Reusable Freezer Storage

Steve_L

Pollycat said:

Steve_L said:

PS. And marked with a spirit based marker pen.The novelty of "Freezer roulette" soon wears thin. And be mindful of possible duplications, although "BS" can safely be used for Bolognese sauce (aka Bright red Stuff) and broccoli soup (aka Beige Stuff), for example.

I use 'bol'.

Steve_L said:

-taff said:

Pollycat wrote: »

Food like bol, chilli, stews etc do pop out of these very easily if you just give them a bit of a twist.

Or turn them upside down and run under a warm tap, they'll just fall out.

Cold water works fine. It's till warmer than the frozen contents. Less energy, less cost, more MSE.

As I posted up-thread, I find the Chinese take-away containers flexible enough that I don't have to run them under water of any temperature.

Yes, if you let them defrost a bit first. But when they're still very cold they can be very brittle.

Pollycat

Steve_L said:

Pollycat said:

Steve_L said:

PS. And marked with a spirit based marker pen.The novelty of "Freezer roulette" soon wears thin. And be mindful of possible duplications, although "BS" can safely be used for Bolognese sauce (aka Bright red Stuff) and broccoli soup (aka Beige Stuff), for example.

I use 'bol'.

Steve_L said:

-taff said:

Pollycat wrote: »

Food like bol, chilli, stews etc do pop out of these very easily if you just give them a bit of a twist.

Or turn them upside down and run under a warm tap, they'll just fall out.

Cold water works fine. It's till warmer than the frozen contents. Less energy, less cost, more MSE.

As I posted up-thread, I find the Chinese take-away containers flexible enough that I don't have to run them under water of any temperature.

Yes, if you let them defrost a bit first. But when they're still very cold they can be very brittle.

I think I must have a different quality.

Mine are very flexible.

I did have a clear out a while ago of a different sort that were more brittle.

Bol, chilli, shepherd's pie bases, soup all pop out without any problem without the need to run water over them.

ToastLady

Pollycat, think that you have the thicker, more flexible type. I used to have them, but stupidly gave them to my daughter. They didn't seem to wear out at all. I've given up buying the type available nowadays, as they don't seem to last any time at all.
I use butter spread containers/ice cream containers, which I've had forever, and ziplock bags, which can be washed and re-used for a good while. For pizza bases, I roll out and separate with baking paper, which is re-used and into a ziplock bag. Small amounts of tomato sauce for pizza / pesto or similar are frozen in silicone cup cases/ice cube trays and then into a ziplock bag.
Much as I've love to do away with plastic in the freezer, there is no lightweight suitable alternative. So in my mind, it's better to use plastic that can be re-used time and time again. 
When the ziplock bags get past their best and have a split or tear, they are used to line small "bins" otherwise known as 1kg yoghurt pots for coffee grinds and other compostable rubbish in the kitchen, to save the containers getting too messy, and last a good while for their second purpose.

Pollycat

ToastLady said:

Pollycat, think that you have the thicker, more flexible type. I used to have them, but stupidly gave them to my daughter. They didn't seem to wear out at all. I've given up buying the type available nowadays, as they don't seem to last any time at all.
I use butter spread containers/ice cream containers, which I've had forever, and ziplock bags, which can be washed and re-used for a good while. For pizza bases, I roll out and separate with baking paper, which is re-used and into a ziplock bag. Small amounts of tomato sauce for pizza / pesto or similar are frozen in silicone cup cases/ice cube trays and then into a ziplock bag.
Much as I've love to do away with plastic in the freezer, there is no lightweight suitable alternative. So in my mind, it's better to use plastic that can be re-used time and time again. 
When the ziplock bags get past their best and have a split or tear, they are used to line small "bins" otherwise known as 1kg yoghurt pots for coffee grinds and other compostable rubbish in the kitchen, to save the containers getting too messy, and last a good while for their second purpose.

In the absence of anything else to do, I've just cleared out my little cupboard with all my containers in.

I definitely did have 2 different qualities, one much more flexible than the other.

I've checked all the lids fit and washed the containers and lids I'm keeping.

I've put the ones I don't want in a bag and I'll pass them onto my sister's friend as she's recently discovered batch cooking.

PositiveBalance

I have bought some silicone food bags as a replacement for Ziplock bags and I have found them to be great!

I have yet to have any problems with stains or smells but the beauty of them is that as they are silicone you can wash them at really high temperatures or put them in the dishwasher (if you have one) to eliminate stains/odours if necessary.

Using any spare tubs or jars is very environmentally friendly so it's great to use them until they can't be used any more but if plastic reduction is your aim, these could be the products for you.

Katiehound

I've got the Chinese take-away type of boxes but they do seem quite fragile- especially if dropped on a tiled floor when frozen! The other thing is they come in just slightly different sizes so the lids aren't interchangeable.

 Putting off the evil moment of sorting the 'box cupboard!!'

I'm afraid I'm still using thin poly bags but they get reused as poo bags!! As I'm on my own I freeze portions of chicken and salmon individually and then stack them in the ye olde square icecream/margarine tubs that have been going since time began! That stops food dropping between the basket wires.

Pollycat

Katiehound said:

I've got the Chinese take-away type of boxes but they do seem quite fragile- especially if dropped on a tiled floor when frozen! The other thing is they come in just slightly different sizes so the lids aren't interchangeable.

 Putting off the evil moment of sorting the 'box cupboard!!'

I'm afraid I'm still using thin poly bags but they get reused as poo bags!! As I'm on my own I freeze portions of chicken and salmon individually and then stack them in the ye olde square icecream/margarine tubs that have been going since time began! That stops food dropping between the basket wires.

Exactly!

That's why I've had a good clear out.

Now I know that when I reach for a lid, it will fit.

Go on, Katie - bite the bullet.