I find a great sale, I stock up. I can regularly find chicken for under $2.50 a pound at Aldi, and when ground beef dips below $5 a pound, I grab a few. I use ground beef in tacos, spaghetti, burgers, soups and casseroles. I use chicken breasts in everything from grilling and stir-fries to soups and salads. I also portion the meat into meal-sized packages before freezing so I can pull out exactly what I need. Sometimes I even make hamburger patties ahead of time to make dinner even easier. Convenience foods While convenience food isn't always on my shopping list, it is when I can buy it at a deep discount. Frozen pizzas, chicken nuggets, breakfast sandwiches and appetizers are a lifesaver on busy nights. Grabbing them on sale or clearance brings the costs down significantly. Having these items stocked in my freezer not only saves me time cooking on busy nights but also helps us avoid expensive takeout when we need something fast. Just last weekend, we had a houseful of kids over. I was able to grab frozen pizzas, appetizers and meatballs to make a smorgasbord in a jiffy. Fruits and vegetables Fresh produce sales in the summer are simply too good a deal to pass up. If I know we can't use everything before it spoils, I freeze the extra. Bananas become smoothie ingredients. Bell peppers can be chopped and frozen for future recipes. Berries freeze well for smoothies, baking and yogurt parfaits. Instead of watching produce go bad in the refrigerator, I save it for later. Leftovers This is one of my favorite money-saving tricks. I intentionally cook extra whenever possible so I can freeze leftovers for future meals. If I'm making a pot of soup, chili, spaghetti sauce or a casserole, I'll often double the recipe. We enjoy one meal now and freeze the rest in meal-sized portions. On nights when I'm busy, tired or simply don't feel like cooking, having homemade freezer meals ready to go saves time and money. These smaller freezer meals have become even more valuable lately. With one son away at college, our household has shrunk. On top of that, two of my boys work at Chipotle and get a free meal every time they work. Many nights, it's just my husband and me eating dinner at home. Having homemade meals already waiting in the freezer allows us to pull out just what we need without cooking a large meal. My freezer may not look exciting, but it's one of the hardest-working appliances in my home when it comes to saving money. A little extra planning means fewer grocery trips, less food waste and more savings throughout the year. This week's deal Here is a deal to grab this week at Walgreens. Walgreens food storage bags — 88¢ eachI always stock up on this sale! Rachel Krych is passionate about helping others spend less and save more. In addition to her weekly column, she has a blog, Couponing With Rachel, which earns her compensation from Google for ads it places there, and from entertainment marketers whose promotional codes she touts. She doesn't write about entertainment in her column. Email her at rachelkrych@gmail.com.