This year, I’ve been experimenting with freezing vegetables, mostly because I love convenience. There’s nothing better than having ingredients ready to go whenever I need them. Combine that with my love of a good deal and determination not to waste food, and freezing peppers just made sense.

I always stock up when peppers go on sale, but a sale usually means buying at least six. That’s more than I can use before they spoil.

After a little trial and error, I learned that both sweet peppers (red, yellow, orange) and green peppers freeze beautifully, no cooking or blanching required.

Here’s what works for me:

• Slice or chop the peppers as soon as you get them home. I usually slice most and chop a few for recipes that need smaller pieces.

• Freeze sweet and green peppers separately. Their flavors are different, so keeping them apart works best.

• Place them in freezer-safe bags, squeeze out the excess air, and store them in the freezer.

When I’m ready to cook, I just grab a handful of frozen chopped peppers and toss them right into the pan. They thaw almost instantly as they cook. For salads, I throw in a few frozen slices and they thaw quickly, keeping much of their texture.

What I love most is buying peppers at my price, never wasting any, and always having them ready to use. That’s a win in my book.