Prue Leith says leftover food will defrost quicker if you do one thing before freezing it

TV star Dame Prue Leith issued her suggestion as to what to do with food before freezing it. The Great British Bake Off judge, 85, gave her advice on how to store leftovers for later consumption, advice which could save space as well as reducing waste.

Prue's invaluable advice demonstrated how to squish soft foods in a clearly labelled sandwich bag.

According to the Channel 4 favourite, who joined Bake Off in 2017, the food will defrost faster when it is ready to be used, but also means there's more space in the fridge.

Speaking to the then hosts of This Morning Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield in 2018, Prue explained: "People always freeze things and so often, they're just in a big ball, and they take ages to thaw, and they take a lot of room in the freezer.

"But if you put whatever it is, like this is mash, just to demonstrate, and you put it in a bag, and squish it flat, and then it's frozen.

"By the way you've got to label it so you know what it is, stack it, and you get lots in the freezer. And if you want a bit to eat, just a little bit, you just break it off."

As well as providing tips on how to preserve food, Prue has also issued guidance on how people can keep themselves looking fresh and physically young.

Speaking on The Travel Diaries podcast in response to a positive comment about her appearance from Holly Rubenstein, Prue spoke about how she stays healthy.

She said: "I wish I could say that it's all from some wonderful thing that I do.

"But if I look good, or at least younger than I am, it's got to be because I sleep well, I eat well, and I'm happy. You know, when you're unhappy you don't eat well, you probably eat all of the wrong things, and you probably don't sleep well if you're unhappy."

Whilst Prue has spoken about keeping oneself and their food looking fresh, she isn't the only culinary expert to offer advice on how best to keep leftovers fresh with individuals commenting on how to make all manner of dishes last.

This includes the fabled British classic, the Sunday roast, which can be a complex dish to preserve given each constituent component reacts differently to being stored.

Speaking to the Express about what Brits should do if they want to make it last, storage expert at Space Stat Vlatka Lake, said each part should be split up.

As to why the expert explained this separation "helps preserve texture and flavour and make reheating each item much easier, whether that's via the microwave or your oven".

They added: "Ensure everything is fully cooled to reduce the risk of bacterial growth and prevent condensation, particularly amongst your roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and stuffing. Roasted vegetables and potatoes should also be kept in a shallow container, if possible, to avoid sogginess."