Freezer Cooking has been a great means for me to save money as well as to stay sane feeding my small army of six children. I actually started doing this 17 years ago when I was pregnant with my first child. It was ideal in providing for those long work days when I was too tired to cook.
For more freezer cooking ideas, check out these past posts or buy my book.
For now, here’s a little freezer wrapping tutorial. Enjoy!
Can’t see the video? Read the transcript here.
What to Do with Leftovers? Tips for Budget Living
Spinach Salad with Oranges, Cranberries, & Sunflower Seeds
Thank You for the mini tutorial! I would of never thought of that! This is my first time to your site, so off to go browse around.
Great tip!
Thanks for this reminder. My mom used to do this all the time and I had forgotten about it. As I start freezer cooking in a couple weeks, I’ll try to remember this!
This is an AWESOME tip! I never would have thought of using a straw! Thank you!
Awesome! I’ve never done that before. DUH!
I like to think I’m pretty efficient at removing air from freezer bags. But I never got the straw trick until you just demonstrated it just now. The pinching it is the key! Thanks. 🙂
BRILLIANT! I LOVE your thinking… and I enjoy seeing you in video format! Keep up the great posts!
Awesome Jess! Thanks for the tip!
I use this trick too! I love it. Especially for foods like muffins which tend to get air pockets. I don’t do that for raw meats though. Too afraid I’ll get raw meat juice instead of air! 😉
@Sharon @ UnfinishedMom, no, I most definitely don’t do this for raw foods.
Thanks for the great tip! I don’t have that machine either, so this is very helpful!
Thanks for posting this vlog!
I love it! I have the big fancy machine and the bags are too expensive, so it just sits there. Sad.
What do you do with meats?
PS I was bragging on facebook about all of the fabulous things I am learning from you… turns out a very dear friend of mine used to live next to you. (Julie H) Small world!
It is a small world. Tell Julie HI from me!
And no, I don’t do it for meat. Meat you can usually squeeze the air out without messing it up.
Jo and anyone else concerned about the cost of sealer bags,
I have started packing my meat using both zip-lock and the sealer. I save on sealer bags by using the zip-lock for meat I am going to use relatively soon. For everything else that is going to be in the freezer for longer than a month I use the sealer bags to prevent freezer burn. The sealer is great for bulk buying and those who lose stuff in the freezer. My sister has had venison that was over two years old and it was still just as good when she opened it.
you are so adorable. now i feel like i’ve “met” you. happy weekend 🙂
Oh my goodness, that was so simple it should have been obvious…..BUT it wasn’t. Great tip! Easy to do and will have wonderful results. Thank you thank you!
I do this same trick! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I’ve been using this trick for the past 3.5 years I’ve been freezer cooking. My friends used to laugh- one taste of their freezer burnt banana bread and they were converted. Like Sharon, I don’t use the straw for raw meats. Blech!
Great VLOG! Loved seeing your tip in action!
NEVER thought about this before. Brilliant. But maybe not for raw meat, as someone mentioned.
Brilliant!
I never thought of this! Thanks!
I LOVE your video. Not only did I learn something, but I was AMAZED to hear your voice. You totally took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting you to sound like you did. I guess I didn’t expect a momma of so many boys to have such a soft, dainty, patient voice!
Thanks for doing a vlog!
@Lindsey Swinborne, LOL! I’m not sure my voice has ever been referred to as soft and dainty, but I’ll take the compliment. Thanks!
This tip is awesome! Thank you SO much!
I’m new to freezer cooking and plan on starting after next months shopping trip. I was looking up that bag sealer contraption, but I don’t need to waste my $ now!
I have plenty of straws!
Thanks again!!
Thanks for the info. This will really help! 🙂
I am married to a microbiologist. When I told him about this video, he became quite upset. Raw meat carries many pathogens and parasites, such as salmonella. Sucking the air out of bags holding these items may result in you inhaling some of these microbes and infecting yourself. It is almost like licking raw meat. We are just worried about the health of those watching this video. Is a $3.00 steak worth a week in the hospital…or worse?!?!?!
Kelly, thanks so much for your concern. I apologize for any confusion. But, I think you may have inferred that people were doing this with raw meat. I will have to review the comments, but I don’t recall that anyone said that they use this method for raw meat. In fact, I thought those of us who use the straw method addressed that issue in saying that we do NOT use it for raw foods. My example used baked muffins, something that clearly wouldn’t make you sick and clearly didn’t suggest doing this with uncooked foods.
I LOVE THIS POST! I just called my husband over to watch because I’ve always used a straw to suck out the air in my freezer bags—and he’s always made fun of me for it! I’m so glad to know that I’m not alone. I’ll be smiling all night!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
genius!!! I never would have thought of that! I just had a mini-baking day and am now off to suck out the air of all my bags I have in the freezer now.
This is cool!! I empty most of the air out for liquids by putting the bag next to the counter and squeezing the air out as much as possible by pulling the bag down over the edge of the counter until the air has escaped and the liquid is at the top of the bag, but not through the zippers. However, I’ve never thought of this!! Very cool!! Thanks!
Becky, just make sure you don’t use it for raw meats.
Oh how this helped me this weekend!! I was able to get every last bit of air out of my bags and it was perfect!! Thanks so much!
Great tip! Thanks so much!
It’s a strange feeling when common sense smacks you in the face. This is so easy, yet I never thought to do this to my bags of food. And I always have such a hard time getting the air out.
And I won’t do it with raw meat….saw the previous comments and warnings! Thanks for the tip.
Just had to say that my hubby and I have been using this trick for storing foods in the freezer since I saw your tutorial {no worries, I have not, nor will I, use this on raw meats} and we love it! It really helps save space and I love pulling things out of the freezer and not seeing ice crystals formed on my food. Brilliant! Thanks for sharing!
One suggestion for getting the air out of bags with raw meat is to immerse the filled bag into cold water. The water squeezes the air out so the bag can be sealed. This works well when marinating meat too.
great idea! Thanks!
What a great tip. Thanks!
Awsome tip!! I do have a Foodsaver that I love using when I buy meat in bulk, however; I have recently been pondering how I could freeze muffins without them getting freezer burnt or sucking all the air out of them and squishing them flat. The straw trick is a great solution to this problem.
I have done this myself for quite some time. Anyone had any problems with the bags ‘blowing back up’ with air after awhile? Not all of them do and I was wondering why it does this and how do you keep it from happening.
I’m thinking that must be a leak.
bags blowing up after? could be gas evolved from spoilage ?
If puffy “blowing back up”, possibly. But, that shouldn’t happen if properly frozen.
“blown up bag” suggests higher pressure in the bag than outside the bag … so probably not a leak … don’t know if she was working with freezing or dehydration or what …. another possibility is gas coming out of solution.