How do you store leftovers so you aren't wasting your money? - Page 2

mzScarlett · 01-11-2009, 05:32 PM

yahoo groups has a frozenassets group which is fantastic! Its idea is to cook once & eat for a month; lots of great recipes & experts there to help answer questions! I also have enjoyed the "mix" group which is making basic mixes to which you add shortening, oil, eggs; my neighbor & I did that for a long time; so simple & easy to do with others as many fingers make hard work light! We would grocery shop etc & then the following day get together & make mixes & cook & freeze for the week or whatever; fun days! I got my food saver with vacuum sealer mint condition from Goodwill; got generic huge rolls cheap on ebay:they work with seal a meal etc; since they are VACUUM sealed, they stay GREAT til the "air" hits them! "then & only then do they start "aging"! ********& I just figured out that since I have to clean up after a meal I might just as well make enough for several meals I do so! You can freeze milk as well, just let some off the top! & I have used canning jars: in both refrig & freezer with no worries; easy & nice to SEE what is inside of it! I got most of mine for 25 cents each at Salvation Army! Many free from recycling groups as well!

khorrell · 01-14-2009, 08:30 AM

I keep several bags in my freezer: one for stock (celery ends, carrot peelings and onion skins), one for poultry bones (also for stock), and one for any left over or stale bread, that gets made into bread crumbs. I have tried saving meat to make bbq but it never works for me. I'd love to know the trick for that!

mcnerd · 01-14-2009, 10:20 AM

Freezing meat is only successful by storing in vacuum-sealed bags to eliminate the air and resulting freezer burn.

amyschiff · 01-14-2009, 11:36 AM

my fiance and I have started freezing all sorts of things.. This past weekend I made pizza dough, wrapped 2 balls in parchment paper and put them in a freezer bag. It should last a couple months. I also made meatballs for spaghetti--cooked them and froze them in a freezer bag so we can just defrost them as needed.

We've also frozen spaghetti sauce. Since it's only the two of us, we really only need about 1/2 a jar, so we freeze the rest and have it on hand for spaghetti night. I think it would keep for at least a few weeks.

Every month or so I make a pot of turkey chili and store it in individual sized gladware type containers--I usually have enough for about 8 containers (Though we usually eat some the night I cook it). It keeps really well and is a really convenient, hearty meal.

When I buy chicken breasts from the store, I clean them off and wrap them individually in foil. Then I put them all in a zip-top freezer bag. It's a huge time-saver.

Designgal34 · 01-15-2009, 01:46 PM

I do the same thing with chicken, as well as other meats you can buy in bulk. One of the greatest things my mom handed down to me are these stackable hamburger tupperware containers, with a lid for the top one. Perfect for mixing up a batch and then freezing several. Pop one out into a sauté pan and you've got dinner almost ready.

Thanks for the great tips everybody! I never thought of putting bags in the freezer for leftover veggies, etc to make my own stock.

lucille · 01-15-2009, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amyschiff

my fiance and I have started freezing all sorts of things.. This past weekend I made pizza dough, wrapped 2 balls in parchment paper and put them in a freezer bag. It should last a couple months. I also made meatballs for spaghetti--cooked them and froze them in a freezer bag so we can just defrost them as needed.

When I buy chicken breasts from the store, I clean them off and wrap them individually in foil. Then I put them all in a zip-top freezer bag. It's a huge time-saver.

Ooh! That gave me a great idea. One of the stores is selling ground turkey for 99 cents a pound right now. I bought up a bunch and was going to go buy up some more before it ended. Turkey meat balls would be a great use for that and something convenient.

Make sure you don't store things like soup in your fridge freezer. I put a few in there because I didn't want to walk out to the chest freezer. The fridge freezer dried out the contents of the containers quite a bit - yuk. I think it has something to do with the frost free feature. I never have problems with soup in the chest freezer.

Babalu · 01-16-2009, 08:49 AM

A few months ago, a local supermarket had Perdue Perfect Portions marked down from $9.99 a package to $2.99, so I bought 8 of them, and cleaned off the whole shelf. They were due to be sold within a few days, so I froze them all and have been using them for months. I'm down to two packages now and they've all been fine for cutlets, chicken salad, etc. In fact, the packages I bought had 6 in them, and the new stock has only 5 cutlets. Yes, Mr. Perdue, we noticed.

MNfrugal · 01-16-2009, 02:53 PM

I always look over the meat counters for any "reduced for quick sale" items that we like-- chicken, brats, Italian sausage. (We get beef and pork direct from our farmers.) Around the end of Lent is the best time to look for frozen fish and seafood.

01-14-2009, 08:30 AM	#12
khorrell Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: near Washington DC Posts: 610 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Reputation: (86)	I keep several bags in my freezer: one for stock (celery ends, carrot peelings and onion skins), one for poultry bones (also for stock), and one for any left over or stale bread, that gets made into bread crumbs. I have tried saving meat to make bbq but it never works for me. I'd love to know the trick for that! __________________ The Paycheck Chronicles "helping military families make the most of their paychecks"

01-16-2009, 08:49 AM	#17
Babalu Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 60 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (11)	A few months ago, a local supermarket had Perdue Perfect Portions marked down from $9.99 a package to $2.99, so I bought 8 of them, and cleaned off the whole shelf. They were due to be sold within a few days, so I froze them all and have been using them for months. I'm down to two packages now and they've all been fine for cutlets, chicken salad, etc. In fact, the packages I bought had 6 in them, and the new stock has only 5 cutlets. Yes, Mr. Perdue, we noticed. __________________ Save Money!

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01-11-2009, 05:32 PM	#11
mzScarlett Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	yahoo groups has a frozenassets group which is fantastic! Its idea is to cook once & eat for a month; lots of great recipes & experts there to help answer questions! I also have enjoyed the "mix" group which is making basic mixes to which you add shortening, oil, eggs; my neighbor & I did that for a long time; so simple & easy to do with others as many fingers make hard work light! We would grocery shop etc & then the following day get together & make mixes & cook & freeze for the week or whatever; fun days! I got my food saver with vacuum sealer mint condition from Goodwill; got generic huge rolls cheap on ebay:they work with seal a meal etc; since they are VACUUM sealed, they stay GREAT til the "air" hits them! "then & only then do they start "aging"! ********& I just figured out that since I have to clean up after a meal I might just as well make enough for several meals I do so! You can freeze milk as well, just let some off the top! & I have used canning jars: in both refrig & freezer with no worries; easy & nice to SEE what is inside of it! I got most of mine for 25 cents each at Salvation Army! Many free from recycling groups as well!

01-14-2009, 10:20 AM	#13
mcnerd Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 81 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (17)	Freezing meat is only successful by storing in vacuum-sealed bags to eliminate the air and resulting freezer burn.

01-14-2009, 11:36 AM	#14
amyschiff Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lansing, MI Posts: 468 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (76)	my fiance and I have started freezing all sorts of things.. This past weekend I made pizza dough, wrapped 2 balls in parchment paper and put them in a freezer bag. It should last a couple months. I also made meatballs for spaghetti--cooked them and froze them in a freezer bag so we can just defrost them as needed. We've also frozen spaghetti sauce. Since it's only the two of us, we really only need about 1/2 a jar, so we freeze the rest and have it on hand for spaghetti night. I think it would keep for at least a few weeks. Every month or so I make a pot of turkey chili and store it in individual sized gladware type containers--I usually have enough for about 8 containers (Though we usually eat some the night I cook it). It keeps really well and is a really convenient, hearty meal. When I buy chicken breasts from the store, I clean them off and wrap them individually in foil. Then I put them all in a zip-top freezer bag. It's a huge time-saver.

01-15-2009, 01:46 PM	#15
Designgal34 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (12)	I do the same thing with chicken, as well as other meats you can buy in bulk. One of the greatest things my mom handed down to me are these stackable hamburger tupperware containers, with a lid for the top one. Perfect for mixing up a batch and then freezing several. Pop one out into a sauté pan and you've got dinner almost ready. Thanks for the great tips everybody! I never thought of putting bags in the freezer for leftover veggies, etc to make my own stock.

01-16-2009, 02:53 PM	#18
MNfrugal Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota! Posts: 92 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (13)	I always look over the meat counters for any "reduced for quick sale" items that we like-- chicken, brats, Italian sausage. (We get beef and pork direct from our farmers.) Around the end of Lent is the best time to look for frozen fish and seafood.