Today I learned I can freeze food to make it last longer.

[grommet]

I did not know you could do this. It was very difficult having to go to the grocery so often because food would go bad. I worried about it a lot. What if I could not go in two days when things would need to be replaced? (rhetorical)

Today I was reading the package holding some bread and it said I could freeze it. I put it in a Ziploc bag, though unfortunately not a freezer specific bag, but if this works out, I can buy what I eat in larger amounts and always know I have enough. I did not know this.

There are lots of things that adult aspies can not know but seem obvious to other people. People have been very unkind when I have asked questions about things they though it was silly to not know. They have even accused me of lying about not knowing. So a long time ago I stopped asking.

But aspies can help each other, we can answer each other's questions. Today I learned about freezing food.

 

[Mia]

Freezer bags are plastic bags that are slightly thicker than regular plastic bags is all.
You can also freeze food in plastic and glass containers and aluminum foil.

Certain types of food do not do well when frozen: Cheese for example will separate slightly, but is still edible. Milk can be frozen, as can butter.

 

[GadAbout]

I'm such a fan of freezing food that I bought a full-size upright freezer, which lives in my garage. It is mostly full most of the time.

Not only can you freeze food to make it last longer; but you can also make a big batch of something like chili, or meatballs in spaghetti sauce, and freeze it in small quantities that are just right for your household for one meal. Then on nights when you are too tired, you just semi-thaw one, heat it in the microwave, and bingo! A healthy and tasty meal.

Butter freezes exceedingly well. You can freeze a loaf of bread in the bag it was sold in. Raw vegetables do not freeze well, but you can buy frozen ones from the store, and just cook the portion you need at the time.

 

[Aspychata]

Another tip is take a perment marker and write the date you placed in freezer. Some things if left to long, can be become bland and yucky, and some things do get freezer burn. So just use up the item sitting the longest, then you rotate your inventory. That's a good reason to put date and what it is, because sometimes you can't tell. Freezer bags usually have area you can write in or just write it anywhere. When certain things freeze, you can't tell if it's chicken or strudel because they look the same. Some recipes well state that it freezes well. You can always defrost and add a little broth or tomato sauce to liven it up if it looks sad.

 

[Nitro]

I'm probably going to get scolded for this again, but I rely on my FoodSaver vacuum packaging machine for sealing my food air tight in heat sealed bags before freezing.
It can also force marinade food too.
I just had a two year old steak a few days ago that suffered no freezer burn.
The other advantage is the ability to thaw my meat products in the refrigerator and leave them in it for up to a week with no ill effects because of the lack of air.

It also has the ability to pump down reusable containers made specifically for my machine so it isn't all plastic waste by using it.

For those who will give me grief about the use of the throwaway bags, they can be washed clean and reused.
I don't buy the premade bags either, I buy bulk rolls of the waffled material and make my own.

Do not ever toss a butchered product directly in your freezer in the store wrapping, because the packages are designed to allow air into them.

 

[Varzar]

I'm probably going to get scolded for this again, but I rely on my FoodSaver vacuum packaging machine for sealing my food air tight in heat sealed bags before freezing.
It can also force marinade food too.
I just had a two year old steak a few days ago that suffered no freezer burn.
The other advantage is the ability to thaw my meat products in the refrigerator and leave them in it for up to a week with no ill effects because of the lack of air.

It also has the ability to pump down reusable containers made specifically for my machine so it isn't all plastic waste by using it.

For those who will give me grief about the use of the throwaway bags, they can be washed clean and reused.
I don't buy the premade bags either, I buy bulk rolls of the waffled material and make my own.

Do not ever toss a butchered product directly in your freezer in the store wrapping, because the packages are designed to allow air into them.

I do the same. Works great.
If people self-righteously scold about such things, then I sure hope they live off the grid, grow all their own food, don't drive a car, don't buy anything wrapped in plastic ever, or have children... Otherwise, I'd call hypocrite..

 

[Varzar]

Freezer bags are plastic bags that are slightly thicker than regular plastic bags is all.
You can also freeze food in plastic containers, glass jars and aluminum foil.

Certain types of food do not do well when frozen: Cheese for example will separate slightly, but is still edible. Milk can be frozen, as can butter.

Just wanted to add to this.. Cheese ends up kind of crumbly afterward being frozen.. Near impossible to slice well.. But if you were just planning to grate it it's definitely not a problem..

Also, raw potatoes and carrots do *not* freeze well... Unless you like your potatoes black, and your carrots rubbery..

 

[GadAbout]

I'm probably going to get scolded for this again, but I rely on my FoodSaver vacuum packaging machine for sealing my food air tight in heat sealed bags before freezing.
It can also force marinade food too.
I just had a two year old steak a few days ago that suffered no freezer burn.
The other advantage is the ability to thaw my meat products in the refrigerator and leave them in it for up to a week with no ill effects because of the lack of air.

It also has the ability to pump down reusable containers made specifically for my machine so it isn't all plastic waste by using it.

For those who will give me grief about the use of the throwaway bags, they can be washed clean and reused.
I don't buy the premade bags either, I buy bulk rolls of the waffled material and make my own.

Do not ever toss a butchered product directly in your freezer in the store wrapping, because the packages are designed to allow air into them.

Why would you get scolded - for the use of plastic?

Well, then how will this crowd feel when I say I use the vacuum sealing thing for raw meats, but do NOT wash and re-use them? They can blast me all they want, I'm an old, disabled lady caring for an old, equally disabled man, and I just can't do everything I "should" do.

Although I know about the special vacuum sealed reusable containers, I find prepared meals (chili, meatballs, etc) freeze reasonably well in store-bought Glad or Ziploc containers with lids. Those are not only reusable but dishwasher safe. My leftover meals usually don't last longer than 3 months or so because I often have recourse to an easy dinner.

If you can get a butcher to package up your ground beef in freezer paper, I find that lasts in the fridge much better than those plastic packs with a thin film of plastic wrap over it.

JUST ONE IMPORTANT ADDITION TO ALL THE ABOVE ADVICE: DO NOT COOK FOOD IN PLASTIC TRAYS, EVEN IF THE MANUFACTURER TELLS YOU TO. Cancer specialists warn that there are a lot of chemicals in plastics that may not be problems at cold or room temperatures, but leach into your food if you heat in them. There's a type of gourmet cooking called "sous vide" ("under vacuum") where you cook the food in the plastic pouch. They claim that's safe. I will throw flowers into their grave after they die from cancer.

 

[Mia]

Also, raw potatoes and carrots do *not* freeze well... Unless you like your potatoes black, and your carrots rubbery..

You have to blanch most hard vegetables in order for them to freeze well. Blanching requires a three to five minute steaming or boil in water. A cool down, drain and then you freeze.

 

[GadAbout]

You have to blanch most vegetables in order for them to freeze well. Blanching requires a three to five minute steaming or boil in water. A cool down, drain and then you freeze.

We buy corn on the cob from a local farmer. I was blanching the ears before freezing, but I found out that if I just tossed them unblanched in a zip-loc bag into the freezer, the result is BETTER than the blanched ones.

A lot of this stuff is trial-and-error.

 

[Varzar]

You have to blanch most hard vegetables in order for them to freeze well. Blanching requires a three to five minute steaming or boil in water. A cool down, drain and then you freeze.

Hehe, yeah, I learned that years ago the hard way..

 

[Varzar]

We buy corn on the cob from a local farmer. I was blanching the ears before freezing, but I found out that if I just tossed them unblanched in a zip-loc bag into the freezer, the result is BETTER than the blanched ones.

A lot of this stuff is trial-and-error.

I think I read about doing that somewhere.. I think they only suggested that the corn won't last as long in the freezer that way.. I think the suggestion was it would last 3 months without blanching, but a year with blanching..

 

[Aspychata]

Finally- if your credit card bills are high and you need willpower not to use them, freeze them in bowl with water so that can't use them without trying to defrost or rethink. I have never done this but l find it entertaining. The other entertaining idea is the Windex diet. If you find you can't stop eating bag of cookies or whatever, spray Windex on it so that you have to stop. I find this highly entertaining too. Enquiring minds need to know this dribble.

But l am sure posters can tell you about ice box cookies, make your own freezer ice cream and even pies too. Puree some fruit throw in popsicle mold or ice cube tray, voila a treat or throw into blender for smoothie. We even put a piece of our wedding cake in the freezer, l have no idea why, you can't use it as a bargining chip when in divorce court.

 

[Nitro]

FoodSaver with bulk roll cutter

bulk roll storage area

50 foot x 8 inch bulk roll

 

[Mary Terry]

We buy corn on the cob from a local farmer. I was blanching the ears before freezing, but I found out that if I just tossed them unblanched in a zip-loc bag into the freezer, the result is BETTER than the blanched ones.

A lot of this stuff is trial-and-error.

Have you tried cutting the kernels off the cob before you freeze it? Just wondering if that would work without having to blanch it. If I can't find good fresh corn, I use frozen corn kernels from the store.

 

[Mary Terry]

I freeze bananas when they turn too brown to look appetizing. They make good smoothies because they provide "ice" without diluting the smoothie.

I've never had luck freezing cooked potatoes. Cooked pasta freezes well, though. I make a huge batch of lasagna which I freeze in disposable aluminum containers, just the right size for 2 people for dinner.

 

[Major Tom]

We freeze all sorts of things you'd never imagine you could freeze, like mushrooms.

 

[GadAbout]

@grommet thanks for opening this subject up. While it doesn't appear to have much to do with autism, it appears that many of us enjoyed sharing our experiences with freezing food. It's definitely a life management skill.

 

[Progster]

We freeze all sorts of things you'd never imagine you could freeze, like mushrooms.

I've tried freezing mushrooms, but when I defrost them they turn to mush.

 

[Major Tom]

I've tried freezing mushrooms, but when I defrost them they turn to mush.

How are you defrosting them? In the microwave? We just put them right from the freezer into the pot and they retain their consistency. It may depend on the variety of mushrooms though. We mainly do it with enoki mushrooms or shitake.