I needed organization and room in my freezer. I use quart size freezer bags for storing all foods (I live alone, you can use gallon size for family). The trick here is to fill the bag per portion you want, holding the opening up so food does not spill out. Lay the bag on the counter and release as much air from the bag as you can.
By Jacque from Lincoln, NE
This page contains the following solutions.
We gave up our ice maker years ago. I have used ice trays ever since. All these years, I have been quickly swinging my body around, with my hands full of stacked ice trays filled with water, in time to catch the freezer door with my shoulder before it closed. Just a few minutes ago, the thought occurred to me that a wedge might work to hold that door open.
I always freeze certain foods. You will save money because these foods last so much longer if you freeze them rather than store them in a cabinet or even the refrigerator You won't have to throw out spoiled food and you won't have to buy new items as often.
My freezer purrs like a kitten! When I go away at Xmas for two weeks to visit family, I make sure to completely defrost my freezer. The food is given away to someone in my local Freecycle and the freezer is completely turned off for two of those weeks.
When you bring your fresh meat home, place it in the coldest part of your refrigerator, usually the bottom right side. Check the time and start counting the days from the time you put it into the refrigerator.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How long can you keep meats, vegetables, natural lemon juice, and fruits in the freezer?
Thank you.
By Manuel
You should not keep anything longer than 6 months. Commercial freezers can reach lower temps than home freezers.
There are a few factors that determine this. Here's a link that will give you the information you're looking for along with sublinks for more details:
I like to use this website: www.stilltasty.com/
I am looking for a freezer list, the life of the foods you can keep in your freezer, meats, bread, fruit, etc.
Can you help me?
Thanks Vt
Here is a site I have found helpful...scroll to the bottom for the index of the foods:
www.azdhs.gov/
Also, here is a link for the shelf life of pantry items in case you are interested:
Just because it may say that "..." is only good for 6 months doesn't mean that at the 6 1/2 months it is bad. Just check it.
With meat, the more fat in it the quicker it goes rancid. Pork and beef are bad for that, whereas venison can literally stay for years. Also, if the meat is tightly wrapped, no air getting next to it, it does not get freezer burn spots.
If the item is water packed or in a sauce it will not get freezer burnt like individual pieces would. For example, mashed raspberries in a container will stay for years and yet the individual raspberries I would use before the following summer.
No need to throw out something just because a "list" says it is bad. You paid for it and ...Just check the item and ...if it has freezer burn spots, for example, on meat, cut them off and see what the meat is like...probably can be used. Bread...goes hard and I would throw it out. Items in the bottom of the freezer will stay good longer than at the top, where the temperature fluctuates because you're opening and closing the lid all the time.
