How to best utilize freezer

Bser · #1 10/30/08, 11:01 AM

I'm about to purchase a chest type freezer and want to use it efficently. Should it be kept full? How long will meat last? What is the best wrap for meat/poultry? How to package veggies? What all can I store? Any no-no's? How about bread? Any advice appreciated.

jocelync · #2 10/30/08, 11:24 AM

Congrats! I got a hand-me-down upright freezer 2 years ago and am in love with it! We keep our garage freezer colder than our house freezer and use it for long-term storage (bulk stuff). Our upright isn't frost free, so that's kind of a pain because we have to make sure we eat up all the food before we defrost it- there's no where to store the food while defrosting!

I'm no expert but we do most of our long-term frozen stuff in vacuum sealed bags. It seems to work well.

I've always heard that refrigerators function well with lots of open space for the cold air to circulate, but that freezers do better with minimal open space. Some people even keep bags of ice in their freezer to reduce the open air - so keep that sucker stuffed!

As for bread, I've always stored extra in the freezer. I used to thaw it in the fridge, and then read in a food column a few years ago that that's a no-no because it sucks out the moisture and makes it go stale fast. You're apprently supposed to go frozen to room temperature and nothing in between.

If you freeze berries, freeze them on a cookie sheet in an even layer first, then plop them all in a freezer bag (or a vacuum sealed bag) - if you don't freeze them in a single layer first they'll clump together.

I've heard that you can freeze eggs if you crack them and mix them first, then pour them in ice cube trays and store them in bags or other containers. I've never tried this method, but if you have hens or a really good egg sale (holy cow are they getting expensive!) it could come in handy for baking. I believe if you freeze milk you leave a little air in the container and freeze it upside down (I could be totally wrong) and that it separates a little, but can be mixed to normal consistency when thawed. I've also read that you can freeze butter in the wax paper it comes in.

I'm really interested in everyone else's tips too!

PrincessFerf · #3 10/30/08, 12:01 PM

I have heard that a chest freezer should not be kept in an un-heated building (in our case, garage). Any truth in that?

Our garage is partially insulated (attached to the house) but when it gets COLD, the garage itself is below freezing inside.

Maura · #4 10/30/08, 12:23 PM

The freezer should not be in a room that will get colder than the freezer. It should not be in a place that heats. In either instance, the freezer will do double duty trying to keep the right temp. So, you may be able to put in an enclosed porch but not in the garage- depends on your climate.

One problem with a chest freezer is that anything that ends up on the bottom is likely to get forgotten. Keep this in mind. Use some system of rotation if your freezer is going to be continually refilled. If you are going to pretty much use up most of everything before refilling, this won't be a problem. You can buy wire shelves and containers to put in the freezer to help you keep things sorted, and to help keep small items from shifting. Buy a couple and learn how to use them before buying a dozen.

Make sure everything has a label. Meat that is packaged before you buy it will have a computer label or writing on it. It's the things you pack yourself that will keep you wondering. I've found that labeling cookies "liver" or "pork hocks" works very well.

Your chest freezer is going to be colder than your refrigerator freezer, so things will take longer to thaw. Ice cream needs to be taken out an hour or so ahead of time and put in the refrigerator's freezer.

Always check to make sure the freezer shuts completely. The smallest thing between the lid and chest can create a problem.

I insisted on an upright freezer because I am short and can't get to the bottom layer of a chest freezer without hurting myself. If anyone in your family is under five feet tall, they will have trouble getting to the bottom of a chest freezer. Of course, maybe you don't want them to. Anything you want short people to be able to access, keep above the middle.

Danaus29 · #5 10/30/08, 12:55 PM

Pop uses 2 freezers in his barn and 2 in the garage. When it's below freezing outside they just don't run. My grandparents had 2 monstrously huge freezers on an unheated back porch. Their freezers are at least 20 years old and still work like new. The instructions for my new freezer warned only of keeping it outdoors without shelter. Didn't say anything about it being harmed by the freezer itself freezing.