Today I had to venture out to the grocery store to get us some more things that were on my list that I did not find at Walmart the other day when went and to also pick up some things for some more older relatives so they wouldn't have to get out.
I got back home and began to repackage and prep some things and got to thinking that I could share the process with ya'll that I use to put things in my freezer.
We always buy our meat in bulk or stock up when they run sales like .99 lb for chicken or hamburger meat. Granted, we also have ground deer from our hunting season. When they run these kinds of sales, I will go and buy around 20 to 40 lbs at a time. Kroger runs very good sales and it costs nothing to get their member card. It is free and no annual membership. Member with the card gets better sales than with out the card. I will bring this meat home and repackage it into meals for three of us, then put it in vacuum seal bags so it doesn't get freezer burnt. This really stretches your meals out and it saves a ton of money. One big chicken breasts can be cut in half lengthwise and make two fillets. Again, a big savings. If you go every time they have a sale on their meat and pick up several packages, you can fill your freezer in no time. You don't have to spend more money all at one time buying in bulk.
I will buy bags of potatoes when they go on sale and come home and cut them up into french fries, scallop shape, or cubes and partially cook them and put in ziploc freezer bags for meals and then put in freezer to have on hand anytime. This saves more money than buying prepared bags of ff or that sort. I just grab a bag and let them defrost and then fry them up or bake them. Sometimes I will cube them up and can them.
We buy beans in bulk when they go on sale and I can those and put in our pantry. I buy bulk things like beans and onions because I have tried to grow them before but haven't had much success for all the labor that I put into them. If I can't grow them, then I will buy them in bulk and can them. I did some carrots one time too when they were on sale for .99 a bag. I've never had any luck growing carrots either.
One year we did grow potatoes and put so much labor into them and had a good year. Then next, not so good. So I just decided it was better to just buy potatoes when they were on sale and put them up that way. It worked perfect and I could use that garden space for something else that I grow really well.
I will buy blocks of cheeses when they go on sale and stock up. I will shred them up and repackage them into 1 cup portions and put them in ziploc bags and put in freezer. We make alot of homemade pizzas and we go through alot of cheese.
I do onions the same way. I tried to grow onions too to no avail. So I will buy them by the bags and run them through the food processor and repackage them into 1 cup portions and vacuum seal them and put them into freezer.
Basically, if you catch things when they go on sale, repackage them, and freeze them, you will have a freezer full in no time and will save more money.
People do not know alot of these tricks and wind up spending more money. This is how manufactures make their money is doing all the prep work for you and packaging it and charging more. Another example, I will buy a whole pineapple and bring it home and cut it up myself and put it in a bowl and save more money than spending more at the store for pineapple that is already cut up and put in plastic containers and jacked the price up by $2 or $3.
I have thought about making pizza dough and bread dough and freezing it to have on hand and just pull out of the freezer to thaw and be faster. Tips like these save time. It's called food prep. Yes, you will have to set aside some time to do this prep, but in the long run it makes meal time faster if you are in a hurry or getting off work late and everyone still has to eat.
We just have to play it smart and shop wisely and get creative.
I hope some of these tips have helped you today.
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