Serves: 5
Prep time:
Cook time:
DIRECTIONS:
Click here to open the Freezer Inventory Sheet. Print off copies to help you keep track of what you put in and take out of your freezer.
FREEZING TIPS
* Try to get as much air out as possible and package tightly so moisture can not get in
* Aluminum foil and heavy plastic freezer bags are the best for storing food long-term in the freezer
* When storing dinner meals, foil containers, freezer-safe glass baking dishes and plastic containers work well. Leave about 1/2 inch space for expansion
* You can store ingredients that you have pre-chopped, pre-cooked and pre-measured
* You can store completed dinner meals such as casseroles and soups
* Don't forget to label your meals and ingredients. A permanent marker on the plastic bag or aluminum foil or masking tape on a glass dish work well
FOODS THAT FREEZE WELL
BAKED GOODS: Bread (5 months), bread dough (1-2 months), unbaked pie crusts (1-3 months), unfrosted cakes (several months)
PREPARED FOODS: Dinner meals such as soups, sauces, casseroles, lasagna (3 months)
EGGS: Store eggs after opening shells. You can store egg whites & yolks separately, if you wish. Raw yolks will need to be scrambled with 1/4 tsp salt for each 1/2 cup of egg yolk or upon reconstituting they will become an unappetizing consistency. Cooked eggs yolks freeze very well but cooked egg whites will not freeze well. (3 months) Egg Substitutes can also be frozen for an extended length of time
VEGETABLES: Most vegetables will need to be blanched before freezing. After blanching, put the vegetables into cold water, drain, wrap and freeze (9 months).
FRUITS: Frozen fruits retain their flavor, but many frozen fruits will become softer (1 year)
MEAT: By trimming excess fat from meat before freezing, meat will stay fresher longer in the freezer. (1 year for most) Ground Beef (4 months). Pork (6-8 months). Sausage (3 months)
POULTRY: Whole chicken and turkey (1 year). Poultry parts & ground poultry (6 months)
FISH: Scale and clean fish before freezing. Oily fish (3 months), Leaner fish (6 months)
DAIRY: The higher the fat content in dairy products, the better they freeze. (2 months). Cheese will change in consistency - grated works the best (6 months). Softer cheeses such as cream or cottage cheese do not freeze well at all. Blue cheese, Roquefort and Gorgonzola are usually served crumbled (6 months). Hard cheeses like parmesan and Romano (1 year). Yogurts - custard base ones don't thaw with the same texture (3 months)
SAUCES: Do very well in the freezer except for mayonnaise based sauces and mayonnaise (3 months)
HERBS: Wrap them in Ziploc® bags and freeze them. Be sure to blanch leafier herbs like basil. Sturdier herbs like rosemary freeze exceedingly well.
This V1:Chapter 5: Inventory of your Freezer recipe is from the Preparedness for Life Series Volume 1 Cookbook. Download this Cookbook today.
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