You can freeze more things than you might think. And, if food is going to go to waste, what harm is there in freezing it and seeing whether you can extend its lease of life and enjoy it another time?

I like to freeze mince pies and panettone at Christmas to enjoy well into the new year. I slice the panettone and freeze it on trays before transferring to a bag or box so that we can grab one or two pieces when we want them. Check the box of mince pies to ensure they’re freezable. 

You can get ahead with your preparation now and freeze ready to cook on Christmas Day. Things like nut roast, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy are perfect get ahead sides.

You could prepare some veg too – sprouts, parsnips, carrots and potatoes can all be blanched or part cooked then laid onto trays to freeze before transferring to boxes or bags. You can steam or roast them from frozen. 

After Christmas, don’t forget to freeze your leftover turkey, gammon and nut roast as soon as possible if you’re not going to get through it all. This will keep you going through the typically lean month of January. 

And, if you use the meat bones to make stock, this can go in the freezer too. There’ll be soups and sauces aplenty over the following weeks.