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Lefty[_1_] Lefty[_1_] is offline
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Default Best way to freeze meals?

I assume you must live alone, otherwise you wouldn't have the problem of
thawing something then having to eat it over several days (when I had a
family around, when I thawed something it got eaten up).

I live alone and cook for one --I have wrestled with the exact same problem
for years. I have quit making large recipes with intentions to spread
leftovers out over time because unless you are obsessively fastidious about
your freezer a lot of food gets tossed out even if it is still good.

The only exception is something that you can completely fill a container
with, like chili or soup (some), so when you take it out and defrost it you
don't mind eating it all for a day or two. Completely filling the container
(expansion allowance or freeze it open then cover) helps prevent the frost.

The best thing is to cook as small a recipe as practical because otherwise
no matter what your intentions, the reality is you are going to waste a lot.

A lot depends on how domestic you are. In my case, I love good food and good
cooking but my other important interests supercede being home much except on
weekends, when domestic chores are done, including some cooking.

After years of hassling with it I am at a point where if I lived in a city I
would eat three meals a day at a restaurant during the week (a good
restaurant) --it would cost about the same overall. If you can do this and
you cook for one, save the time, money, and the aggravation of shopping for
one.

I have tried several sealing gadgets --they all work OK, esp. for a
family-sized quantities. For uncooked fish it is better to just cover with
water in a portion-size container, same with chicken breasts.

The point is, be realistic. If after a short while with a system you are
tossing stuff out a lot, or don't feel like following through with the
frozen dish you made two weeks ago, whatever, don't think that buying a new
gadget will solve the problem. The problem amounts to quantity control --
less is more.
--
Lefty

Life is for learning
The worst I ever had was wonderful.




> wrote in message
oups.com...
> I've been making food in larger batches and freezing the meals in
> reusable containers. It's working okay for the most part, but it could
> use some improvement.
>
> How do you prevent freezerburn? I can't get all the air out of the
> container, so there is always a surface open to the air when it
> freezes.
>
> I read somewhere to freeze it, then remove it from the container and
> put it in a baggy or something. But what would be the best way to wrap
> the blocks so that they stay airtight? Saran wrap? Wax paper?
>
> I'm considering getting one of those food saver things? Is it cost
> effective for storing individual meal pouches? Or would the bags be
> spendy for a bunch of small stuff. Normally, they are are used for
> larger packages.
>
> Right now, I am using gladware/tupperware type containers, and I get
> 2-3 meals out of one container, so when I pick something, I have to eat
> it for 2-3 days. If I find a better way< i could do smaller, actual
> individual meals, and have a bit more variety as well as preventing the
> freezerburn.
>
> For those of you who freeze meals, what containers and methods do you
> prefer?
>