topic Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze? in Kitchen

What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

Moonlady — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 19:40:49 GMT

I love to freeze soups and stews, particularly pasta e fagioli. I also freeze ravioli "dinners" but, of course, I cheat--I just pick up a big bag of the already-frozen ravioli, put 5 in a container, top with a ladle (that's 1/2 cup) of sauce, sprinkle seasonings on top, top with baby spinach, then freeze. Pop into the microwave for 4 1/2 minutes and enjoy.

I can't believe how expensive frozen dinners are when you can make your own.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

willdob3 — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 19:45:55 GMT

I may be an exception to the rule... I really don't like to freeze anything other than raw meat/poultry/fish. That kind of thing. I usually cook enough for one meal only though I sometimes have leftovers from cooking a whole chicken or turkey breast. Those go in the fridge & get eaten up quickly.

I don't eat processed foods & can't even remember the last time I bought frozen vegetables.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

kitty60 — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 20:05:57 GMT

I also freeze a lot of spaghetti sauce, chili, soups and stews. I will make several chicken pies at once and freeze. When apples are in season I make a couple of pies and freeze before baking. They take just about the same length of time to bake frozen. These are great if you have unexpected company you can bake in an hour and it looks like you planned it. Also, buy a large amount of peaches and peel and cut up sprinkle with fruit fresh and sugar and freeze bags of them. Peach cobbler is great in the winter! I also keep an inventory of baked goods, banana bread, carrot cake muffins, spice nut bread, cranberry orange cake, pound cakes, etc. I am always called on for coffee hour of some sort. I just defrost in the fridge overnight and you can't beat them. Saves rushing around if your short on time.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

qualitygal — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 20:14:03 GMT

Tomorrow, I'm planning on making mom's goulash. I'll then put my serving sizes in my lock and locks and I can have that comfort food anytime I want. I may do chili I like later in the week too. Got the L & L and need to be using them!!!

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

luvdoodles — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 00:49:10 GMT

I like to freeze soups, chili and stews, I make more on purpose to do this. Pasta sauce also. Those frozen prepackaged foods have so much sodium and really don't taste that great. I've got beef stew and dumpling in a crock right now. Perfect for this snowy day and will freeze the left overs for another night. So simple and easy.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

haddon9 — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 00:57:48 GMT

On 2/3/2014 luvpoos said:
I like to freeze soups, chili and stews, I make more on purpose to do this. Pasta sauce also. Those frozen prepackaged foods have so much sodium and really don't taste that great. I've got beef stew and dumpling in a crock right now. Perfect for this snowy day and will freeze the left overs for another night. So simple and easy.

I make extra to freeze too!! It's nice to have a home cooked meal all ready made when all you have to do is heat it up!

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

Daysdee — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 01:05:35 GMT

My homemade spaghetti sauce, meat loaf (freeze raw and bake as needed).

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

chickenbutt — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 01:10:48 GMT

I do spaghetti sauce, lasagne and chilis (portioned out so I can take out a portion at a time), and assorted soups and stews. Of course, meat. Dry goods and nuts. I do some fruits and veg.

Dry goods and nuts go into airtight containers (L&L) but most things are vacuum sealed for optimal freezer storage.

I will NOT freeze stuff like bread (which I wouldn't even refrigerate either - makes it yucky) or cheese (tried it, but didn't like the texture I got - vac sealing & storing in refrigerator works perfectly well), or butter (same with the texture thing - I just never buy more than 2lbs at a time).

Whenever I am cooking with stock I find that I always have more stock than I need, so I measure out the excess, freeze it in a block, and then vac seal it to keep in freezer with the quantity and what kind of stock it is labelled on the end of the vac bag. I do that with other liquids, instead of just throwing away all the extra. Might as well not waste.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

hsawaknow — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 01:31:07 GMT

Do Reeses Peanut Butter Cups count???

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

pjoy — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 01:44:53 GMT

On 2/3/2014 hsawaknow said: Do Reeses Peanut Butter Cups count???

They do!

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

PamelaSuein72 — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:51:44 GMT

Pretty much anything, as long as it doesn't have pasta (other than lasagna) or potatoes. We have two freezers; one is used for produce, desserts, and casseroles, and such. The other is used for meat and poultry.

Any soups (without mushrooms), any stews (without potatoes), various chilis, breads and rolls, cookies, cupcakes, any kind of casserole (again, no pasta or potatoes), pasta sauces and the like. I buy unsalted butter when it's on sale and put it in freezer bags, date it, and toss it into the freezer. Stocks and broths go into the freezer, leftover roasts of all kinds. Other than white and whole wheat flours, which are used all the time, my flours are frozen, too.

Pies (no custard-type) and cakes go into the freezer. I've put frosting into the freezer, thawed it and used it with no trouble. Cookie dough. Tons of applesauce, blueberries, and strawberries. Our produce from the garden: green and wax beans, lima beans, corn, broccoli, carrots, red beets, green and red peppers and hot peppers, too. I've frozen buttermilk with no problems (MIL taught me that).

Dried mushrooms, onions, pineapple, tomato slices, raisins, etc. Anything I dehydrate is thrown into the freezer.

I start baking for Christmas right after Thanksgiving and freeze the cookies, wrapped well and in proper containers. Both baked cookies and cookie doughs.

It is all properly labelled and dated and used within a proper time.

At any given time, you could eat out of our freezer for about six months or so. Before he got married (and even a couple of times since he got married), our son would come to the house, just to do his "grocery shopping". Which, essentially meant that he'd take enough food home for a couple of weeks at a time. He loves split pea soup and he loves my chicken and dumpling soup....the chicken soup can be frozen and the dumplings added when the soup is heated.

And during Halloween, you can find Reese's peanut butter cups in the freezer, too.

But god help me if the power ever goes out. We really need to buy a small generator.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

nomar — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 00:58:26 GMT

I like to keep my homemade snacks for cocktail night in the freezer to pop in the oven. We do that for our evening meal about once every two weeks. Pioneer Woman's cheese puffs, cheese dreams, jalapenos stuffed with parm and sausage, storebought small meatballs, and breaded morel mushrooms that were picked in the spring. Not a really healthy menu, but just once in awhile should not hurt and along with some wine, it is an easy supper. Also good for unexpected company instead of sweets being served.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

Peaches McPhee — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 01:17:12 GMT

Water.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

dottyf — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 23:01:33 GMT

Hello

Moonlady I loved the suggestion with the raviolis, in fact, I am picking some up tonight. I just started a serious budget because both my husband and my jobs are possibly going to be cut in the next few months.

If you have any others please post. I really appreciate! Thank you

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

Strictly Sky — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 01:05:32 GMT

I freeze a lot! I cook large quantities of rice (usually brown) and freeze it in one or two cup sizes to make casseroles. I also freeze lentils and beans. I freeze homemade cookie dough. I freeze cookies that I bake! I freeze pumpkin pie! I freeze fruit when I buy a lot of in-season fruit.

I buy a lot of frozen veggies and fruits, too. I try to buy organic when I can. As long as they aren't overcooked, they taste great! They are usually quick and easy to fix. Dress them up with herbs or a touch of parmesan. I have found this to be economical and healthy. I like to buy fresh of course, but it can get costly. So I buy fresh and frozen.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

Moonlady — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 20:25:38 GMT

On 2/6/2014 dottyf said:
Hello

Moonlady I loved the suggestion with the raviolis, in fact, I am picking some up tonight. I just started a serious budget because both my husband and my jobs are possibly going to be cut in the next few months.

If you have any others please post. I really appreciate! Thank you

Right now, I'm working on trying to duplicate breakfast burritos (I like Amy's). They're fairly easy, and there are a lot of flavor options.

As for the ravioli, you can pick up the economy bags, too. DH gets a kick out of my assembly line. And, instead of baby spinach, chopped kale is good for variety. I like to add either of those to the soups and ravioli. I know this isn't pleasant to talk about but, since they end up thoroughy heated, I don't have to worry about "issues" that might crop of if we had them fresh.

I haven't had luck with freezing rice, so I'm going to try the brown variety.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

Debbie1426 — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 03:29:09 GMT

On 2/6/2014 darkpoet said:
I freeze a lot! I cook large quantities of rice (usually brown) and freeze it in one or two cup sizes to make casseroles. I also freeze lentils and beans. I freeze homemade cookie dough. I freeze cookies that I bake! I freeze pumpkin pie! I freeze fruit when I buy a lot of in-season fruit.

I buy a lot of frozen veggies and fruits, too. I try to buy organic when I can. As long as they aren't overcooked, they taste great! They are usually quick and easy to fix. Dress them up with herbs or a touch of parmesan. I have found this to be economical and healthy. I like to buy fresh of course, but it can get costly. So I buy fresh and frozen.

ITA! I especially like frozen spinach for many recipes. So cheap and always on hand. Sometimes frozen veggies are better than what's available fresh. I freeze thusual soups and stews but you guys have given me some great ideas. Good to know you can freeze rice! I had no idea.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

Marsha2003 — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 04:48:41 GMT

I have a tiny freezer so it is filled with pecans, home made chicken stock, portioned mascarpone, cranberries, green peas and a few individual chicken breasts. Sometimes, I squeeze a pint of ice cream in, too.

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

sidsmom — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 04:50:43 GMT

Tons & tons of cheap, cheap, cheap bananas!!! Yummmmm

Re: What Types Of Food Do You Like To Freeze?

chessylady — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 05:15:47 GMT

I freeze leftover homemade soup and beans. Today I made a trip to Trader Joes. They now have cooked pork belly. I cut three pieces and fried them until crispy, took them out of the pot, softened onion and garlic then cooked lentils in the pot. The pork belly was super satisfying. The lentils were very good and I may freeze some for later.