I live alone, 75 years old, two upright full freezers (which I eat from EVERY day. Plus a lot of canned goods in basement of my very old house. Done this my entire life. I love learning and love your videos. Thank u
Me too. We have so much. To be fair, we have been so busy with caring for parents during their health emergencies, and have been using convenience foods more often on the run. Time to be more mindful of my inventory. Time to also eat healthier instead of hitting the drive through. Maybe use the crockpot more often.
I lost my husband 2 years ago and my son and daughter moved out a year before. I live with my daughter now and trying to cook for 2 people that don’t eat much is very hard. I used to cook large meals and now when I cook we are stuck eating it for days. Canning is something I am learning that pint jars are the most important for my household.
Have to tell you cleaning & organizing the freezers was life changing. I did the baskets with my side by side & each is a category, top shelve veggies, then fruit, 3rd shelve is misc. And bottom shelve is meats. The door holds soups\broths etc... I couldn't can, (didn't have canner)and chopped onions, peppers, celery for easy access. My sister n law brought me a nice little chest freezer, she's so good, drove all the way from Virginia to Maine just to bring me that. But her brother my x has got cancer so it gave her a chance to have more time with him. She stays here, as he & his wife just don't have the room & we all get along live around the corner from each other, so why not. Anyway I used those dollar tree baskets to put all my meats in one then on top in another basket are veggies. The shelve holds all my Zucchini & misc (chili in a bag)anything that can fit on the sides of the baskets, then in the basket that came with the freezer holds all my blueberries & any fruit. Then the extra frig in basement is just holding whatever some stuffed peppers, freezer packs, not be too much is in there. But I also repackage all my meats & veggies that don't come from the garden. So it's all like a file system and dated & marked what it is so all I need to do is read it.
I know what you mean by less people to cook for. It's just me and hubby and I still buy like all the kids are home. Gotta break that habit, I am blessed. Thank you my Lord
Lessons I have learned about stocking meat in the freezer/fridge. Cooked meat goes at the top. Raw meat is always under the cooked meat. Raw meat: seafood on top, beef/lamb/pork goes under that, poultry ALWAYS goes on the bottom. This is because you don’t want poultry juices to drip on any other meat. This is how the health dept requires it to be stored in food services. And my mom taught me to store the lightest weight items in the door so as not to cause problems with the hinges.
Pick one thing out of your freezer and process it into a freezer meal and if you make one, make two give one to one of your kids. Then you have one put away for an easy meal and one for your kids. If you choose something large, like the turkey, just cook the turkey and process, process, process. Turkey broth, turkey stews, turkey soups, canned turkey, you know all the ways. It will suprise you how fast you can empty a freezer and have some canned goods for the shelf and some convenience meals for easy night dinners. You know how to do it! You know all the things and quite buying meat!! lol . Now, i need to go through my freezers LOL they are out of control. thank you for all you do. You are a great inspiration.
Good time to do this, when it's cold so it all won't defrost. It will take me several days but you have reminded me how vital it is. Then to get it all taken care of, oh my. I am used to growing garden and providing for 2 families (9) I understand how hard it is to change that pattern and mindset. Now there is just me to deal with all this stuff. I am thankful, very much so, just overwhelmed.
Wow! Such great information! I'm a first year owner of an extra freezer in the garage. I love all the wisdom shown here right down to the storage baskets from the dollar store! Thank you!
I usually defrost my freezer in the winter when it is very cold and I can put the contents outside to stay frozen. Glad others’ freezers look like mine. ❤🇨🇦
I could see how overwhelmed you were becoming when you were doing the first freezer. All the things you do and share with us is so appreciated. ❣ I have learned so much over the last few months. I'm new to canning and pantry stocking. Thank you for sharing you time and life with us. Bless someone in need with a little of your bounty! And relax, enjoy life. Shake off the stress. 🌹
I have been stocking king up for the last 3 years and now need to change our whole way of cooking because my daughter has developed a milk allergies. I am donating the cream if soups and macaroni and cheese to the food bank and adjusting with new menu plans.
I have my freezers with sturdy tall cardboard boxes cut to size to fit my shelves. On one shelf there is usually 3 boxes that are labeled with the contents. Butter, bacon, hamburger, chicken, seafood, stirfry vegetables, vegetables, baked goods like banana bread, etc even though I can see in the boxes they are labeled with the contents in big letters. I use white cardboard to label the boxes with a sharpie and then adhere them with clear packing tape. The front of the boxes are cut down about half way so I can reach inside each box to take out what I want and that I can reach in to get the contents easily. The cardboard boxes hold up "very" well in the freezer. I do have a few wire baskets that hold the larger items that are labeled also. I have cut boxes, reshaped, and re-taped them to fit so there is no open space that is wasted
I am soooo excited..I had won a $25.00 gift card so I was able to order your planner off Amazon and get it for free..I have 2 large freezers and many places in my house that are in need of inventory and organization. My daughter saw YOUR butter "collection" and said , "Look, mommy, you're not the ONLY one that hoards butter".
I had to laugh when you said you had one turkey! I consolidated my turkeys right before Thanksgiving, pulled the one dated 2017. That left 6 in the freezer. Told my husband, "NO more turkey buying!", and he brought home 2 more. 😖 The two from 2018 will be roasted and prepared into soups, then canned for the shelf, later this month and February. Then onto the 2019 turkeys 🤣
I married an Italian woman. Whenever my in laws come over, I seem to end up with enough food in my fridge and deep freezer to feed 3 armies. I need to clear out the deep freezer, reclaim it as my own and get it organized. Definitely gonna have to run a few batches in the freeze dryer to clear some of it out. Already ran a bunch of pasta sauce through it to make some room! 🤦♂️
Thank you! Great reminder. I laughed so often as you uncovered more and more blueberries, butter, etc. Like you, our local family has shrunk, and I'm having a challenge adjusting my shopping, and cooking. We are also feeling blessed to have such a good supply of quality food on hand, all acquired at pre-inflationary sale prices. You've taught this 71 year old so much over the last few years🙏
Leisa, please know you are not alone! I've only gotten to inventorying my canned goods. My freezers are pretty full. I've challenged myself to use my foods in ways I don't normally do- hubby and I are happy this weekend I did! Made some Crock-Pot jambalaya used what I had on hand, so good! Also took some country sausage that's been hanging around- made Becky from Acre Homestead butter biscuit recipe- cooked the sausage, split the biscuits 3/4 way, added the sausage and some cheese-delicious. We will do this once a week to take for work and be glad we did. I think it's good to challenge ourselves to think outside the box on what we can create using what we have on hand.
I thought I was the only one who was a freezer addict. I have 3 of them and have been watching your show for ideas of how to process these meats into a canning jar. Thank for letting me know I am not the only one.
Leisa, I have 3 freezers. One just for meat. Another for fruits and vegetables. A third holds all the meals I cook and portion out for my family, and overflow. Since I'm an organizing nut, they stay organized. Same with my foods in the pantry. It's a hangup I learned from my mom. :)
You have motivated me to inventory my freezers as well. No matter how daunting it may be. One at a time. I love your personality. Thanks for the motivation 🤗
I helped an elderly lady organize her ginormous freezer. I grabbed some boxes to sort into. Chicken, pork,veggies, donate etcetera. From that point organized back into the freezer. That worked very well. 😅❤❤
You can always use the frozen bananas to make a big batch of banana breads to either give away or you can freeze the loafs for when company comes or you just want some.
Today my husband and I organized one of our garage freezers after watching your video yesterday. Hubby recorded the inventory while I tackled the shelves. We had no idea of how much was in our freezers. This was an eye opener! Thank you for the motivation!!!!!
Next week's menu Mon. Breadless chicken parm Cesar salad garlic bread Tues. Steak loaded baked potatoes Wed. Pizza & wings with salad Thurs. Fajitas Fri. Subs and soup Sat. Leftovers or fix it yourself Sun. BBQ, Mac and cheese, Cole slaw or potato salad
Such a blessing to be in such a good spot. IWhen it gets to the level of gratitude, where the abundance is just too much, I’ll donate to a local shelter. I always call first, because perishable food storage is usually an issue in those types of facilities… But when the universe blesses me that much, I remember my more meager days and how sincerely grateful I was when friends and family dumped their freezers into mine. Looking forward to watching you tackle it all ❤
Nothing wrong with seeing how blessed your home is what is inspiring is knowing you are and that you don't want to disrespect the blessings you are given, that would be terrible. I pretty much have things always organized unless someone comes in and needs to mess up my life lol. I have tried to keep the memory flex of certain things go certain places so I can see and take it in. That isn't always possible when you have folks that come through and don't do it the same.
I used to have 4 freezers (hold overs from when there were 6 people,including 2 teenaged boys, here). Now when I plan for my food storage, I take a skeleton plan of 2 servings protein, 4 veggie servings, 2 fruit servings, and 4 grain servings per person per day as the base of my food storage plan. Then I add in seasonings, condiments, etc to round it all out and that is what we have along with the odd dessert or two. I'm down to 2 freezers (while I think 1 would probably do) along with the shelf stable stuff and we have a 1-2 year stash. I'm happy with that. It has been a challenge to downsize though.
Wow! It's 9:30 at night and I want to dive into my freezers!!! I know we have a TON of meat. We have a whole cow and a bison plus all the odds and ends and random bags shoved in from harvest or bulk buys. Dang girl! I can't wait to see what you do with your stuff. I'm tired of thinking up new recipes so I'm looking to you for inspiration. Canning proteins will definitely be on the calendar! Thank for your honesty and letting us see your freezers. Real life is real life and we are here to help, support and encourage each other. No judgment. That's what I love about you! And I would totally come to one of your dinner parties!
You just look so she’ll shocked with the amount.. My freezers and pantry are all clean and organized. Now I just have to inventory. New at all of this and my sons shop my pantry every week so I get to can some more! Feels so good to send them home with food ready to eat❤️Thanks for all yo7 do.
The challenge of downsizing your pantry is real. I went from cooking for a crew to just me; and I still haven’t figured out how to cook for just one. Meal planning and a continual pantry challenge for most of the year and I’m still blessed with an overwhelming amount of food. My kids are lucky as they get a lot of homemade meals too.
Freezer cooking can help with your dilemma of cooking too much at a time. That way you save time and you just have to heat and eat the meals you put in your freezer.
Yeah, already doing the freezer meals and it still doesn’t make a huge dent in the bounty LOL. I’ve just started making big freezer meals and taking half of it to the kids.
@@ajorgensen2334 I'm in the same place as you. I cook a regular meal then I make tv dinners. I got some of the take out containers and then fill and freeze. After it's frozen I vacuum seal so it last longer. I cook for a week eat for a month. Just add a salad or fruit from my pantry.
I did not know country ribs were from a pork butt. I'm blown away! I also have 3 butts taking up my freezer space and will be getting on cutting at least one of those babies up asap. Thanks!
Thank you Leisa, you make us feel like we have this under control. I stock up without a plan but I'm only cooking for my elderly mother and myself. (always cooked for a full house) I have to retrain my brain. This is an eye opener, but your inventory guide is 👍
Thank you!! Love this! Between the Pantry Challenge and Canuary, you have helped me so much!! I so appreciate you, your hard work, and everything you are teaching us!!!
I have not tackled my fridge and freezers. Hubby is ill. All my plans have been put on hold. Hopefully next week. I can start. We also buy extra to bless others.
My husband passed away and all the kids are on their own. But, I have begun to cook weekday take outs for one daughter and her girl. She comes by and checks on me every day so it was easier to cook for 3 instead of one. So far solves some of my problems.
Deep Breath Girl! Remember this above all else. You have been taking care of US on your off time. Work, canning, videos, farming. WHAT?!?! Are you kidding? Why stress over this. One day at a time and before you know it, it is back under control.
Our freezer look worse than yours and we have a half beef coming end of next week. I have spent this weekend trying to can from the freezer. And refrigerator. Thank you for being real with your freezers. Appreciate everything you do.
I went through the same eye opener this past November when I had to buy another large cu.ft. freezer so I now have 1 freezer for pork, 1 for beef, and 1 for chicken. I was purchasing beef and pork throughout the year when I found deals and when it came for the pig and steer in November, I didnt have room! I realized the pig (2) and steer (whole) we get every fall is enough to fill our needs for 1 year. I cancelled my monthly meat subscriptions and now I feel like I can breathe better. I only have to source out my chicken and seafood. We do not purchase from the stores. I feel so much better knowing I have a better handle on my freezers. Im secure for the year. And nothing will go bad. I dont want to feel consumed by my food storage, it's meant to bring me peice of mind. I started to feel anxious over it and thats when I knew I had to take some time off of "storing" and start to consume only.
I so need to do an inventory on my freezer. Thanks for the motivation!! I’m loving my inventory sheets you did and have printed lots of copies of certain pages.
I just recently cleaned out one of my freezers in my garage. I was surprised at what I had in there. It was a lot of things that my husband had purchased before he passed away and he’s not here anymore and there was a lot of meat in there that was buried under everything else that was in there, couple of tenderloins and some liver and things like that and I pulled it all out of my freezer. Got it out of there because obviously it wasn’t any good as far as human consumption but it’s still good for the dogs so I turned it into freeze ride treats no Waste no foul
❣️❣️❣️Hello fellow Michigander. 😘 You need to get that freezer canned up! 🤣 My canning has been every other day since mid November. I am a single disabled great grandmother Prepper that does my canning from a wheelchair. I've been canning for over 40 years. In November I processed (by myself) and canned a large 8 point followed by 10 large turkeys. And I just finished up canning 12 hams, mostly into various soups. I took the day off today but will can up 10 bags of cranberries tomorrow and then start on 50 pounds of ground beef from the cow I bought ( to replace the one lost when my freezer died while I was in the hospital this summer) I lost the entire contents of an 18' freezer or else I would have blueberries to can into jams as I always have done in the winter. Then onto the 16 pork loins and I will be pretty much caught up for now. My canner has not left the kitchen stove for over a year now. It's worn out!!! I sure am praying to win that All American beauty. 🥰🥰🥰
This is good 😆. I’ve started doing this and am separating my veggies in only one area so I can find it and separating my meats by shelf or shelves so I know which is the beef shelf pork shelf etc. I have two freezers also’ it’s a job😊
The only butter problem I have is running low! I know it is easy for it to get away from you because I can help but buy when I find a good sale. From the looks of your freezer, you could have done Canuary all by yourself. 😅 I wish I had that much ground beef. We are running low and looking for a sale. I know you are overwhelmed but get a plan and get started-that’s all you can do. Great job starting with the meal plan. I would start by rendering down that lard and get that out of the freezer. I love pulled pork made from pork butt and it is good canned in broth and you know it will be more shelf stable. Good luck getting a handle on it.
The pork butt I Marinate in oregano, lime and garlic and then smoke it for carnitas. The boneless ones I am cooking right now in spices and chiles to make tamales tomorrow. I have 5 grown children and their families who come for Sunday dinner.
I just cleaned out my stand up freezer and filled it will all my postpartum dinners for the next 2 or 3 months. Now I have to go through and can all the food in the three chest freezers
Thank you Leisa, for the inspiration! I did inventory my freezers today! I found some surprises too. Got my new 1/4 beef this weekend, which filed my new freezer, and I defrosted and inventoried my upright freezer in the garage. My kitchen freezer was inventoried and half empty, until I did inventory today and decided I needed to eat some of it this week! I thought my 32 lb of butter was a lot, but you take the prize! Thanks for taking us on this journey. It's nice to have the camaraderie.
You better get a move-on! Time’s a-wasting! 😊 There are only two of us, too. We also have a lot of food but you win! We bless our children with food when we get together for holidays. (They’re six hours away.) It’s a nice ‘problem’ to have.
Blessing others with our abundance is a wonderful thing! I have one freezer to go yet. We live pretty much out in the middle of nowhere land and our "dinner parties" are always come as you are, and unless very cold always around a fire outside. Blessings 🙏🙌❤️
Oh my gosh! I thought I was looking into a mirror!🤣 I literally organized my freezer this morning. We have beef coming in about 3 weeks. Yikes! I’m in trouble. Freezer challenge is in full motion. I have the same challenges, our kids are grown with families, my husband and I still shop and can as if we had a full house of people. I guess when you have done it for so long old habits are hard to break. I’m loving the Canuary videos. Thank you!
It is really hard when you see a great deal to pass it up. I get it! It is good to bless others and pass some along, thank you for your help and honesty!
Maybe sort all freezers by proteins ( poultry, pork, beef so each its own freezer with first in first out- Oldest on Top for ease of removal and to not be distracted with choices. Maybe misc could go with meat type you freeze the least?
The best time to defrost your freezers...is when the temperature is below freezing. Just unload the contents of the freezer into a cold wagon or baskets ???. Take out outdoors and park it. Nothing will thaw..You have ample time to clean out the freezer. When it is ready just bring the frozen things back inside and restock your freezer! I learned this from my daughter in law!
This is something that I need to do. I have a 25 cu ft upright freezer, 1 7 cu ft and 3 5 cu ft chest freezers. 2 of the small chest freezers were the results of scrambling around when another 25 cu ft upright went out. They are all packed with 95% meats. And I'm single! But, I do have two daughters, one with 2 kids, and I have a disabled sister. I also have a niece with 3 teens and a husband. Do non will go to waste. 😊
What a great feeling to know you have all this wonderful food! I totally understand when you say it’s overwhelming I feel the same way about my freezers and pantry’s. But what a blessing for sure knowing we are all stocked. 🤗
If you want to see a freezer mess check out my recent short. 😮. We replaced the gasket about a month ago. The new gasket barely seals. 😢. I started pulling things out of the freezer today. I moved what I could fit in my other freezer. Later this week, I will completely defrost it so the gasket can be replaced, again. I love how you use the baskets to organize!
I just said today that I have got to get my freezer organized. My older stuff is on the bottom and everything is mixed up. It is a total chaos at the moment. I am cooking the newest items because I don't have time to dig through it all. This is a must for this week!
I have way too many laundry baskets but them sure do come in handy for organizing the freezers. I can put stuff thar belongs in another freezer and slide them across the floor as needed to whatever freezer they go in. I eas also so very thankful to be able to stock up on butter when Aldi had it "on sale" during the holidays
Thanks! I'm heading to the dollar store and getting containers to control my freezer mess! I am laughing...how you found things you have been looking for. Exactly! Such a good video.
Lifestyle changes are SO hard but I have NO doubt you will get a handle on this! When the 2020 " issue" struck I was so very grateful for my overflowing freezers and being able to avoid the grocery store. Now that buttah' is EPIC and should always be THAT BIG just for the peace of mind of it being there. You have worked so hard on food storage preparedness and you will rock the changes!
We actually counted our beef when we brought it home from the butcher, so we are good there. It’s a little harder with our chicken, bacon and other pork that is in our smaller chest freezer. It’s so easy to freeze it and not inventory. Luckily I put the different types of meats in those free grocery bags. My smaller freezers in my refrigerators are inventoried. It does help to keep the same items together even though if one of the freezers breaks down, we could loose alot of meat.
I was where you are now several years ago, my only solution was to get rid of a freezer so I did not keep stuffing it full of yes meat and butter. It was in our basement and I spent more time tossing stuff because I was to lazy to go down and check the freezer and cook the stuff just kept packing it. I also was feeding 10 people every Sunday, with the virus thingy that came to a halt, now I rotate with 4-6 Sunday and the whole gang for holidays, otherwise it is just me and my hubby, and we are older so eat less. Just cleaned the 2 freezers I have, and wish I was smart like you and wore gloves, that stuff gets cold, but I did not have to toss a thing. For your honesty Leisa 10 thumbs up.
Leisa, Your NOT alone.... Same situation here, 2 upright Freezers (22 cu ft each) PACKED. Inventory out of control..... Arrived at the understanding that "The road to Organization is paved with good intentions!". ✌
You are truly blessed! All good comes to those who continually do good for others - and that’s you! Looking forward to new videos with canning ideas! ❤
I'm right there with you. 2 deep freezers, 2 fridge freezers, all bursting at the seams. At least 3 turkey breasts, which I plan to can most of it. At least 2 pork butts. Plus steak, various chicken, pork chops, bison burgers and hamburger. I also have no reason to purchase meat for the foreseeable future. There are just the 2 of us living here.
WOW! You totally inspired me to organize my freezer. AND I went to the family dollar and grabbed some bins, too! Easy peasy! Thank you so much. You know what they say, "misery loves company!" Now I know what I need and what I totally do NOT need. ✅️
More blueberries than a person should have. I know the feeling. I have three very productive blueberry bushes out back. Tons of berries yearly. I try to find folks wanting them who will help pick. But after a year or so they start their own bushes. So I have them canned, jammed and frozen!
Thank you for this video. It makes me feel better that even someone that I follow as an expert sometimes gets disorganized in their freezers. I thought I was the only one.
I feel so stupid! I started watching this video and saw that you were wearing gloves! Why did I not think of that! It kills my hands to rearrange the freezer. I learn so much, Thank you!!!! You can never have too much butter.
I always forget what I put in my deep freezer. But know I use a white board that I velcroed to the side of the freezer. Now I list what’s in it. Helps me keep track of my food.
I'm still trying to get to my kitchen freezer and refrigerator. It makes it easier when I have no car right now. No way I'm buying more groceries to fit in the freezer. My car will be fixed soon and I can start filling things back up again, yeah!!! I feel for you. I can see it was a shock but really not in a bad way and look how many people you have helped out! You're doing awesome!
I'll be canning pickles, relish, salsa, stewed okra tomatoes and corn, green beans, green beans and new potatoes, pasta sauce, vegetable soup, greens, chicken, beef stew, potatoes, carrots a variety of jams, broth.
I need to inventory my chest freezer, I haven’t kept up after having our baby a few months ago and idk what meals we used up and what else we used. Its like a game of Tetris because i like to keep them full. It’s easiest for me to use a wet erase marker, directly on the freezer. Easily wipes off without leaving a residue, but needs water so I don’t accidentally erase half of it from brushing up against it (ask me how I know lol). Loving cannuary so far! Extra tip: leave a few gallons of milk cartons filled with water in the bottom/throughout. It’ll extend the time you have to keep everything frozen in an outrage.
You’ve motivated me to do a pantry and freezer inventory. I’m good and stocking but often get overwhelmed because I don’t know what I have and what I don’t. That leads to purchasing things I already have or having things go bad because I didn’t know I had them!
I have baskets in our freezer and my rule is if the basket is full that's all we can have. When the ground beef basket is full I can't buy anymore. You can buy skinny bins for the narrow spaces. If I can't get to it very easily then I forget about it or don't want to dig it out and use it. And I pretty much vacuum seal everything before it goes in the freezer now. I would like to have one more small upright freezer for veggies and breads.
I'm overwhelmed just thinking about my freezers. You did a great job!!!! My cousins always joke and say they know where they're coming if there is trouble 😂
You accomplished a lot, today. I keep a sharpie on a string to put the purchase/best by/put up date on each package, and tape an inventory list by shelf on the outside so I know where things are, and what to use first. Gotta try to stay organized (somewhat) or it can get overwhelming and wasteful. Good job! Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
It's my goal to go through my 4 freezers and do inventory of them. I also do a lot of freezer meals, so it helps with meats that I have an abundance of.
It was a big adjustment for me when we went to having 4-5 hungry teenagers under the roof & cooking for an army to then just my husband & I. Then further adjustment after he had Gastric Sleeve surgery in 2017 & I no longer had to make big meals for us (or if I DID, that meal would last us several days!) & Now with the changes I've made to MY eating habits has reduced how much we use as well. It's wild going from stocking up for so many to only stocking for 2 who don't eat much!...lol
Guess I’m lucky I haven’t “YET” acquired that much storage space, I do have plans on getting another freezer, a upright one for sure. Also, why I haven’t worn gloves as my hands are freezing when organizing I’ll never know, lol. Gloves WILL be kept next to the freezer from now on, thanks Leisa as always.
I understand your problem. My life has changed in the last 3 years and it is VERY hard to change that habit of stocking up when sales are good. I think I just need to have big family dinners more often...😆
