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Daycare Menus, Breakfast, Lunch and Snack Ideas>Food Storage Containers
Abigail 06:44 PM 12-20-2011
I'm trying to find really GOOD food storage containers that I can use in the freezer and microwave and --of course--the fridge. So far I've only come across some glass with flexibile "green" and clear lids, BUT they're fairly small for trying to store food in bulk and the bottoms of those containers are smaller than the top so they will not store french toast, muffins, pancakes, or waffles very easily because those items can be stacked evenly. It doesn't work so well when the bottom of the containers are so narrow. Does anyone have recommendations? I'm willing to spent the money on good freezer containers that using bags. THANKS
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sharlan 09:23 PM 12-20-2011
I love the Lock and Lock storage containers. I got mine from QVC, but I think Costco and Bed,Bath, and Beyond also sell them.
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Rachel 10:10 PM 12-20-2011
I like the tupperware vent & serve.
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frgsonmysox 05:09 PM 12-21-2011
Have you thought of buying a foodsaver?
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Abigail 05:37 PM 12-25-2011
Originally Posted by frgsonmysox:
Have you thought of buying a foodsaver?
Nope, but I think I've seen them. I really want containers or something that will not go to waste. How much are food savers and do you have to buy replacements often or store only a few at a time or when you open them the rest would have to go in a new container? I just don't want to waste things.
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mickey2 07:33 AM 12-26-2011
I use ziplock bags as they take up so much less space, they are inexpensive as you can buy them at the dollar store, and then there are no containers to wash.

I freeze spagetti sauce, soups, casseroles, lasagna, cabbage rolls, meatballs, roast beef and gravy, chicken and gravy.......just about anything in them.

I wait for the food to cool completely, then separate into the portion sizes that I want and then freeze. You must be careful when putting in the freezer at first until they are frozen but once they are frozen you can stack them and they take up so much less space.

I take as much air out of the bag as possible and I lay them in my freezer flat but just make sure they are well sealed first. I do not stack any of the bags on top of each other, I wait until they are frozen first and then once they are frozen I go and reorganize and stack them all in one section of my freezer which is my "daycare meal section" .

When you are ready to use just take it out of the freezer, pop it into a bowl or pot just the right size and reheat.

I have been doing this for years and it works perfect for me! I make all of my daycare meals on weekends for the following week or two!
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Abigail 06:25 PM 12-31-2011
My grandma today just told me to use Ziplock Freezer bags. No one really uses Aluminum foil? I think I'll start price checking the storages for freezer bags then. I was also told to use wax paper to separate items if I didn't want them to stick together.

What is freezer paper used for then? I was told it was really cheap and could also be used for coloring on?
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Countrygal 10:51 AM 01-02-2012
Freezer paper is used to wrap packages to place in the freezer - the usual use is to wrap meat in. It is wax coated on one side. It makes really great finger-painting paper! You can also use it as the wax paper below, with the slippery side facing the food.

Wax paper works great for separating things like hamburger patties, for instance. Put two squares between each item you are separating so they will come apart easily.
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Solandia 05:17 AM 01-03-2012
I am trying to get away from storing stuff in plastics. I love the locking storage containers that someone else mentioned...got some for christmas. Awesome. I try to not heat things up in plastic or cook in aluminum or items coated in teflon. I LOVE my ceramic cast iron for everyday stovetop & oven, baked goods would be my baking stone/pizza stone from pampered chef. Completely, utterly in love.

Anyway, I digress...for storage...
For pre-assembled things that you would put in a casserole or baking dish...I like to use freezer paper &/or aluminum foil...line the baking dish, assemble the meal in the dish, and freeze it. Once frozen, finish wrapping it up in the paper/foil, and voila! Nice and stackable. And when it is time to cook it, unwrap and pop it back into the same dish. Quite convenient. Same for hot dips or sandwich meats that you may heat in a crock pot (like sloppy joes, shredded beef, italian beef, fajita innards)...i freeze in smaller freezer paper/foil lined glass casserole dishes, pop 'em out, wrap them up....then pop them into the crockpot.

For storing dry beans, rice, I use glass canning jars. For chopped up veggies in the fridge, I use glass canning jars with the lids and rings. For chopped up veggies in the freezer, I use glass canning jars or larger glass baby jars (stage 3 size) This is especially nice for onions, garlic, and green pepper...because it contains the smell very well, and doesn't make the fridge/freezer smell or make your ice smell/taste funny. I keep my frozen casseroles (which often have these ingredients) in a freezer in the garage...not with the ice maker and ice cream.
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Abigail 04:55 PM 05-26-2012
I guess I've been storing all my pre-made in bulk food in sandwich bags labeled with the date made and quantity in each bag. Then I place as many as I can inside of a freezer ziplock gallon bag and place it in the deep freeze in the garage. We only keep regularly eaten items in the small inside freezer like ice cream treats or vege bags.

When I buy frozen veges I actually open two bags and pour them into one quart freezer bag and refill as needed. It saves a lot on room and since we don't need a whole pound of veges at once nothing ever goes to waste since it's in a reusable freezer bag! LOVE IT.
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dEHmom 07:39 AM 05-28-2012
I have tossed all my containers and bought all of the rubbermaid easy find lid type. You can get them in glass and plastic. They store nicely in the cupboard, they are thicker so they don't seem to break (we broke a lot of the cheaper plastic types), they don't leak, and they freeze well.

You can get them cheap at walmart when they go on sale. A box of various sizes goes on sale for 6-8 bucks often.
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Tags:bowls, containers, food - storage, freezing, storage containers
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