Save Food?

Do You Save Food?  Repackage Food? Freeze Food?

I'm talking about a Food Saver of course...LOL!  I use a Food Saver each week to package up foods and such for my freezer.  They really do work well if you haven't tried one!  They keep it fresh so much longer and usually nice and neat so its easy to stack inmy freezer.

Funny story for you...yes I have lots of stories...lucky you eh?

Around 13 years ago my husband and I vacationed in Key West when the kids were very small.  We are night owls of course...great for the Keys huh LOL...anywho we had the tv on late one evening in our room.  For whatever reason an infommercial was on the tv and it was showing off the food saver.  We were both intrigued that we ordered one and it arrived at our house while we were gone.  Ta-Da!  Boy we KNOW how to live it up while we are on vacation...I know you are thinking that right? Haha!  And that was the very first Food Saver version....I have since upgraded to a bit nicer one that's easier to use. But I use it A LOT... I LOVE IT!

HOWEVER I see they have this one below...its black & stainless steel...matches my kitchen..do I need it? NO!  Do I want it? YES! Am I gonna buy it...perhaps...but not right now ;)

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This is my 2nd Food Saver machine...its about 6-7 years old I believe and it still works like a charm.  I buy the rolls to make bags myself...not sure if they still sell pre-made bags or not but I found it was just as easy (and cheaper) to buy the rolls and do it meself.  The rolls come in different sizes and widths so I have a few of each.  Some Costco and Sam's stores carry the machine and supplies so you can check there too...Target and Walmart may too.

I am blessed with a ton of cabinets in my kitchen...when I move I will be a spoiled brat about getting another kitchen with the same amount...just sayin' LOL..I have A LOT of kitchen stuffs.  Our very first house had scant kitchen space and everything was stacked, piled and in other places...drove me NUTTERS so I definitely appreciate this kitchen!  My kitchen island has drawers and cabinets on each side which is nice.  These are on the front side of my island that faces out into the kitchen and are a bit more shallow.  So I store my Food Saver machine and rolls of plasitc in this one along with my cookie cutters, knife sharpeners and extra pans I don't use often.  Easy to access as I don't leave mine out on the counter...I HATE clutter on my counters so I'm very picky about what gets to be out!

I buy flank steak from Costco (these are folded up in the package so they are twice the size they look) because they are cheaper and in packs of two.  But I usually only need one to cook up at a time...so out comes the Food Saver.  

First you have to make yourself a bag to use.  I pick a width that will work best and cut a length of it that will fit...make sure to leave extra room on each side...trust me on the EXTRA ok?

Then you place one end of the plastic into the Food Saver.  Making sure the edge is over the SEALER...that's what will seal the plastic together.

On my version I just hold it down for a sec and select INSTANT SEAL. When the motor slows down I hit the release button and open it up.

Make sure you examine the seal to make sure it goes clean across with NO breaks..otherwise you will have a leaky mess on your hands ok?  Now put your meat in the bag and turn around and seal the other side.  The Food Saver will suck out all the air and seal it tight.  I don't have to hold my machine's top down but for a second and then it does it automatically (on the old one you had to hold it down the entire time...ugh). 

When its done make sure its sealed tightly and correctly...you will recognize how that should be trust me.  If it hasn't cut the end off and try again...hence the WARNING at the top to cut the bag with extra on the sides LOL!  I keep a Sharpie Pen in the cupboard with my machine so I don't forget to date each package...that way I always know.  My brain groweth oldeth so I cannot count on my memory much anymore ahahahaha!

What I Food Save:

Now there are some containers and other contraptions that you can get but I never used them, but you may!

-meats & chicken

 -seafood

-veggies & fruits

-cheese

-rice

-soups 

(I freeze the soup in a ziploc gallon-sized bag first then seal it in a Food Saver Bag otherwise the machine will suck it right out when its liquid)

-anything from the frozen aisle that I may not use right away