empty freezer and keep it junk free?

crockpot

Hi

Got a new fridge/freezer coming next week, old one has had it. Its not big, had to fit under a wall cupboard.

So here is the plan.

Keep healthy food only- out with processed food

Not too many leftovers that I don't even remember what they are.

Make sure nothing is old, need to stop hoarding stuff.

Trying to empty the old one and have a box of ? For tea tonight!

How do you organise your freezer?
what are the must haves? Ie storecupboard things but frozen.

I have fallen off the o/s wagon and need to get back on.

Have already put this weeks grocery money in a separate purse and plan to join May grocery challenge.

Need to try and meal plan too.

Help, please

BitterAndTwisted

Anything home-made, left-overs or not, MUST be labelled. Anything not labelled is just junk, hoarding space and you're just delaying its journey to the bin.

I'd love a freezer so I could batch-cook. I do batch-cook but have to keep things in the fridge and I get bored usually before I use anything up.

Pink.

Hi crockpot,

These threads have lots of advice and ideas that may help:

Are you a FLOP? Who has the most organised freezer?

OS help to fill my chest freezer please?

Cooking for the Freezer..

Freezer containers (merged threads)

I'll add your thread to the first link once you've had more replies as it helps to keep the advice together.

Pink

maman

I keep an inventory (sounds very posh but it's only a list stuck to side of microwave) of everything in my freezers. The list is is separated into Fish, Meat, Ready Meals (almost all HM), Vegetables and Other (like bread, ice cream etc). I label everything. The easiest way is to stick a piece of masking tape on the package and write on that.

I 'shop' from my freezer when I do my meal plan/shopping list each week so only buy what I need. The meats, especially, I buy large packs and split them into portion sizes or reduced stuff when possible. I always have portions of easy HM ready meals like chilli, curry and bolognese in the freezer so that I'm not tempted by take-aways. I batch cook these when the stock is running low.

I do freeze left-overs but not excessively as I don't tend to have too many. A few single portions of meals are a good idea for when DH or I are 'home alone'.

I cross things out as I use them and then rewrite the list when it looks a mess. Personally I prefer this as it concentrates my mind but others use a wipe off board.

HTH, need to say that it's almost always just two that I'm catering for. Obviously more complex for a family.

zippychick

In addition to Pinks links, this thread may also help- I've fallen off the OS wagon

Zip