How do you package things for the freezer?

[angielee]

Im excited about getting our new freezer this week! I'm not sure what things to put into freezer bags and what would be ok in its original package. I put meat into freezer bags. I have things like cheese and bologna , cream cheese, In original packages.

[amerline]

If you are going to defrost and eat the whole package of bologna then keep it in its packaging. You may want to pack smaller portions into smaller bags for easier access to single portions if you don't want to defrost whole packages.

Fresh meet needs to be repackaged. Veggies and fruits need to be washed and chopped and put in freezer bags. Butter will be fine in its original packaging.

Also, I freeze leftovers, but I don't put them hot into the freezer bags. I freeze first, in something else, then put in freezer bags once frozen.

[angielee]

I freeze first, in something else, then put in freezer bags once frozen.

Why would you do that, Im curious?

[amerline]

Because hot food should not touch plastic bags and because I want the food to retain its original shape, or at least not take on the shape of the bag. This is particularly important for freezing soup. I don't want frozen soup that is square. It makes it really hard to get out of the bag and even harder to put in a bowl and microwave. So I freeze soup or stew in extra large muffin tins then pop it out and put in freezer bags.

[too-old-now]

I understand about taking the preferred shape - we do this with homemade applesauce.

I don't really understand the part about "hot food should not touch plastic bags"

[amerline]

I understand about taking the preferred shape - we do this with homemade applesauce.

I don't really understand the part about "hot food should not touch plastic bags"

Unless the plastic has been labeled "microwave safe" I would not let it touch any hot food because some of the plastic can leach into the food. Most of the information out there on this topic is specifically about using things in the microwave and not about repackaging leftovers. There is also a lot of incorrect information going around.

The best unbiased info I could find today was here:

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/602_plastic.html

It says not to believe the hype that any food that touches plastic can harm you, but it also says not to use anything in the microwave unless it has been labeled "microwave safe." I'm just extending this advice to anything used to package hot food.

[6months]

I don't mind having bags of square liquids.
I let everything cool down, then bag chili, soup, chicken stock, etc and lay them flat on a cookie sheet. They stack in the freezer like that. When I get ready to thaw, I just cut the top off the bag and they slide right out.

[TheWoman]

If you freeze food on a cookie sheet before putting it in the bags it is easy to take out a little bit without thawing the whole bag. However, it is also more prone to freezer burn that way, so only do it for things you will use within a couple of months.

As for things in their origional packages--the more layers between the food and the freezer the better. I put my butter in ziploc bags (still in the boxes). It keeps a bit better that way and the bags don't get dirty so I can reuse them over and over for stuff like that--so it doesn't really cost much to do. I would do that with any meat or cheese also.

[cutenirish]

enjoy the freezer!

[crownline266]

I actually got an email from my aunt about cancer caused by plastics. I don't remember everything it warned against, but some of the things was freezing water bottles, heating food in the microwave in plastic bowls, and heating plastic wrap also. I've heard this vaguely before but my aunt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer a few months ago so this hit home.

That being said, I've always repackaged like hamburger in those Glad reuseable containers or plastic baggies in one pound increments. If I get a package of porkchops or a roast, I just leave it in it's wrapping. Is that bad? Any leftovers go into plastic, but I guess I will have to rethink that.