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

Designgal34 · 01-09-2009, 12:17 PM

I really liked Myscha's post today about value meals at home, and the Sunday Soup really stood out to me. I like the idea of making my own batch, especially in bulk quantities, but I don't know how long it keeps in the freezer, if there's better types than others, etc.

Can any of you give me some tips and tricks on this?

lilac · 01-09-2009, 01:23 PM

I've frozen some meat-free soups in the freezer in plastic tupperware for probably as long as 6 months and still retained the flavor really nicely. I never cook the soups in the actual plastic containers though, I dump the block into a real bowl and nuke it in the microwave.

MNfrugal · 01-09-2009, 05:58 PM

I do this a lot. We visited my elderly parents the week after Christmas, and I used stuff from their freezer to make a different pot of soup for lunch each day, and froze the rest-- 24 jars! I also do this at home for my husband, who enjoys soup for his lunch.

I like to freeze in re-used Classico spaghetti sauce jars. The sauce comes in durable canning-type jars with good lids. Don't fill up the jars to the top, as liquids expand when frozen. Leave about one inch "headspace."

Most veggies freeze well for 4-6 months. Freezing them longer isn't unsafe, but it may affect taste and nutrition.

Soups with rice freeze better than soups with pasta. My husband says pasta loses too much of its texture.

I also sometimes cook extra veggies and freeze them in liquid in these jars, ready to take out and put together for a soup. If I don't have time to make the whole soup, but have veggies that will go bad if not used, this is a great option.

Right now, my freezer has 3 jars of diced carrots (from October), 2 jars of sliced broccoli stalks (from last week), 2 jars of turkey stock (from Thanksgiving), and a bag of leftover turkey. As soon as my husband gets toward the end of the beef soup and chili that are now in the freezer, I'll make all this into soup, along with whatever else happens to be around.

If you plan to do this often, a canning funnel is very helpful. It's wider than a regular funnel, and fits perfectly into these canning jars. It makes it so much easier, less likely to make a mess all over the jar.

Happy cooking!

lilac · 01-10-2009, 09:32 AM

Ooh MNfrugal, thanks for the tips on using the spaghetti sauce jars for freezing and the canning funnel, I like that a lot! Must keep an eye out for one next time I'm in the store.

Also, good to know that things expand when frozen. I must be honest, I never paid enough attention to notice

That does explain why some of my soups containers' lids weren't nearly as secure on as I remembered them being.

MNfrugal · 01-10-2009, 12:09 PM

To be honest, lilac, I don't know how easy it is to find a canning funnel in stores these days-- I've never looked for one. Mine is a hand-me-down from my mom, who gave it to me when I started canning tomatoes.

Home canned tomatoes are soooo good, and so easy! I don't have a good place for a garden where we live now, but I know someone who lets me pick all her leftover tomatoes after she's done canning.

mcnerd · 01-10-2009, 12:55 PM

Be careful with freezing the glass jars. They are not designed for that and become fragile and can shatter very easily.

I freeze my liquid items in a flat plasticware container, pop it out and then put in a FoodSaver bag and seal it. That way it will lay flat in the freezer unstead of in bulky containers. Very easy to reheat in the microwave or boiling water and pour out from the bag.

Freezing in vacuum seal bags will extend storage to a year or longer in the freezer, so even if it is dropped to the bottom of the freezer and forgotten for a long time, it will probably still be flavorful.

Babalu · 01-10-2009, 01:40 PM

After I bake a chicken, I scoop up the juice and fat in a container and refrigerate. The next day I dump the fat and use the gravy for soup stock.

MNfrugal · 01-10-2009, 02:21 PM

The canning-type jars are stronger than most glass jars, which I wouldn't freeze in. I like using glass rather than plastic bags because they are reusable. You can reuse freezer bags, but it would be difficult to sterilize them.

I came across a lot of good freezer advice from USDA:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets...g/index.asp#19

Recommendations for how long different foods can be frozen is found at the bottom. Their recommendation for soups and stews is 2-3 months.

lucille · 01-10-2009, 08:39 PM

I freeze soup in the big yogurt containers since we have plenty of them hanging around. Wild rice soup and chili freeze well.

littlesapphire · 01-11-2009, 03:50 PM

I like to freeze my soup in gladware style containers and then when it's frozen, put it in plastic bags so it doesn't take up so much room. I also keep a bag or two in the door of the freezer where I put my vegetable scraps and leftovers. When the bag is full, I make a vegetable stock out of it and use that as a base for soup! Likewise, if I have any produce that I know won't last long enough for me to use it, I like to cut it up and freeze it. That way it stays good much longer than it would in the fridge.

01-10-2009, 01:40 PM	#7
Babalu Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 60 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (11)	After I bake a chicken, I scoop up the juice and fat in a container and refrigerate. The next day I dump the fat and use the gravy for soup stock. __________________ Save Money!

01-10-2009, 08:39 PM	#9
lucille Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 673 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Reputation: (38)	I freeze soup in the big yogurt containers since we have plenty of them hanging around. Wild rice soup and chili freeze well. __________________ Dark Style Blog http://darkstyleblog.blogspot.com/

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01-09-2009, 12:17 PM	#1
Designgal34 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (12)	How do you store leftovers so you aren't wasting your money? I really liked Myscha's post today about value meals at home, and the Sunday Soup really stood out to me. I like the idea of making my own batch, especially in bulk quantities, but I don't know how long it keeps in the freezer, if there's better types than others, etc. Can any of you give me some tips and tricks on this?

01-09-2009, 01:23 PM	#2
lilac Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: South Cheshire, UK Posts: 62 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (12)	I've frozen some meat-free soups in the freezer in plastic tupperware for probably as long as 6 months and still retained the flavor really nicely. I never cook the soups in the actual plastic containers though, I dump the block into a real bowl and nuke it in the microwave.

01-09-2009, 05:58 PM	#3
MNfrugal Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota! Posts: 92 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (13)	I do this a lot. We visited my elderly parents the week after Christmas, and I used stuff from their freezer to make a different pot of soup for lunch each day, and froze the rest-- 24 jars! I also do this at home for my husband, who enjoys soup for his lunch. I like to freeze in re-used Classico spaghetti sauce jars. The sauce comes in durable canning-type jars with good lids. Don't fill up the jars to the top, as liquids expand when frozen. Leave about one inch "headspace." Most veggies freeze well for 4-6 months. Freezing them longer isn't unsafe, but it may affect taste and nutrition. Soups with rice freeze better than soups with pasta. My husband says pasta loses too much of its texture. I also sometimes cook extra veggies and freeze them in liquid in these jars, ready to take out and put together for a soup. If I don't have time to make the whole soup, but have veggies that will go bad if not used, this is a great option. Right now, my freezer has 3 jars of diced carrots (from October), 2 jars of sliced broccoli stalks (from last week), 2 jars of turkey stock (from Thanksgiving), and a bag of leftover turkey. As soon as my husband gets toward the end of the beef soup and chili that are now in the freezer, I'll make all this into soup, along with whatever else happens to be around. If you plan to do this often, a canning funnel is very helpful. It's wider than a regular funnel, and fits perfectly into these canning jars. It makes it so much easier, less likely to make a mess all over the jar. Happy cooking!

01-10-2009, 09:32 AM	#4
lilac Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: South Cheshire, UK Posts: 62 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (12)	Ooh MNfrugal, thanks for the tips on using the spaghetti sauce jars for freezing and the canning funnel, I like that a lot! Must keep an eye out for one next time I'm in the store. Also, good to know that things expand when frozen. I must be honest, I never paid enough attention to notice That does explain why some of my soups containers' lids weren't nearly as secure on as I remembered them being.

01-10-2009, 12:09 PM	#5
MNfrugal Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota! Posts: 92 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (13)	To be honest, lilac, I don't know how easy it is to find a canning funnel in stores these days-- I've never looked for one. Mine is a hand-me-down from my mom, who gave it to me when I started canning tomatoes. Home canned tomatoes are soooo good, and so easy! I don't have a good place for a garden where we live now, but I know someone who lets me pick all her leftover tomatoes after she's done canning.

01-10-2009, 12:55 PM	#6
mcnerd Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 83 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (17)	Be careful with freezing the glass jars. They are not designed for that and become fragile and can shatter very easily. I freeze my liquid items in a flat plasticware container, pop it out and then put in a FoodSaver bag and seal it. That way it will lay flat in the freezer unstead of in bulky containers. Very easy to reheat in the microwave or boiling water and pour out from the bag. Freezing in vacuum seal bags will extend storage to a year or longer in the freezer, so even if it is dropped to the bottom of the freezer and forgotten for a long time, it will probably still be flavorful.

01-10-2009, 02:21 PM	#8
MNfrugal Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota! Posts: 92 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Reputation: (13)	The canning-type jars are stronger than most glass jars, which I wouldn't freeze in. I like using glass rather than plastic bags because they are reusable. You can reuse freezer bags, but it would be difficult to sterilize them. I came across a lot of good freezer advice from USDA: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets...g/index.asp#19 Recommendations for how long different foods can be frozen is found at the bottom. Their recommendation for soups and stews is 2-3 months.

01-11-2009, 03:50 PM	#10
littlesapphire Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	I like to freeze my soup in gladware style containers and then when it's frozen, put it in plastic bags so it doesn't take up so much room. I also keep a bag or two in the door of the freezer where I put my vegetable scraps and leftovers. When the bag is full, I make a vegetable stock out of it and use that as a base for soup! Likewise, if I have any produce that I know won't last long enough for me to use it, I like to cut it up and freeze it. That way it stays good much longer than it would in the fridge.