I'm a food reporter and these are the 8 essential items I always have in my freezer

I like to have a fresh ginger root around for slicing into tea or grating into my dinner, so I keep a package of frozen crushed ginger in my freezer at all times.

I pop out one or two cubes and use them in soups, fried rice, or something else I'm making on the stove. You can also use them in smoothies if you're looking for a ginger zing.

The frozen cubes come in variations of garlic and other herbs as well, but I typically only stock the ginger.

Tacos are my go-to, last-minute meal. I'll see what kind of seafood I have on-hand and typically I'll make fish tacos because they take minimal time.

But, if I don't have fish in the fridge and I have some sort of chicken or steak leftovers, I'll usually throw that into a tortilla instead. When all else fails, or when I need something to eat really quickly, I'll make breakfast tacos with eggs — regardless of what meal it's for.

Rice is one of my pantry staples, so I always have uncooked grains somewhere in my kitchen. But, rice admittedly takes a while to cook. And then there's the dreadful issue of cleaning the pot.

So, for the times when I'm hungry and lazy, I pull out a package of the frozen stuff and it really does the trick.

I typically stock the jasmine variety, but Trader Joe's sells a range of frozen grains like brown rice, quinoa, and organic versions of all three among others.

I started keeping ravioli as a freezer staple while I was in college. They're inexpensive and way more exciting than just making plain pasta for dinner — even though it's just as easy.

I love stocking butternut squash ravioli in the fall, but I also love varieties like sun-dried tomato or roasted pepper and goat cheese.

Frozen vegetables are great for any level of home cook. They make for a quick side dish to a homemade dinner or a perfect add-in to whatever main you're cooking up.

I prefer to keep a vegetable medley around, which saves room in my small freezer while providing a handful of different veggies to mix into my fried rice or skillet potatoes.

If the store is out of mixed, I just grab a few bags of different frozen veggies so I can make my own assortment.

When I'm feeling sick or I'm too busy to cook, I love having homemade soups in my freezer.

I typically have at least one pint of homemade chicken soup, and I try to save that for the times when I'm not feeling well.

Whenever I make another soup, like potato leek or a thinner veggie-based soup, I make sure I save at least a pint to put in the freezer for a later date. If you freeze it right away, it tastes fresh whenever you decide to thaw it.

I typically buy a package of chicken breasts at the grocery store or butcher. Then, I freeze them as individual portions so I can defrost as-needed.

Just as I like having chicken on-hand, I love having the option of seafood.

I typically will portion fresh fish and freeze it like I do chicken breasts, but I also think that having a bag of frozen shrimp is super easy to handle.

I take out however many I want at a time — whether that's a handful for a salad topper or a pound for a pasta dish — and leave the rest for later.

Knowing that I have all of these items in my freezer means that on a busy, lazy, icky, or otherwise uninspired day, I can still make a meal for myself that I'll enjoy. And it's my belief that food should always be enjoyed, not simply eaten.

• Read more:
• I'm a food reporter and these are the 11 essential items I always have in my pantry
• 13 long-lasting fruits and vegetables you can stock up on that aren't canned or frozen
• Mistakes people commonly make when freezing meat, according to food safety experts
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