Who said freezers are just for storing chopped up body parts?

This spring, my husband and I decided that it’s about time we got an upright freezer for ourselves.  Even though the price is considerably higher than what a chest freezer would cost,  I knew that this is exactly what I wanted the moment I set my eyes on it. I have seen people using chest freezers and to each his own, but I don’t think that it would have worked for me. I like to see what I have in the freezer the moment I open it. No one in my family wants to be searching for a box of ice cream or a frozen pizza.  Also, the pull out basket and small shelves on the door are so convenient for small packages, bottles, and frozen food.

Now that I have been using it for a few months, I can let all of you know how it has changed my pattern of cooking, doing grocery shopping and freezing. Sometimes I wonder how I lived without it for all these years. I always thought that the space in the freezer in my fridge was enough for me.  My eyes have opened. Here are some of the benefits of owning a freezer.

1.       It becomes easy to keep track of what you have if you keep a freezer inventory of the contents. You don’t actually have to open the freezer to know what you have in there as the list states it clearly. It immediately lets you know what you need to buy. Keep a pencil handy to write on the list and to tick off what has been consumed.
2.       Benefits larger families.
3.       You can store seasonal fruits and vegetables in large Ziploc bags.
4.       You can prepare meals ahead of time and freeze them. Write this on the list.
5.       When meat, chicken or fish goes on sale, you can buy in bulk and freeze.
6.       If you suddenly have some guests over at your place, you can feed them from some items from the freezer.
7.       You can prepare “meal bags” for your crock-pot and freeze them. You can pour them into the crock-pot right before leaving for work. The meal will be ready when you arrive home in the evening.
8.       Bulk cooking and freezing will save time and energy costs e.g. pasta sauce, kebabs, meatballs.
9.       Bulk shopping will reduce grocery costs as you won’t have to take frequent trips to the grocery store.
10.   Working parents don’t have to worry about cooking as soon as they come home in the evening. They can take out a frozen entrée and keep it in the refrigerator the night before.

I am sure there are more advantages of owning and using a freezer. Let us know of any other benefits that you have found by commenting on this post.

Note: A sample freezer inventory list for you to use will be coming soon.

A.K.