Labeling food in freezer?

katiepants

How do other people identify frozen meals in their freezers?

I love my slow cooker and like to freeze surplus portions ready for a quick and easy tea. However I've found once frozen, they look identical. Is it chilli? Bolognese? Casserole? BBQ chicken? I can never tell!

I don't think marker pen will work on the plastic, and even if it did, I might not re-use that tub for the same meal.

How does everyone else do it?

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

[Deleted User]

I write on a piece of masking tape and stick it on the container. I keep a list of the freezer contents in a cupboard so that I don't have to rummage in the freezer unnecessarily.

C_J

I use a Sharpie marker on the lids of plastic freezer boxes (we don't tend to have takeaways, so I've bought a stack of the 8-for-a-pound ones). Although the marker stays on very well in the freezer, I can still scrub it off okay in hot soapy water to re-use it next time.

I keep a written inventory of what's in the freezers and now always look at that first when deciding on the following week's menus and shopping lists. This has really worked for me - previously I ended up with a freezer stuffed full of stuff which I always meant to use but never did. Now the extra portions of things get used up within a couple of weeks and stock rotation is far better.

purpleybat

i have the sticky labels I use for when I'm making preserves. they stay on in the freezer and wash off easily.
I do admit tho I have plenty of ufos in the freezer, but I don't mind chilli shepherds pie and stuff like that.
I do remember thinking a small pot of kulfi was a sauce tho, luckily I didn't pour it on the chicken I had planned to

MallyGirl

jack_pott wrote: »

I write on a piece of masking tape and stick it on the container. I keep a list of the freezer contents in a cupboard so that I don't have to rummage in the freezer unnecessarily.

I also use masking tape as it is easy to write on, but I do put a layer of sellotape over the top as that has better sticking power.
I also have a list which is in excel but gets printed out and scribbled on till it is too much of a mess and then I update the electronic master and reprint.

pigpen

freezer surprise!!!!!!!!

I once got a tub of frozen bananas thinking it was chicken fillets.. they are surprisingly similar through a plastic tub.. and I've had bacon casserole because it looked like pork lol...

[Deleted User]

C_J wrote: »

I use a Sharpie marker on the lids of plastic freezer boxes

I started using a marker pen, but I quit because it was leaving a permanent stain on the boxes.

LameWolf

Sticky labels. And a spreadsheet detailing what is in which drawer, how much of it, and what size/type of box/bag it is in.

Pollycat

katiepants wrote: »

How do other people identify frozen meals in their freezers?

I love my slow cooker and like to freeze surplus portions ready for a quick and easy tea. However I've found once frozen, they look identical. Is it chilli? Bolognese? Casserole? BBQ chicken? I can never tell!

I don't think marker pen will work on the plastic, and even if it did, I might not re-use that tub for the same meal.

How does everyone else do it?

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

I use plastic boxes (from takeaways) for my batch meals but when they are frozen, I take them out and bag them and label the bag with date and item, using an indelible marker from Wilko.

Thee containers can then be washed ready to be used again.
and it saves on space if your containers are not full to the brim.

PipneyJane

We use regular sticky labels, the sort that you put on envelopes. My husband took part in several postal delivery surveys for Royal Mail and we have dozens of partially used sheets of labels as a result. (He got paid in stamps.) I have never had an issue with the labels falling off in the freezer. Being frugal, I only use part of a label each time.


I write on the labels using either a regular BIC biro or a permanent marker - whichever comes to hand first - and I haven't found a difference in "survival rates". Both are legible for months. (NB: The permanent marker gets used for writing on freezer bags and they both live in the cupboard together.)


Edited to add: I always write the date on my labels. No further admin needed.

Wednesday2000

I am really bad for putting half boxes of takeaway curry in the freezer and forgetting what is in what box.:D