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

Churchmouse

Hi skintchick!

That's even smaller than my freezer, but mine did have to accommodate 6 people until very recently:D

You'll fit more in with stackable containers of the same size. No round or odd shaped ones that cause wasted space. If you like to freeze portions of chili, curry, bolognaise etc then either use a stack of small containers (like takeaway ones) or else line a suitable container or two with plastic or foil, freeze your portion and then remove from the container, which can be used again. Label your*bricks* and you'll find they fit in well.

If you like to keep a stock of frozen veg, eg peas, these again will take less room stacked in a plastic container, rather than being shoved in higgledy-piggledy.

All the shops sell suitable containers, from the pound shops all the way up to Lakeland and John Lewis. I think you really need to prioritise what you keep in your freezer now.

Because mine is small, I only keep 1 pint of frozen milk for emergencies, and half a HM loaf ( don't really like the taste of frozen bread, but it's better than nothing)

The other thing with a small freezer is keep an inventory of what's in there. You'll soon see what you use most of, and what sits there taking up space that could be better used for something else.

I expect someone will come along soon with much better ideas, but I've given you a start:D

EssexHebridean

I agree with Churchmouse about the takeaway containers being ideal for freezing stuff in - my freezer is slightly bigger than yours at three shelves but can still be a struggle to fit everything I want into it, not least because I have a habit of freezing random leftovers!! I have mind divided up so the top section is full of boxes - batch cooked stuff, breadcrumbs, croutons for salads (both those from the end of HM loaves) HM tomato sauces ready for making bolognese, chilli or whatever, frozen fresh soft fruit, frozen mash (I usually cook double amounts and freeze half). The second section is meat, things like garlic bread (if the twin packs are on BOGOF I buy the two and freeze them), fish, basically the "subject" of meals from scratch. Finally the bottom - frozen veg (I loose freeze mine then tip into freezer bags as I find that this way they take up less space), a couple of those gel packs for the bottom of the cold box, sandwich meats. I think the first step is to analyse what is essential to you to have in there, then work out for your particular freezer the best way of storing that.

lindseykim13

Hi there, i use the takeaway containers and i have also started buying smart price tinned veg instead of frozen to save space for meat etc in the freezer the carrots worked out cheaper to buy tinned.

Beebop

You can get bags called "Pour and Store" which are great for casseroles and soups etc. A bit pricey but very sturdy and you can fit more of them in than tuppaware if its just the two of you. Did a ragu sauce for 4 hungry adults recently and it fitted in beautifully to a "pour and store" bag
(Have found that freezer bags work as well if money is a bit tight, but you will have to put them in another container so they freeze in some decent shape. Then when frozen, remove from container)
Other than that, it looks like you'll have to be super organised - don't use the freezer as a food "graveyard" (as many of us do!)
As a previous poster said - do an inventory of what is in there - I did one last week and so far this week I have only had to spend £5 on food ;o) I'll eat all the old stuff up now so I can fill it full of yummy things soon.....

Bargainloverbec

Has anyone got any hints or suggestions on how best to organise a freezer? I am really lucky that I have a big chest freezer in the garage, so I am trying to fill it with meals before baby arrives.

I know this sounds daft but at the moment I don't have any system of knowing what is in there, or where certain things are. Plus DH keeps putting unlabelled boxes and bags in so who knows what may be lurking!

Any assistance gratefully received - I need to get this sorted before bump gets too big for me to reach in!

delain

i have got a chest freezer and its organised (and full, so saving energy!) with bread etc at the top, then the healthier stuff, and chips etc at the bottom

LameWolf

We have a fridge freezer, the freezer part of which has a flat tray at the top, three full-sixed drawers, and a half-size drawer at the bottom. The tray is used for open freezing fruit when needed, and has a permanent supply of lemon slices in it for my tea (I don't like milk in tea).

Drawer 1 currently contains a bag of bere flour I bought when visiting Orkney, some extra strong flour for making pasta (these are kept there as they are "occasional use" and freezing stops them getting crawly things in before I can use them) also a loaf of sliced wholemeal bread, a HM nut loaf cut in portions and 3 blocks of cheese,

Drawer 2 contains a good supply of vege mince, vege sausages, bacon style rashers, vege hot dogs, and a bag of frozen peas. There's usually pizza dough there as well, but we're out of that just now, til I make some more.

Drawer 3 is taken up with frozen fruit of various sorts, including a few blackberries left from last year which are earmarked for "use soon". It also currently contains a box with the remains of a HM loaf that didn't quite work (my old BM died in action) to be used up at a later point in HM soup.

The bottom half-drawer is for sundries - HM ice cream, small pots of frozen home grown herbs, and anything else that won't fit into its proper place just now. That's also where the battery-operated ice-cream maker goes when I make ice cream.

Stephen_Leak

OK, I have an Excel spreadsheet, with the contents of the freezer, their approx. weights or number of portions, and even arranged in their approx. location in the freezer as well.

buxtonrabbitgreen

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

OK, I have an Excel spreadsheet, with the contents of the freezer, their approx. weights or number of portions, and even arranged in their approx. location in the freezer as well.

Are you serious?????
I know all the vegetarian stuff is in it's own freezer but that's about it. I have quite a lot of UFO's in my freezers

moodydonkey

Stephen_Leak wrote: »

OK, I have an Excel spreadsheet, with the contents of the freezer, their approx. weights or number of portions, and even arranged in their approx. location in the freezer as well.

buxtonrabbitgreen wrote: »

Are you serious?????
I know all the vegetarian stuff is in it's own freezer but that's about it. I have quite a lot of UFO's in my freezers

I thought I was doing well bagging up leftovers and throwing them in!

My freezer is one giant UFO, I thought I was being MSE by sticking stuff in it but I have no idea what most things are, probably leftovers that the girls wouldn't eat in the first place so I can honestly say my freezer is full up of things that are unidentifiable and my children won't eat.

Stephen probably has a tracking device that follows food from freezer to sewer!

I clearly have a lot to learn, not just with freezers! My stocks of approved food stuff could keep note takers and spread sheet experts happy for ages :rotfl: