My love affair with my Foodsaver started over five years ago. My parents upgraded and gave me their first Foodsaver. It had a few cracks in it and was a little worn, but worked just great. Then last year I decided to splurge and buy a new model because having a big game hunter husband and being a new contributor to Once A Month Mom, I just knew I would use it! And use it I do!! I have the Foodsaver V3835. I bought it at Costco, because it was about $50 cheaper than Bed Bath and Beyond even with my 20% off discount coupon! This model does it all. It has two vacuum speeds, a marinade mode, a marinating canister, a moist mode for wet items like sauces and soups, and a gentle mode for baked goods. Here are some of the most frequent questions I get asked about my Foodsaver:
What types of foods can you freeze with the Foodsaver?
A good rule of thumb is anything you can freeze in a freezer bag can be frozen with your Foodsaver and last longer! Repackaging store bought meats is key to lasting longer as we’ve mentioned in our Get Started Series. And while those are great tips, the Foodsaver can take some of those meats a step further by removing all extra air and creating a solid seal to prevent freezer burn. You can also freeze: full meals, soups, stews, fish, coffee beans, pantry items, vegetables, fruits, and baked goods.
Does the Foodsaver help make food last longer?
YES! They have wonderful information on their website showing you ordinary storage vs the Foodsaver storage. And as you can see it’s a large difference. I typically use our Foodsaver on items I know I won’t be using within a few weeks. However, I packaged my husband’s 75 pounds of elk meat this year with no problems because I know we’ll be stretching that meat out over the next year. The Foodsaver bag rolls are available at Costco for reasonable prices and you can find them online. I’ve also had great luck with a few of the off-brand rolls such as Cabela’s.
Are the bags pre-size or can I make my own size?
BOTH! You can buy already sized bags or the rolls to make your own. I prefer the rolls because I never know just how much space I will really need.
Are the bags reusable?
Not necessarily but yes. I like to reuse the bags I have for my fruits, vegetables, and baked goods. I leave the bags a little longer so I can re-seal a few times before I have to throw them out.
Can you use the Foodsaver for a Once A Month Meals cooking day?
YES! I like to use my Foodsaver on my big cooking days for the baked goods, smaller portioned items, or my slow cooker recipes. I will go through the recipe cards and see what I can do and then I’ll pre-cut and seal a few bags and write the meal on the bag and use them throughout the cooking day or at the end when I’m ready to do my big label and store assembly line. While you do not have to run out and buy a Foodsaver today in order to do a Once A Month Meals cooking day, it certainly couldn’t hurt to have it on your wish list. I believe this system saves me money on freezing containers, money on wasted or freezer burnt food, and especially time!
Do you have a Foodsaver? What is your favorite feature?
Disclosure: Foodsaver did not provide me with any products or compensation for this post. The system is mine personally and I was not solicited to do a review. All the opinions in this post are mine, want to know more about how I facilitate reviews, view my full disclosure policy! **Affliate links are in this post**
6 Comments
Join the discussionI do have a food saver and love it dearly. Have been using it for three years now and amazed at the savings just not having to throw out food. So simple to use and the vacuum pack is good for home made preserves and canning as well!!
Do you have to buy special bags just for the freezer? Or, is it just one kind of bag for all purposes?
Just the regular bags work fine!
I just bought a food saver a few months ago and it was the best investment ever! I’ve saved hundreds of dollars in groceries already! I cant wait to learn how meal prep more meals so it’s less cooking for me.
I am having trouble finding an answer about my fresh pintos that have been shelled. How do I freeze them. Thanks for helping.
Drain and rinse the beans, then place in whatever container you are going to use and cover with water.