> wrote in message
...
> Tamzen Cannoy > wrote:
>
>>for non crushable foods like meat, etc the vacuum pack is the way to go.
>>No freezer burn. for fragile things like berries, freeze them first on a
>>single layer on a cookie sheet and then vacuum seal them after they are
>>solid. Food will last a LOT longer if you vacuum seal it. Things like
>>soups and stews, though you can simply put in a freezer bag and
>>eliminate all the air before sealing.
>
> I'm already buying frozen food.... including berries...
> my question is more abt busting big packs up into
> smaller ones

Some schools of thought say to freeze berries beforehand and then vacuum
seal them. Others-particularly if you can control the amount of air being
taken out-is to vacuum seal them till the air is almost out of the bag. I
have a Tillia-you can vacuum seal wet ingredients and control the amount of
air being taken out.
One thing that I have found however. The pre-made bags are more durable than
then ones you make from a roll. I have had several instances where the bags
made from a roll 'pop' and they have to be resealed. This has happened with
two of the Tillia products.
If you are buying a vacuum sealer-I think most folks will tell you the
Tillia is the best-sign up at their website, and register the product. If it
dies in the first year, they will replace it. Do however take care of the
foam rubber piece in the machine-it only costs a buck (manufacturer only
item) but the shipping is about $6-found that out the hard way.
Also by signing up, you can get their specials on bags-cheaper than in the
stores and many times you cannot get the larger bags in stores.
You can also buy the plastic containers that can be sealed. I use them for
things like flour, sugar, etc., when I buy too much.
Buying in bulk and sealing them yourself is a big savings. And, you won't
get the freezer burn on meats that you would by putting meats into a Zip
Lock and squeezing out the air. It saves on freezer space as well.

One final thing: You buy say for example, a large bag of, oh, frozen peas.
You can divide them up into individual portions, vacuum seal them and then
just throw the bag into the nuker or boiling water. They say you can wash
out and reuse the bags, but I generally toss them as I use them mostly for
meats.