Freezer Tricks, Not Freezer Burn

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Mary Hunt in Tips 4 Comments

With food prices going up faster than I can get through one grocery shopping trip, it’s more important to our wallets than ever to prolong the life of our food. Unfortunately, freezing food doesn’t always guarantee a tasty preservation, so I was thrilled to read Natalie’s tip.

SHRINKING ICE CREAM. A cool tip to save your ice cream from freezer burn, especially if you buy in bulk, is to cut away the container as you scoop out your ice cream. As the level of ice cream decreases, cut the container just above what is left with scissors, secure the lid and put the ice cream back in the freezer. Placing the container upside down will also help to protect it from burn, and keeping the lid snug against the ice cream preserves the taste and saves space. Natalie, California

MOP THE TUB. For anyone who has difficulty getting on their hands and knees or stretching to scrub the bathtub and walls around it, use your kitchen mop. You get great leverage to apply pressure, without killing your knees or straining your back. Christine, Pennsylvania

KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE. My dream is to own a second home in Sweden, and to be able to purchase it without a long-term mortgage. I found a picture of the home I dream of and hung it where I will see it often during the day. This has “dreamwashed” my mind, so any time I am shopping and find a bargain on clothes, shoes, appliances, etc., I am immediately aware of my dream. Nine times out of 10 I leave the bargain alone. Not only has this added to my savings account, my home is getting less and less cluttered. I do have all the essentials anyway. Allison, Denmark

BURGER BREAD BUNS. I save the ends of my bread to use as hamburger buns. We never use a whole pack of buns before they go stale, and bread ends hold up better than the inside slices. The healthier the bread you buy, the healthier the bun. Amy, California

TAKE TWO, AND CALL ME WHEN THE STAIN’S GONE. To remove sweat stains from shirts, crush three aspirin in a baggie or napkin. Place in a shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of warm water. As you stir, the aspirin will dissolve and begin to make a paste-like substance. Spread this paste directly on the sweat stain. Let set for an hour and then launder as usual. Mary, Washington

SPEEDY RIPENING. If you need bananas for a recipe—but they aren’t quite ripe enough—you can speed up the process yourself. Take a somewhat ripe banana (bananas that are still green won’t ripen with this method) and place it in a 300 degree oven. Bake for one hour. The bananas will come out with black peels and will be extremely hot. Place them in the refrigerator to cool for a few minutes for safe handling. Use as you would a ripe banana in any recipe. Nadia, Nevada

Question: What’s your favorite tip to prolong the life of your food supply? Share your tips here. 

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Posted on March 19, 2013 by Mary Hunt in Tips 4 Comments
  • Ann

    I recently received a bill from the hospital for an ER visit. I was shocked to see that my insurance didn’t cover all the charges. I called the hospital to ask why. The respnse was deductible…so I asked how I could reduce the bill if I paid immediately.. The hospital gave me a 25% reduction for paying all at once. Before you pay a bill ask what they will allow for full payment.

  • HappyDay!

    I store all leftovers (fridge or freezer) and fresh, partially cut pieces of vegetables (such as for salads) IN GLASS. French working glasses with their colorful lids or canning/jelly jars are my favorite, and I find that greens do not get old or slimy nearly as quickly. Plus, I can see exactly what I have, and use it up. Weck jars (German) and Quattro Stagioni jars (Italian) are a couple useful brands to look into, with their wide mouths, good lids and heavy, sturdy glass. Meat goes directly into glass when it hits the house, as my father, the butcher, told me eons ago that plastic and meat make poor partners in freshness. You can even watch ground beef stay pink in glass for several days, if you don’t get to it right away. I try to buy meat from a retail case, so that it has not been in contact with the gas-generating plastic wrap. I make my own ice cream (3 cups any milk/cream, 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla and stir and heat until bubbles start to form for vanilla — my new favorite is to hold the vanilla and steep 4 bags of Earl Grey tea — cool for 2 hrs. and put in electric ice cream maker) and store it in glass, as well. Using a flat pyrex glass container makes scooping deliciously easy. I don’t store my milk and cream in glass yet, but I know that would be a great idea. I store my bread-making grains in glass jars in the freezer, and I use my mother’s canning jars from the 40′s to store all my dried fruits, dried milk, cornstarch, cornmeal, quinoa, rice, popcorn, etc., in a fun cupboard that reminds me of her sweet, depression-era ways every time I open it. GLASS is clean, pure, renewable, saves money on plastic wrap, recyclable, and beautiful.

  • http://www.facebook.com/KHolmes325 Karen Holmes

    Not understanding the ice cream thing. If you cut the container down, the lid does not fit….its too big. Am I missing something?

  • lgj

    I put a ball of wax paper on top of my ice cream and it keeps the ice cream looking/tasting very good.