It’s always exciting to read an article in the New York Times that shares ideas I’ve been talking about here. It’s very validating, especially when the article is written by Mark Bittman, The Minimalist. In today’s Dining section, Freeze That Thought is all about how using your freezer can “help you save you money, reduce food waste and get meals on the table faster”. So if you won’t take my word for it, how about Mark’s!
Here are the two basic suggestions: “The first: take raw ingredients you have too much of – of whose life you simply wish to prolong- and freeze them. The second: take things you’ve already cooked- basics like stock, beans, grains and the like, or fully cooked dishes- and freeze them.”
Of course, he gives you info on how to wrap foods to keep them from the dreaded freezer burn and make sure you label everything. I have always taken this one-step further and to me this is the key to really saving money. Inventory your freezer and make your menu using items on the inventory. As Mark writes, “the idea of freezing is to prolong the life of food that you’re going to eat, not to postpone discarding it.” If you just stick something into the freezer and it becomes no man’s land, then you are defeating the purpose and you’re not going to save money. The most expensive food you’ll ever buy is the food you trash.
I recommend you read this article to get more information on how to freeze specific foods like fresh tomatoes, fish, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables, tortillas, egg whites, parmesan rinds wine, and much more. Again, if you want to try out my inventory and menu planning system please click here to send me an email and I’d be happy to share my forms. All I ask is that you share your feedback with me.
Happy freezing!
Great reminder, Diane, from you and Mark! 😉 I love keeping my freezer stocked so I can shop there instead of going to the store, plus I can stock up on those loss leader items. There are several things on sale this week that I plan to stock up on, like turkey breasts.
I appreciated the reminder in Bittman's article about freezing egg whites. I've never done that. The leader of the other support group I belong to freezes hard-boiled eggs. I've read mixed reviews of that, but apparently restaurants do it for salad bars.
The inventory part is huge … none of us remembers to do that very much. Labeling, of course, also is important. If you have a Sharpie on the freezer and a legal pad sheet stuck on the door, it makes it much easier to remember those. And, of course, crossing through foods once you remove them is easy.
Thanks so much,
Shirley
Hi Diane,
Great post and great reminder! Several months ago, I took it a step further and purchased large plastic container boxes for my standing freezer. Two of the boxes fit on each shelf. I labeled each box (leftovers, breads, baked goods, fruits, soup stock) and my frozen foods go into their respective boxes. It keeps them organized and not in a big jumble, which is how they always used to end up, no matter how neat I tried to be.
Thanks for your post!
~Ellen
Good ideas. I want to read Mark's article as soon as I get a chance.
Found your website on yahoo. Thanks for these useful informations. Oh by the way, awesome website layout.