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Household Hacks & Kitchen · Jul 27, 2022 edition

Freezer Meal-Prep Basics for Busy Weeks

From the Genius House Hacks archive.

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Make a meal plan, then designate a day of the week, like a Sunday afternoon (or a weekday night to skip the grocery store crowds), to do a bunch of bulk cooking. Put a few dishes in the refrigerator to easily reheat for dinner, and freeze a few others for later in the week. Casseroles and other simple recipes freeze well and reheat in no time, so you can skip the expense of fast food.

Know How Long Food Keeps

In general, frozen foods keep for about 1 to 3 months in the freezer. Before adding more food, take a look at what's already in there — clean it out, organize it, and toss anything too old.

Rotate Older Meals Forward

Rotate older meals to the front of your freezer so you'll use them first.

Use the Right Containers

To help prevent freezer burn and oxidation, use packaging that's durable, water-proof, leak-proof, and resistant to low temperatures — disposable foil pans covered with plastic wrap and then foil, or quality 'freezer' resealable bags (doubled up to help prevent leaks), work well.

Remove Air Before Freezing

Remove as much air as possible from the packaging before freezing the meal. Use a straw to suck the air out of bags (when raw meat isn't inside), try not to leave air space under plastic wrap, or use a food-saver to get all the air out and seal.

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