Freezer containers (merged threads)

1sttimer_2

Hi all OS's - wondered what you use in your freezer for re-packaging. I usually use freezer poly bags but my DD thinks that these are not very enviromentally friendly and suggested using poly boxes. Now if this is the best thing to do, I would have to buy loads of boxes as I've only got a few so it doesn't seem to be very EF to me, plus I've used cheaper boxes and they don't last long as the lids tend to crack at the corners after a while so it would be quite expensive.

If I use foil boxes - the kind you get curry's in - I would be able to recycle those, but you can't put them into the microwave (I'm so disorganised I usually have to thaw things out in there as I forget to take them out previous night!) and also the cardboard lids don't last very long.

So can anyone help me in my dilemma? What do you all use or suggest?

Many thanks

Pink.

Hi 1sttimer,

We have a long thread with lots of ideas on what to use for freezer containers that should help you so I've added your post into it.

Pink

miss_pink_4

Indian or Chinese take away plastic boxes are great, you can als buy these fron Poundland about 10 in a pack

eryn_kathleen

Personally, I love these even if they are a little bit expensive:

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/product.aspx/!3033_3031_3029_3030

I bought ten of size B (.75 litre) and ten of size C (1.2 litre). I've found the size B to hold two generous portions of sauces - curry, bolognese, etc - and size C to hold two generous portions of soup. You could easily fit enough for 2 adults and one child (maybe two if they're not too hungry) into the same size, as we always have a little space left at the top.

I like these because they stack and my chest freezer now looks lovely. I also use the different colour lids to quickly identify categories of food - green for veggie, pink/orange for hot... uh, spicy... food, etc.

I also bulk-buy meat at Costco and freeze it in resealable freezer bags. Frozen veg goes into these too, because the bags they come with allow a huge amount of spillage!

magnolia65

I haven't read the whole thread...too much.

So this may have been suggested before.

Line a cleaned out baked bean/soup tin with a freezer bag and use this to freeze HM soups. Once frozen remove from the tin and keep in the bag. Also good as you know exactly how many blocks to defrost for each portion wanted/needed.

eryn_kathleen

Does anyone know where I could get something to subdivide my chest freezer? It's a small upright one, with a wire basket on one side so that I would effectively need to something to subdivide just half the space. I can't seem to find anything that's the right dimensions.

It's a little difficult to explain, so here are the things I found on the net that were close to what I'm looking for...

This company does made-to-measure wire baskets, but they're a little pricey:
http://www.hamsterbaskets.co.uk/baskets.html

And this would be ideal, but the company is American:
http://www.freezertote.com/

I think that what I had originally envisaged was 2-3 polypropelene totes, like those used for garden waste, but taller and thinner to fit in the freezer. This was the closest I found, and the sizes aren't nearly right:
http://www.shop.edirectory.co.uk/ingarden/880/moreinfoa/pid/3815425

What do others use to solve this? At the moment I've got about 1/2 the freezer full of neatly stackable containers and the other half is filled with oddly-shaped packets of meat, rolls, beans, etc.

pollyanna24

I have bought myself a mini freezer. Wahey. Been wanting one for ages. I always prepare a load of meals and stick them in the freezer, but now I can do more and I want a load of storage containers that are all the same size and shape (the ones I have now are all over the place, i.e. no lids, not big enough etc etc).

Where is the cheapest place to get them? I want 2 litre ones. Nothing fancy. Just bog standard plastic ones.

MrsTinks

Tesco and Asda? Best way of buying exactly the same size ones if you get from the value ranges...

skysky69

My mother in law stopped to get me some storage containers from Tescos the other day and she bought the value ones. I must say I am very impressed with them. They were in packs of three - cheap as chips as well.

tr3mor

Dunno about 2l ones, but you can get takeaway tubs for single portions from Chinese/Indian supermarkets.