i love to freeze things. there are two reasons: one, i can't stand to throw away perfectly good food and two, i like to cook rather spontaneously and off the cuff, so the more things i have on hand, the better off the end result. unfortunately, i have a small freezer, and i don't see that changing anytime soon. therefore, i am a freezer nazi, my freezer is obsessively organized. (otherwise i might lose that couple tablespoons of frozen, grated, fresh ginger.)
this is the only reference you'll ever need for freezing meats, vegetables, cheese, dairy products, etc. it also contains information about commercial frozen foods and how long they are good for, too.
below are some of my own freezing tips:
*freeze extra stock in ice-cube trays, then transfer into a freezer bag. that way you can use small amounts to for soups, gravys, sauces. its especially helpful when you realize at the last minute that something is going to be too dry, just throw in a cube and let it melt.
*freeze the ends of loaves of bread to use in things like meatloaf or meatballs.
*freeze chopped celery for use in soups, stews, etc. celery gets mushy and gross when frozen, but it's still good enough to use in cooked dishes. don't you always have most of the bunch leftover after you've bought celery for "one stalk, chopped". i always have some frozen celery hanging around.
*freeze teaspoons of chopped garlic on a cookie sheet, once frozen, transfer into a freezer bag.
*freeze teaspoons of tomato paste on a cookie sheet, once frozen, transfer into a freezer bag.
*freeze eggwhites in ice cube trays, once frozen, transfer into freezer bags. one average ice cube tray = one egg's whites. (approx.)
*freeze whole loaves of bread. (you only have to wrap in a large freezer bag.) i'll often buy 2 baguettes at once, and freeze one immediately, then defrost the next day for a perfectly fresh loaf of bread.
*freeze chopped herbs (including ginger root) on a cookie sheet, once frozen, transfer into a freezer bag. (only use them if you are going to heat them, they are not presentable as garnish or in salad after being frozen.)
*freeze cups of various juices in small freezer bags, that way when a recipe calls for "a cup of apple juice" or "the juice of one orange" you'll be prepared and won't have to buy a whole jar/carton just to make one recipe. i recently froze the rest of some sparkling apple cider that i used in a braised vegetable recipe. 2 months later, i made the same recipe using the frozen cider.
*freeze those overly soft and brown bananas for banana bread. (don't peel them, just toss them in the freezer. eventually you'll have enough bananas and an excuse to make banana bread.)