DeDe Does....the Freezer

Dear DeDe,

When you make a big batch of food and freeze it and then thaw and eat it, what happens if you don't eat the whole batch? Can you then refreeze your leftovers?

Signed,

Freezer Novice

Dear Freezer Novice,

I’m no expert, but personally, I freeze left-overs in small, individual sized portions. I would not re-freeze anything due to food safety and the fear of making someone sick! Soups and individual sized portions store great in quart sized Ziploc bags or small plastic containers. Having individual portions to simply reheat are perfect for days that I’m home alone and want a quick, hearty lunch, or something my husband can grab and take to work with him. (On those rare occasions he would even go near my cooking! LOL) Just make sure you label and date everything that goes into the freezer. Time passes so quickly that you will think you just put it in there last week, when it might have been last year! Really… it happens around here all the time!!

I’m not one for making batch freezer meals, but I do have a few recipes that make a large amount of food. Rather than cut the recipe down, I simply make the whole thing and freeze portions of it for later. I also intentionally make larger portions of my favorite meals, side dishes, or desserts which saves me time on another day. This is especially helpful if it is something that requires a little labor like mashed potatoes or meatballs. If I’m going to go to the hassle of preparing it once, I might as well double up! Other items that I like to freeze are soups, sauces, pancakes, waffles, muffins, breads, brownies, cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. The desserts are great to have on hand for impromptu dinner guests or simply a random sweet tooth! (Teeth can be unpredictable at times! Haha)

There are lots of great websites and recipes online for freezer meals, but since it’s not something I do, I don’t have a favorite one. However, I know people that use this site for batch cooking: http://onceamonthmom.com/

I also found a few tips on getting started at: http://simplemom.net/back-to-the-basics-batch-cooking/ and http://smallnotebook.org/2008/08/08/batch-cooking-a-collection-of-tips/

Last, but certainly NOT least! Here are a couple of sites I found regarding safe food storage: http://www.allfoodbusiness.com/freezer_storage.php and http://www.helpwithcooking.com/food-storage/foods-freeze-well.html

Happy Freezing!

DeDe