Lorinne Anderson wrote:***warning, not necessarily "true" permie friendly!
Laurel,
I too am a batch cooker, with my life it is the only option. Like you, I freeze things individually, by portion and ingredient so things are easily mixed and matched to create a multitude of finished products. I too tried the multiple versions of glass storage containers and silicone reuseable bags but as you found, they seem to all have plastic lids and/or did NOT like the freezer or traveling. They chipped, cracked, leaked or otherwise failed in the freezer to table journey and I would find us slipping back into the blasted disposable zip locks, plastic film, single use plastics, and the worst - prepackaged frozen meals. So I compromised.
Yes, they are plastic, but, I have been using them for a year now without a single failure. I bought three bulk kits and a bunch of smaller kits (about $200 in all) - something that would not have been affordable in any glass option for the quantities I require. ALL the other containers went to thrift, every blasted one, so NO MORE SEARCHING FOR LIDS!!!
After much research and thought about what I disliked MOST about the 'mish mash' of plastic containers/lids filling over three cabinets I chose the Rubbermaid line of Easy Find Lids ( https://www.rubbermaid.com/easy-find-lids.html ). Not only are they quite economical when bought in kits, SOMEONE finally cracked the storage issue of 'food storage' containers; they come in three basic sizes for EACH size of lid, GENIUS!!! Now one lid fits three containers with the same dimensions, just different volumes (they get taller), all three of each size stack together perfectly, and the lids (if you choose) snap to the bottom of the container. Last, but not least, the mid size one comes with a VENTED lid for use in the microwave, pop the center vent and go from freezer to table without ever messing with a frozen container. I get it, neither microwave use or plastic use of any sort is ideal, or permie. At times one must compromise for the sake of family harmony and the reality of the world many of us live in.
For liquids, rice, cooked ground meat etc. I put directly into the containers; other items like cooked chicken parts are frozen on a metal sheet, then transferred to containers. I am never happier then when my 21 cu ft "meal ready"/upright freezer is packed full!
Most offices/workplaces do not offer any option for reheating food that is NOT a microwave, sad but true. In this instance, my choice was for healthy, home cooked food over packaged crap and horrific waste; a compromise that may not suit everyone, but I prefer to focus on the benefits rather than beat myself up for not being perfect - part way is better than no way.
https://www.rubbermaid.com/easy-find-lids.html
john mcginnis wrote:
jeff Swart wrote:
I am, however, rather disgusted with the canning jar rings and lids available over the past decade or so - they rust almost immediately and then become difficult to use - been meaning to write the companies about that e.g., Ball - danged obsolesce engineering
Cheers
If rusty rings are a turn off, go stainless steel. Gosh even Walmart (cough, cough) have them. They are pricey, but considering they are reusable if care is taken, the cost would not be that bad over a lifetime.
Skandi Rogers wrote:
I have a couple of wax wraps but I really don't find much use for them, they can't be used with anything that actually is "dirty" since they cannot be cleaned properly, (cold water is not considered proper cleaning by the dishwasher in this house) and cannot go in the freezer. they get wrapped round bread and sometimes over one of the larger mixing bowls.
jeff Swart wrote: I like the stainless idea, and, by the way, as an alternative to Walmart & Amazon I just came across them at True Leaf Market - True Leaf Market
and at the 12 pack rate they're cheaper than one's I saw at Walmart!!!
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Lorinne Anderson: Specializing in sick, injured, orphaned and problem wildlife for over 20 years.
Lorinne Anderson: Specializing in sick, injured, orphaned and problem wildlife for over 20 years.
Edward Norton wrote:... so replaced them with glass containers and now I don’t even have a microwave.
What do you use?
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Missy Hall wrote:I've read through this thread and haven't found much about freezing meat without plastic bags or plastic-coated butcher paper. I live in a rural desert area and try to limit my trips to town to twice a month, so those are grocery stock up days. I've used butcher paper for years, but it's plastic coated and single use. Ziplock bags would be a step forward since they can be reused. Does anyone have a better solution that will keep frozen meat safely and without freezer burn?
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Carla Burke wrote:My question to those who use their cooking vessels for storage, what do you do when you've already had a meal or two, and there's still some left, but you want something else, for the next meal, but your pot/pan is in the fridge with not enough leftovers for everyone, but too much to waste/ compost? I can almost always find use for small amounts of leftovers, but often Move them to the freezer, until I've collected enough to do anything with. After a second meal of a particular item, I'm ready to move on to something else for a few meals, before revisiting those leftovers, yet again. Life happens, and sometimes (especially with livestock or large families, emergency room visits, escaped livestock, etc) it can interrupt a meal...
Missy Hall wrote:I've read through this thread and haven't found much about freezing meat without plastic bags or plastic-coated butcher paper. I live in a rural desert area and try to limit my trips to town to twice a month, so those are grocery stock up days. I've used butcher paper for years, but it's plastic coated and single use. Ziplock bags would be a step forward since they can be reused. Does anyone have a better solution that will keep frozen meat safely and without freezer burn?
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Skandi Rogers wrote:I see a lot of over thinking here, leftovers go in the fridge in the saucepan they were cooked in with the lid on, if that is to big to fit then they go in in a bowl with a plate over the top.
john mcginnis wrote:Same as a lot of people have mentioned:
* Overnights stay in the container they were cooked in.
* Soup left overs from the crockpot go into canning jars.
* hard cheeses we portion and dip in wax.
The one I have not heard mentioned is the use of silicone bags. Yes they are a bit pricey. But we have yet to lose one and some of them are approaching 10 years of use. We buy meats in bulk and portion them out into the bags. Can go from freezer to boiling water if that is a need. We don't have a need for 1 use plastic anymore with these around.
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Rachel Royce wrote:Where do those amazing glass jars with glass lids come from?
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