Those tiny compartments are perfect for preserving single-serving portions of leftover condiments and ingredients that are too small to keep around in the fridge but too tasty (or expensive) to throw out. Once your cubes are frozen, pop them from the tray into a resealable freezer bag for easy access the next time you need a tablespoon or two. You may want to measure what your tray holds, so you can use the right number of cubes in recipes.

Bacon is good, and the fat is even better. Freeze the drippings left in the pan after Sunday brunch, then warm a cube of the stuff to whisk into salad dressing, toss with sauteed greens (amazing with collards and chard) or drizzle on popcorn. Or pull out the stops and use 2 or 3 cubes to fry up potatoes. Chicken and goose fat, if you happen to have them, are like a hidden stash of chilly gold.

Freeze these smoky flavor bombs straight from the can, or whip them into a puree in the food processor first. Then keep them on hand to add a kick to meatloaf, stuffed peppers, bean dip and mayonnaise.

A slurry made from garlic or grated ginger pureed with water captures the pungent flavors of these staples and is easy to scrape off from frozen to mix into stir-fries, mashed potatoes and soups.