Portion Control

likitisplit

We use quart/pint/half pint jars all the time for fridge food storage. I tend to make meals that are good for 4 days without freezing. Freezing meals does not seem to ever work in our life. My freezer is packed with raw meat and frozen veg. I will preproportion some meat,wrap in wax paper and dump back in a Kroger bag. We use our meat so rapidly it has no time to freezer burn.

I got the book "Fix, Freeze and Feast." Even though I only like a couple of the recipes, I've applied to techniques to some of our favorites. It's been a lifesaver. I make a batch of six or so meals on Sunday and freeze them. There are several selections in the freezer now, so I take out a bag each morning to defrost in the fridge and then heat it in the evening. I'm able to use fresher ingredient and nothing goes to waste - and it saves so much time.

It takes as much time and dirties as many dishes to make one batch of red sauce as it does to make 10. I'm using the gigantic cans, so there's less in the recycling container. I use the ENTIRE clove of garlic, so it gets used the day I buy it and I chop it and the onion in my mini-chopper, so it takes seconds. Yesterday, I pulled out a bag of red sauce and meatballs. They simmered together as I made the pasta. Voila! Homemade spaghetti and meatballs with all the effort of opening a box of pasta. And the portion size is exactly what our family needs, so everything was eaten that night. No storage, no spoiled food, no washing plastic ware.

Madelinec117

I have started using the sandwich bags for the individual portions, then put all the sandwich bags in one large ziploc freezer bag, which can be reused. The sandwich bags are much cheaper. I use it a lot for bananas for smoothies and cooked meats.