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Once-a-Week Cooking

Just bought a chest freezer..need to fill!

22 years ago

Hello everyone :)

We just bought a 15 cu. ft. chest freezer that will be delivered next week. How in the world do we fill it so that it will run efficiently without bankrupting our food budget? I know that eventually it will really help us save by stocking up and cooking ahead, but the thought of a half empty freezer wasting energy turns my stomach.

Thanks for you suggestions.

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Comments (9)

Bugs
22 years ago
I made lots of soups, stews and chilis to stock in mine. Also great to buy bulk meat. Get a family pack of hamburger or chicken etc.. and break it down into meal size bags, if you are having company take out 2. Sometimes you can get deals at local meat plants on cases of sausage, hot dogs or chicken breasts.
leaf123_yahoo_com
22 years ago
I'm no expert and don't have a freezer myself but I think I read that they are more efficient when full, even if it's just ice in there. So if you can only fill it up half way, try jugs of water in there for ice. Can someone confirm this or set me straight?
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EngineerChic, My old reach-in freezer crapped out on my and I picked up a new one 2 years ago. This 4th of July with the huge wind storm we had, I lost power for 3 days. I didn't open that thing out of fear. After the power came on, I ran to it and opened the door. Imagine my confusion when everything was still frozen! Not even soft! And I can tell you, when I freeze bread, and most everything for that matter, I forget I have it. I've definitely had bread in there for more than 6 months without any freezer burn. It's a self-defrost (of course) and so far, just fine! So when I go "shopping" in my freezer, it's like a brand new experience. Imagine, "Oh! Look at that! Butter! and steaks! and Hotdogs with BUNS!! I love hotdogs! Who knew? Anyway, everything's beautifully frozen and I can see thru the containers. (No frost.) I try to label and frequently succeed. But I have no bad words about this baby and it's work ethic. If I'd know, though, I'd have bought taller and skinnier. That's all! Congrats on making a choice, Laura. Really, if we're honest with ourselves on how we are not how we want to be, we make the best choices for our situations.
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Bugs
22 years ago
Great idea! you are right they are more efficient when full so if there is too much space anything in it helps although a pain when you need something below.
arabellamiller
22 years ago
Buy ice cream in bulk!

I also keep a platter from Pampered Chef that keeps things cold in my extra freezer. It needs to freeze for a few hours before using, and I always forget to do it when I need to, so now I just keep it in there. The same with the tub for my ice cream maker. Who wants to wait the 6+ hours for that thing to freeze up?
freckles2
22 years ago
We have a big chest freezer. I raise vegetables in garden and we also raise beef and lamb so our freezer is, at times, full to the brim and other times, it may be half full. When I want to keep it full to run efficiently, I freeze the two ltr pop bottles full of ice tea or water. Coincidentally, this is usually during the summer which really works great as I can take out the frozen water/tea and put in cooler which helps keep the other items cold and it is great to drink. I also buy bread at the day old bakeries to keep in the freezer.
cathycdk
Original Author
22 years ago
Hello everyone!
I'm enjoying reading all of your ideas! Please keep sending them along! I can't wait to get my freezer so I can start filling it! I've been longing to make things in advance to freeze in meal size portions, make baby food, and to try things like making homemade frozen pizzas, cookie dough, etc. I really like the frozen ice tea idea! We drink a lot of ice tea and water in my house and that will work great!

Thanks again everyone.
Cathy
Bugs
22 years ago
I do frozen pizzas all the time, they dont need cooking before freezing. I have also been making ahead and freezing sausage rolls, cabbage rolls, pirogies with all differnt fillings, lasagna, shepherds pie, chicken wings, burritos, they are all great for tired nights all you need is a day or 2 free for cooking non stop but it is worth it.
cookingfairy
22 years ago
Can it hold.....something say.......6 feet tall????
JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!
chay
22 years ago
6' 2" even. No Problem. But you have to use a ramp out of 2 X 6 's to get "it" in there!! (Fold before rigor mortis sets in)
:o)
~chay

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