Frozen Food Organization – From Freezer to Fridge
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Are you wasting food and money when your perishables go bad before you can eat them? Whether you just have a fridge with a little freezer section or multiple appliances, everyone needs an organization system to store their perishable frozen foods for a longer duration.
My Food Organization System is Born...
When I got a new counter-depth fridge, I found that I needed another freezer. So, I bought a little upright freezer to keep in my garage, just outside my kitchen. Then last year I decided to get a freezer order from a local farm company and needed another small chest freezer. I decided to keep this freezer in my storage room because I didn’t need to access it all the time. How many people are in your household will determine the size of freezer/s you will need.
Different Levels of Food organization
To explain it very simply, my chest freezer is for deep storage – items I probably won’t need for more than a month. My little upright freezer is for intermediate storage, things I want to eat before getting more from deep storage. (Sometimes these can be here more than a month too, but they’re easy to get too.) My little freezer drawer in my fridge is for more immediate use – prepared meals, opened bags of fruit or veggies. Finally, my fridge is for immediate use – although some condiments can last for months here. (I will do a more detailed post on organizing my counter-depth fridge later.)
Meal Prep Planning for Freezer Storage...
I have been trying to stay away from pre-packaged food and to eat more home-cooked meals. When you don’t have time or feel like cooking a proper meal it is nice to have something you can just grab from the freezer and heat up. Making extra when you are cooking, and then freezing the leftovers in single portion containers is a great way to build up your ready-to-eat meals. Most of these can last a couple of months in the freezer.
Food Prep for Freezer Storage...
Another way to save money is to prep your food – that is wash and cut up as if you were going to cook them immediately, and then freeze them. There are some different processes for different vegetables and fruits which I won’t get into here. If you have a garden, or like to get things on sale, this is a great way to save time and money. I like to cut up cabbage so it’s ready to use in soup or other recipes.
Guidelines for Freezer Storage...
- Use a thermometer to make sure the freezer is below zero degrees and check periodically.
- Cool food in fridge for 1-2 hours before freezing.
- Allow for some air circulation for maximum efficiency- fill freezer 3/4 full.
- Defrost manual freezers regularly.
- Label and date foods going into freezer.
- Rotate foods so the first in will be the first out.
- Keep an inventory so you can keep track of what you have and what you need to use up first. *You can download and print my free freezer inventory and laminate it to re-use.
- Wrap foods with wax paper, plastic wrap or foil before putting in a freezer bag.
- Different meats can last from 3 months to 1 year so don’t over-buy.
- If you vacuum-seal meats and other food, they may last longer than a year.
Frozen Food Organization Labels and containers...
My upright freezer came with little drawers so I didn’t need to buy any containers for it. If your upright freezer just has shelves you might want to invest in some bins. I labeled each drawer with the different categories of food – breads, fruits & vegetables, pork products, beef & other red meat products, poultry & seafood, and dairy products.
My counter-depth fridge freezer drawer came with it’s own divider too. I did add a smaller bin to the top shelf though to organize some smaller leftover items & ice packs. In my old, larger fridge I used magazine holders to divide and contain different foods by category.
Chest freezer organization...
The chest freezer came with one basket that spanned the top where I organized the frozen vegetables. Of course all the boxes from the freezer order were already labeled and I grouped them in their own categories – chicken on one side, then pork products and beef products on the right. As my red meat inventory depleted, I re-organized my veggies and berries on the right side.
For those of you who don’t have nice, same-size boxes with vacuum-sealed meats, use bins or other containers. Shop your home first to use what you have, or the dollar stores are a great place to get affordable bins. *Measure the inside of your freezer first so you know what sizes of containers or bins you need.
A great idea I came across while researching for this article, was to use the new waste cans from IKEA. They have hinged lids and a handle. They can also be stacked so the ones on the bottom can also be reached easily. Another idea is to use stacking recycling bins with handles.
What tips do you have for organizing a freezer?
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