Having substantial freezer real estate must be the number one ultimate convenience that makes my family life easier and saves our household the most money. Before I had an extra freezer in the basement I read up on the savings and preparedness a freezer can bring to one’s life so I put out word to everyone I knew that I was looking to buy a second hand freezer. Of course I didn’t want a very old one or it would suck the savings out of my electrical outlet. I am not a patient person but when I got serious about budgeting I knew that if I was patient I would come across a freezer for the right price. After 9 months of waiting I just happened to be at the right place at the right time and I snagged a 3 year old upright at a tag sale for $50! It has more than paid for itself just in the bread outlet loaves I have socked away in it over the last year and a half.
So, as ridiculous as it may seem to a non-freezer person I have three freezers now. I have a freezer attached to my fridge in my kitchen as most people do, I also have a side-by-side fridge & freezer in the basement that was in our kitchen when we bought our house and to keep it company I now have my $50 upright freezer down there also. With all the freezing I do it really is necessary for me to keep a freezer inventory list (yes I know I’m a dork but it makes me happy). Every three months I empty out each freezer, wipe out the freezers and quickly jot everything down as I put the items back. Some rearranging is always necessary of course but the job gets done rather quickly. Even after I sit down at my computer to update my word document I doubt I spend more than 20 minutes from start to finish if I hustle. The joy my freezer inventory brings me never ceases. I keep it on the back of one of my kitchen cupboards and I cross off things as I use them and I write in items on the blank spaces as I add to the freezers. When I sit down to make my monthly menus I make sure to incorporate the meats and dinners that I already have and save frozen dinners for the times they will be needed the most.
One of my favorite things to do that my freezer inventory list allows me to do is easily provide a meal to my mom friends who have just had a new baby. Friends who know me well know about my inventory so I think they enjoy it when either
before their due date or immediately after having the baby I rattle off all the meals that are already made in my freezer and they get to pick what sounds good to them. This also allows me to be the first one in someone’s house with a hot meal ready to go. I never thought I would be one of those “newborn baby sniffers” but being able to provide a meal to friends with a 2 day old kind of sucked me in.
So here is my latest inventory. I generally keep meats in my side-by-side freezer, meals and bread in the upright, breakfast items and fruits/veggies in the upstairs kitchen freezer.
So, as ridiculous as it may seem to a non-freezer person I have three freezers now. I have a freezer attached to my fridge in my kitchen as most people do, I also have a side-by-side fridge & freezer in the basement that was in our kitchen when we bought our house and to keep it company I now have my $50 upright freezer down there also. With all the freezing I do it really is necessary for me to keep a freezer inventory list (yes I know I’m a dork but it makes me happy). Every three months I empty out each freezer, wipe out the freezers and quickly jot everything down as I put the items back. Some rearranging is always necessary of course but the job gets done rather quickly. Even after I sit down at my computer to update my word document I doubt I spend more than 20 minutes from start to finish if I hustle. The joy my freezer inventory brings me never ceases. I keep it on the back of one of my kitchen cupboards and I cross off things as I use them and I write in items on the blank spaces as I add to the freezers. When I sit down to make my monthly menus I make sure to incorporate the meats and dinners that I already have and save frozen dinners for the times they will be needed the most.
One of my favorite things to do that my freezer inventory list allows me to do is easily provide a meal to my mom friends who have just had a new baby. Friends who know me well know about my inventory so I think they enjoy it when either
before their due date or immediately after having the baby I rattle off all the meals that are already made in my freezer and they get to pick what sounds good to them. This also allows me to be the first one in someone’s house with a hot meal ready to go. I never thought I would be one of those “newborn baby sniffers” but being able to provide a meal to friends with a 2 day old kind of sucked me in.
So here is my latest inventory. I generally keep meats in my side-by-side freezer, meals and bread in the upright, breakfast items and fruits/veggies in the upstairs kitchen freezer.
1 comment:
Jenn--I now use this method for my cupboards in the kitchen to keep track of what pantry items I have on hand! You're my hero!
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