Here at Fab Food 4 All we have been enjoying the glorious summer weather but I’m afraid it’s not going to last forever. Following a less than average August, it looks like we may have one or two warm September weeks left. With temperatures falling and rising there are a number of points to bear in mind when buying and storing food.

Fresh fruit and vegetables really don’t like variation in temperature; I’ve seen so many sprouting potatoes and soft fruits turning mouldy before they’ve even made it onto a supermarket trolley. Indeed, I seem to have spent much of the summer taking food back that hadn’t even lasted to its best before date.

Buying frozen and using your freezer wisely can really help. Bread is particularly vulnerable in warm weather, so I’ve taken to storing it in the freezer and just taking out what I need! By the time you’ve buttered and filled your sandwich the bread has thawed and you have a super fresh lunch or picnic. Pitta breads are equally good toasted straight from the freezer!

If you’ve been out foraging this summer (blackberries have been particularly abundant) or visited a ‘pick your own’ farm then you probably have a freezer full of berries. Equally, buying frozen soft fruits is a good idea as they are picked and frozen within a short space of time to preserve their vitamins and freshness. What I love about frozen fruit is that there’s no pressure to use it within a small time frame unlike fresh fruit! So when I feel like making a cake, some jam or a pudding, I know it’s there just waiting for me!

Bananas are another casualty of fluctuations in temperature and seem to ripen almost overnight. A tip I learnt recently to slow down ripening, is to wrap banana stalks in cling film. I have to say this really works, I’ve also heard keeping them in the dark works well too. If however, you find yourself with over-ripe or black bananas, just put them whole in your freezer and then use them (thawed) in banana bread, cakes or puddings etc.

Sometimes I think people are put off buying frozen produce as they think defrosting is a long process they don’t have time for. You can view Fresh from the Freezer’s page on defrosting for more details on the various methods.

I wish you all a fabulous autumn and hope that with the help of your freezer you can keep food spoilage and waste to a minimum!

Camilla Hawkins is a food writer and recipe developer. Her popular blog Fab Food 4 All was started in 2012 and each recipe she posts has to meet the scrutiny of her husband and 2 children!