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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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I'm curious what methods you use to keep track of what you have in the freezer and what you may be running low on. That seems to have become an issue in our freezer.

It's a never ending struggle for me! After trying many different things, most mentioned already, I settled on creating a spreadsheet. I update after trips to store. I periodically update as I use things up. I should be more frequent on my updates but overall it's worked pretty well.

onions and peppers - do you bulk chop and then freeze in small portions for adding to sauces and casseroles, etc.? How do they freeze and thaw? I

Definitely soggy - they release a LOT of water as they thaw. I drain then pat dry with paper towels if I need to avoid extra moisture in recipe I need them for. But crisp? Unfortunately no :(

Froze Cooked Ribs today.

WOW!!!! Those. Look. Amazing!!!!! Treasure in your freezer!!!

I made Butterhorn Rolls for our dinner yesterday and am flash freezing a whole tray of them.

Made a 3 lb London Broil in crockpot and have that in freezer now.

Also filled two small ziplocks FULL with leftover PW Mashed Potatoes for the freezer as well.

Earlier this weekend I made up a batch of Oven Chicken Fajita marinade and put some sliced chicken in there before freezing.
 
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MinnieCo

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I'm reading everyone's post about meat and I'm late to the game on this one. I heard in our area of Colorado we were going to be having a pork shortage, so I went out and bought some extra pork 2 weeks ago. But at Costco today it's seems EVERYTHING else was short..isn't that how it works. No chicken to be found and limited ground beef. But I went to Save a Lot and found chicken..and actually our King Soopers (which is a Kroger store) had plenty of meat when I was there too. I was surprised at all the chicken they had. It's weird, but our freezer is not at our house, it's at my mother in laws property, so I can't buy a ton and bring it home. I may go back this weekend and get some chicken and take it directly to the freezer to keep. We buy beef by the half cow, but I can't survive without chicken..lol

I'm also trying avocados in the freezer for the 1st time. I know you can't eat them sliced, but I've heard mixed reviews about using them for guacamole and such after they have been frozen. I guess we'll see. We had access to a case for super cheap, so my friend and I split the case. No one else eats many in my home, so I'll eat as many as I can up front over the next week or two, but the rest had to go into the freezer.
 

Holiday_Mom

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Let me know how the avocados turn out for you. I had heard about freezing them too but I haven't done it myself.
 
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AuntJamelle

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Oct 22, 2007
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Picked up a 2.5 lb pack of ground beef and turned it into Taco Meat - we ate some and the rest is in the freezer!

Cooked a marinated turkey breast 2 pack tonight and we'll eat some more tomorrow I'm sure then freeze the rest.

Have another family pack of chicken in fridge to deal with - thinking of making some of our "best chicken marinade" for at least some of it...wheels still turning...
 

AuntJamelle

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I did finally get that chicken into the freezer! Some went into our "best" chicken marinade, some into an Apple Mustard marinade and the rest I just froze.

Froze some chocolate muffins too.

Freezers are pretty PACKED. I need to get out the lemon rinds I froze and dehydrate! Will go through everything again this weekend and figure out what I can use now or rearrange or repackage to make more space.

I still haven't made stock from the chicken bones - need to get that done!
 

PamelaG

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I'm also trying avocados in the freezer for the 1st time. I know you can't eat them sliced, but I've heard mixed reviews about using them for guacamole and such after they have been frozen. I guess we'll see. We had access to a case for super cheap, so my friend and I split the case. No one else eats many in my home, so I'll eat as many as I can up front over the next week or two, but the rest had to go into the freezer.
They freeze really well. I tried this last week when I bought an avocado and realized that it was ripe already and didn't plan to use it for a few days. I peeled it and took out the pit/stone/whatever it's called, then put it in a small freezer bag, made sure all of the air was sucked out, and popped it into the freezer. When I was ready to use it and thawed it, the bonus was that I left it in the bag, squashed it up really well, added the guacamole fixings, squashed it all up again, and then snipped off the corner of the bag and squeezed it out.
 
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Ahorsesoul

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Oct 13, 2007
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Not sure I’ll ever get to try freezing avocados. I can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner with a avocado for dessert. New chest freezer coming next week. Dh saw an email Ad from Home Depot that they could deliver the one he’d been researching. Medium sized one. Still will have to make a place for it in the basement. I’ll need to get some different colored cloth shopping bags for keeping everything in order. He ordered it with the optional casters.
 

Holiday_Mom

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Still will have to make a place for it in the basement. I’ll need to get some different colored cloth shopping bags for keeping everything in order. He ordered it with the optional casters.
Oooo... Freezer with casters! That sounds nice. Will you have two freezers now?
 
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missjane

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Cooked a marinated turkey breast 2 pack tonight and we'll eat some more tomorrow I'm sure then freeze the rest.

Sam's used to have a vacuum packaged pre-seasoned turkey breast that was the best, but our Sam's doesn't carry it anymore, and I can't find it in the regular grocery stores, either...so disappointed.I think it may have been Butterball brand.
 

missjane

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I didn't realize this, but when I thought our freezer was going out (it didn't...thankful for that) and I was researching, there are models that are made for garages - both freezers and refrigerators. Were any of you aware of that feature? It's been years since we shopped for freezers or refrigerators, so don't suppose there was a reason for me to know that before now. Many people have an extra freezer or refrigerator in the garage or under a carport, so...if you didn't know and need one for that area...do your research. They're out there.
 

Ahorsesoul

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Years ago a neighbor had their garage burn down. When they went to buy a new freezer they were told it could not go in an unheated space. Not sure if they ever found one or not.

Yes we will have a small and a medium size freezer. Dh is already choppin’ at the bit to go to Sams club for things to put in the freezer.
 
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AuntJamelle

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My freezers are still super full - our ice maker hasn't been keeping up so I had to fit a couple of small bags of ice in there too. Focusing on eating things out of them now!!!
 
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sweetpumkinpye

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Apr 23, 2008
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We are making so headway in using what is in our freezers. Nearly Winter here so will look at using up he soups etc. Trying to find the balance of using things up but not running so low incase I can't restock.
 

Holiday_Mom

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I didn't realize this, but when I thought our freezer was going out (it didn't...thankful for that) and I was researching, there are models that are made for garages - both freezers and refrigerators. Were any of you aware of that feature?

No, this is news to me. I never thought of putting one in the garage because of where we live. The garage gets super hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Trying to find the balance of using things up but not running so low incase I can't restock.

Yes, I'm trying that as well. We are eating the foods out of the freezer now. I was able to buy whatever frozen vegetable my heart desired the other day. It was the first time that the grocery store had all the frozen vegetables back in stock since March.
 

Ahorsesoul

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New freezer coming tomorrow. Thinking of different ways to organize a chest freezer. I do like the shopping bags I'm using in the small one. Might need to get different colors for each food type.
 

MinnieCo

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They freeze really well. I tried this last week when I bought an avocado and realized that it was ripe already and didn't plan to use it for a few days. I peeled it and took out the pit/stone/whatever it's called, then put it in a small freezer bag, made sure all of the air was sucked out, and popped it into the freezer. When I was ready to use it and thawed it, the bonus was that I left it in the bag, squashed it up really well, added the guacamole fixings, squashed it all up again, and then snipped off the corner of the bag and squeezed it out.


I'm still eating the fresh ones, I'm excited to try the frozen ones. With that said though, my daughter has been buying bags of frozen avocado from Costco and eating them. I tried one and didn't care for the texture, but it was way firm. Then she eats them warm...ugggg....I don't want chunks of warm avocado. If you would of told me my child was going to eat warm avocado in a salmon bowl, on top of cauliflower rice, I would of said you were crazy!!! But that's what she made me last week while I was there. I honestly don't think I could get her to eat a fresh avocado though. She has weird texture issues and doesn't like things cold.
 

Ahorsesoul

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I have a chicken recipe that you bake with chopped avocados. Not my favorite way to eat avocados.
 

Holiday_Mom

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I just froze fresh herbs in an ice cube tray with water. I had cut back some cilantro before it bolted. I haven't tried this before. I'll be interested to see how it works out.