cooking

Works For Me Wednesday: Containers For Freezing

Posted by tricia on 08.26.09 | 15 Comments Short Link: http://onceamonthmom.com/?p=3290  Print This Post

I get a lot of questions about freezer containers. A. LOT. So here is a simple guide to choosing freezer containers when you are making freezer meals.

Gallon/Quart Zippered Freezer Bags

I use these most often for items that will be thawed in the refrigerator first, and then cooked. You DO NOT want to skimp on cheep freezer bags. I have passed by the ones at the dollar stores and deep discount stores because of the quality (I have gotten them and tried them). They just are not as thick and thus I don’t believe that they will maintain the freshness of your foods for as long. I am freezing food and I want it to be able to stay good for as long as possible.

When freezing items in freezer bags you may want to make sure that the contents are laying completely flat when you place them in the freezer. I have even used cake pans before to make sure that they freeze flat. Remember, whatever form they freeze in is how they will stay!

Leave 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch headspace (the space between the food and the zipper or top of container). Foods expand as they freeze and you don’t want the bag to burst or to leak.

I use zippered freezer bags most often for: sandwiches, quesadillas, muffins, vegetables, soups, items that will go in the crock pot to cook, and meats.

Disposable Plastic Containers

These are perfectly fine to use as well. I usually use less of these because they are a higher cost to purchase than the zippered freezer bags. However, they can be reused again and again which makes them a better environmental choice. And if you can happen to get enough use out of them they are less expensive than zippered bags.

I tend to use these containers for soups and items that are “difficult” for me to bag in zippered bags. I also use these containers if I think that it is an item that my husband (or in your case, children or self) might take to work or school and heat up. This makes it easier for them and for you because it doesn’t have to be repackaged.

If you can get your family members and your cooking partner to return these to you, they are a very good option. Again, if using these types of containers you will want to leave 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch headspace for food expansion.

I use disposable plastic containers most often for: soups, individual lunch items.

Throw-Away Foil Pans

I know this is not the most environmentally friendly method, but it is simple and easy on assembly and clean up. I also prefer these types of pans because they make it easy to take food to others in need. I don’t ever have to worry about getting my pans back.

I typically put 8×8 pans or Deep Dish 8×8 pans on my recipe lists. I usually can find both at either the Dollar Store or Xmas Tree Shops. I have also used the Deep Dish 7×11 pans when I can’t find Deep Dish 8×8 pans. I recently found these great round pans at the Dollar Store that come with cardboard lids. They make for a fantastic OAMM pans because I don’t have to worry about covering the pan with foil or stacking my pans on top of one another.

Some have indicated to me that they don’t like the cost of this method. I don’t understand that as I usually get three of them for $1. That seems pretty cheap to me considering that I am not using foil to line the pan or water (or my time) to clean the pans. However, I can find them cheap. If you do not live near one of these great discount stores you can consider ordering them in bulk. If you do once a month cooking (OAMC) often enough you will eventually use all of them up.

When you have completed the dish I always cover the foil pan with a double layer of aluminum foil. This helps seal in the meal and prevent leaks as well as prevent freezer burn. If I have baked a bread or made an item in a loaf pan I will cover it with foil and occasionally also put it in a zippered freezer bag. This isn’t necessary but will only help keep freezer burn away. I write the instructions on top or stick on one of the handy-dandy OAMM labels.

I use disposable foil pans for the following types of items: casseroles, dishes that I don’t want to have to thaw before placing in the oven, dishes that might end up going to a friend in need, breads.

Personal Bake Pans

There are many that use personal baking dishes. Some have enough to freeze all of their meals, others do not. I have heard of readers scouring garage sales and thrift stores to find pans that are the right size and reusable. You can freeze your dish in the dish that you are planning to use or you can line your pans with foil to freeze them. You just need to make sure that the pan you “formed” the meal to will be available when you are ready to cook your meal. If you are freezing food in glass baking pans just make sure that you slowly thaw out the dish and don’t place the frozen dish directly into the oven. You may end up with a shattered mess.

Additional Resources:

• Flash Freezing
• Allowing Proper Headspace
• Containers for Freezing
• Ordering Bulk Foil Pans:
  • 8 x 8 pans
  • Deep Dish 8 x 8
  • Loaf Pan
• Food Storage Lengths

For more great Works For Me Wednesday ideas visit We Are THAT Family.

Related Posts:

• Create Your Own Menu (Part 8): Creating Instructions
• Create Your Own Menu (Part 7): Creating a Grocery List
• Create Your Own Menu (Part 6): Evaluating Quantity

46 Other Comments

15 Responses to “Works For Me Wednesday: Containers For Freezing”

1. Deeanna says:

   August 26, 2009 at 10:41 am

   Is there a website you could recommend for buying foil pans in bulk? The cheapest I have found around my area is 2 for $3. May not sound like much but it does add up.

   Reply
   • tricia says:

     August 26, 2009 at 11:08 am

     There are a few links at the bottom for ordering them in bulk at the bottom of the post.

     Reply   More from author
2. Jessica says:

   August 26, 2009 at 11:34 am

   Great tips. I need to be better about making and freezing meals. I know it would save time in the long run, but it’s hard to find the time to make that many meals at once.

   Reply   More from author
3. Larissa says:

   August 26, 2009 at 12:09 pm

   Another tip is if you want to freeze a casserole that really needs more assembly before cooking. For example, I freeze RoTel chicken, but like to be able to put fresh chips down in the baking dish before cooking. You first line the pan with foil, then plastic wrap, then put in the casserole fixings that will be frozen. Top again with foil, but only seal it to the bottom layer of foil, not the pan. Once frozen, the foil wrapped casserole can be taken from the dish and put into a large zipper freezer bag or wrapped with an extra layer of foil. When ready to use, ALL of the foil and plastic wrap is easily removed so that the chunk of frozen casserole can be placed directly on top of the chips, or just straight into the pan for prettier serving.

   Reply
4. lisa says:

   August 26, 2009 at 2:17 pm

   This was a very helpful article.
   And it brought back the memory of major accomplishment clearing out, cleaning out, and defrosting my freezer last month! (It was sweet – my 9 yr old son took over after I cleared it all out.)
   There was such FREEDOM in throwing out “unmarked” “undated” fish(?) – at least that’s what I was TOLD it was – (I never looked) – in white butcher paper that someone gave me from a rich guy who liked their daughter down south! What date did he catch it? Did it stay refrigerated? Where did he catch it? Who was he anyway?
   I figured if I couldn’t answer any of those questions I shouldn’t feel guilty about throwing it out!
   I’m happy to say I am fully acquainted with all the food that’s in my freezer now. That’s the way it should be.

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5. lisa says:

   August 26, 2009 at 2:20 pm

   one more thing…
   I have a very old upright freezer, so the way I keep track of what’s in there is…(you might be a redneck if…) writing the date and item directly on the freezer door with my kids’ washable markers or a dry erase marker!

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   • tricia says:

     August 26, 2009 at 2:42 pm

     nice tip!

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6. Elizabeth says:

   August 26, 2009 at 6:46 pm

   Thanks for the tips, we don’t have Christmas Tree Shops down here in DFW, so we have had success with the Dollartree and foil pans.

   And I just have to share…last week I cleaned out my freezer before our OAMC and was very proud of myself. But I noticed I strange odor in our garage a few days after. And finally 5 days later I identified the source…Somehow a bag of burgers from May did not make it into my ice chests/back into the freezer and was hiding behind another cabinet I have…They had sweltered in Texas heat for 5 DAYS—YUCK! Thankfully hubs took care of it for me as I am in my first trimester and could not stomach the cleanup!

   Reply
   • tricia says:

     August 26, 2009 at 8:48 pm

     Yikes. That is terrible. Glad your husband willingly cleaned that up. Don’t know if I could have stomached that not pregnant.

     Reply   More from author
7. Teresa says:

   August 26, 2009 at 8:23 pm

   I put most everything in freezer bags because they freeze flat and I have more room. Also I’ve been collecting Pyrex container with tops and freeze things in those also.
   I also wanted to brag because my college son is in an apartment and I am now the best cook in the world. I’ve sent with him a refrig. freezer full of food and his friends LOVE the food. Did I say how much they LOVE the food. All thanks to Once A Month Mom I’m a Hero.

   Reply
   • tricia says:

     August 26, 2009 at 8:56 pm

     Yay! So glad you and your family are liking the menus. Thanks for the encouragement, it definitely helps when I am putting together new menus; sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming.

     Reply   More from author
8. Kathryn says:

   August 31, 2009 at 10:47 am

   I tried the square foil pans for over a year before I decided on a different route. At 2 for $3 they were expensive throw aways, and were flimsy. I started picking up 9×9 metal baking pans at Ross or TJ Maxx, which I believe were about $3 each. I am able to cover them with plastic wrap/foil, and then slid them right into a gallon ziploc bag with no mess. I write the directions on the foil, and am able to reuse the ziploc bag and the pan many times. I don’t even wash the ziploc bag between uses, just dry it and store for the next time.

   (I took a ziploc bag in my purse and slid them in before I bought them to make sure that they fit.)

   Reply   More from author
   • Damsel says:

     August 31, 2009 at 12:44 pm

     Kathryn, I LOVE this idea!! I’ve been using some of the foil pans, and feel like they are flimsy. I’m going to keep my eye out for these (and a ziploc bag in my purse!). I don’t do OAMM, but I do tend to double and freeze recipes once or maybe twice a week, and then pull out the frozen ones a few weeks later. I think these pans would work well for me because they’d always be in rotations.

     Reply   More from author
9. Jeannie says:

   October 2, 2009 at 3:08 pm

   are you keeping the tomato based casaroles in foil pans? do they end up tasing like metal? I’m not quite ready to buy into the whole OAMC theory but would like to set aside meals for when our baby arrives this winter. Planning on stealing some ideas.

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   • tricia says:

     October 2, 2009 at 3:44 pm

     This question has come up a lot but, no, I have never had that problem. I have done it this way for several years.

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