It's time for a miscellany post!
Miscellany posts appear around here every now and then when I have a bunch of small things to share with you...things too small for individual posts, but too much fun not to share at all. You can poke through the miscellany archives, if you'd like to read more of this kind of thing!
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A Sight for Sore Eyes
If you've joined me in my fight against food waste, you know that a sink full of empty leftover containers is a sign of a very successful lunch.
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A No-Ziploc Chicken-Freezing Method
Way back near the beginning of my blog, I posted about how I freeze chicken. In case you don't feel like clicking on over to the post, I'll just tell you that I buy large packages of chicken, freeze the pieces on a baking sheet, remove the pieces, and store them in plastic bags. This method keeps me from having to buy the more expensive small packs of chicken and also ensures that I'm not trying to pull a few pieces of chicken off of a solid mass of frozen chicken (which is what happens when you stick the value packs straight into the freezer!).
The only downside to this method is that it requires plastic bags, and the plastic bags really can't be re-used after they've housed raw chicken. At least, I don't think that I could get mine clean enough to reuse.
It recently occurred to me, though, that plastic cereal bags could be used for this purpose. Since they'd be trashed anyways, and since I didn't pay anything extra for the cereal bag in the first place, I don't feel as bummed out about throwing them away.
I press as much air out as possible, fold the top of the bag over several times, and secure it with a couple of clips (two of those were saved from some helium balloons that were given to us).
It's not pretty, to be sure, and it might not be the way to store chicken if you plan to keep it in your freezer for a really long time, but it's been working out fine for me. In some ways, I even prefer the cereal bags to plastic bags because the cereal bags are thicker and more resilient, even when frozen. I never have to worry that a particularly pointy chicken piece will puncture the bag and let the dreaded air inside of the bag (a sure recipe for freezer burn).
I'm not buying much cereal these days, but we do go through about one box a week, which is more than enough to meet my chicken-freezing needs.
I should mention that I am aware that you can buy bags of individually frozen chicken pieces, but I am partial to Tyson chicken (which mercifully goes on sale on a regular basis at Weis), and so far I have not found individually frozen Tyson pieces.
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Goodwill+Pyrex=Love
Remember how I said I love the small size of my Anchor brand glass containers, but that the lids were cracking?
Well, I found a brand-spankin' new Pyrex brand container at Goodwill in the small size. Hooray! I love this size for lunch-packing purposes.
I thought $2.99 was a bit high for a single, small glass container at Goodwill. The salvage tag was the wrong one...it was from a larger container, so I pointed this out and asked if $1.50 would work. And it did.
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Lastly, you might live with the Frugal Girl if...
you are eating Christmas M&Ms in January...
and Valentine M&Ms in March.
Because the Frugal Girl only buys M&Ms when they are on clearance after a holiday. 😉
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Check back here in a few hours, because over on my review page I'm going to be giving away an awesome prize that all of you could use (it might be some spending money 😉 ), and I'm going to be doing it again several times in the next few months. Whee!
YAY for your Pyrex find! Often we are eating last holiday's candies into the next month. The sugar high only lasts a few days here and then I "hid" the rest. Often chocolate and other things get re-purposed into baked goods and such.
I hope the following doesn't sound overly critical because I'm really not trying to be!
I know that everyone has to make their own personal choices about priorities for their families, but I was surprised to see you say you prefer to buy Tyson chicken, after all of the controversies related to their farming/slaughter practices (for a summary, see the wikipedia article on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyson_Foods). I'm really not trying to be critical or argumentative (I LOVE your blog, and read it every day!)- I was mostly curious if you knew about those controversies and what you thought about them. I know you've described in the past the way you make organic/non-organic choices with your produce- do you weigh similar options when choosing your meat as well?
Nope, not at all offended! Is Tyson worse than Perdue or any other chicken company? I know that the chicken industry is wrought with problems, but I wasn't aware that Tyson's behavior was unusually egregious. My husband and I just watched Food, Inc. and have been freshly motivated to try to buy meat responsibly. However, I'm not sure how much we'll be able to afford, as the price difference is significant. I do buy some free-range chicken from Pennsylvania (a whole chicken was in my last grocery picture, I think), but I haven't switched entirely to that kind of meat.
We do eat only a small amount of meat (much less than the average for a family of 6), so I'm not pouring a lot of money into the chicken/meat industry.
Anyways, this whole issue is something my husband and I are pondering and trying to figure out...where we will find our particular balance between health, nutrition, humane treatment of animals, and our budget.
the problem with "free range" and "organic" and everything else is that there is still no guarantee that the animals are treated humanely. if being humane about meat is what people are going for, it's probably best to just not eat it at all. there are always going to be problems in the meat industry...
i'm fairly certain that if a company has been around for any amount of time like Tyson or Perdue have been, there are going to be stories and complaints. but like everything else in life, you can't please everyone and you can't expect them to please everyone - it's just not possible.
i'm with you, Kristen. trying to buy more responsibly is one thing but going broke over it is silly.
I think it depends on what you define as "the meat industry." We get all of our meat (except for fish) from a local farmer who happens to be the dad of one of my husband's friends. All of his animals are pastured, free-range, grass-fed, what-have-you, and occasionally he gives us a free pound or two of meat because we're loyal customers. If for some reason we suddenly couldn't afford to buy sustainable meat (as it is, we eat meatless several times a week to afford that meat), I'm sure he'd be willing to work out payment with us. Many local meat purveyors will also allow you to take a look around their farms.
I agree that you shouldn't go broke trying to feed your family. My husband and I took it in small steps so we could play with our budget. I do think it's important not to turn a blind eye to the meat industry, though. (Especially because that meat isn't nearly as healthy as meat raised the way it should be.)
I'm excited for your later announcement, Kristen!
Love your idea of using cereal bags to freeze chicken. I use them for freezing a variety of things but I staple them shut - no fear of clips coming off in the freezer. I am very careful to remove the staple and dispose of it - don't want staples for dinner.
Thanks for your answer! I'm not sure about the other big chicken companies- you're probably right that they are all equally bad. It's so hard to make responsible choices all the time. I read "Eating Animals" this Christmas and it changed everything for me (so much that my family gave up eating meat entirely, but I know that's not the right choice for everyone, and if I had small kids, I think I'd feel uncomfortable transitioning them to be completely vegetarian). You're right that the responsibly reared meats ARE more expensive, so it's tough to find the balance. I'm happy to hear that you and your husband are talking about it and doing things like getting your eggs locally.
I read this too (by Jonathan Safran Foer) (yay local library system, even though I had to wait several months for it) and as a vegetarian/85% vegan of many years standing, it really strengthened my resolve. He comes down harder on the chicken and pork industries than even the beef industry. It's a very interesting, fast-going read and not humorless or pedantic. Anyone who purchases meat/poultry/eggs from mainstream national suppliers (i.e. factory farms) should read it---at the very least, if you decide to keep eating their products, you'll be doing it consciously.
p.s. Kristen: when did you sneak into my kitchen and take of photo of *my* sink after lunch?? 😉
love the pyrex
Those Valentine's M&Ms are so pretty, they should be eaten year round.
P.S. Love the princess plate.
how about freezer paper for wrapping and freezing meat? ( if you're looking for a non plastic alternative)
Most freezer paper on the market, including the paper that butchers wrap meat in is lined with plastic. Sigh.
I have been using cereal bags and those that are used for foods like Wheat-Thins for years to freeze meat and other things like bananas. The seams are usually leak-proof, so they are great to use for marinating as well. I pop the meat and marinade into the cereal bag, fold over tightly, then rubber-band the outside. The cereal bag goes into another repurposed bag (such as a plastic bread or bagel bag) to protect against leaking. Label and date the outer bag with a Sharpie, twist-tie it, and into the freezer it goes. Works great! Thanks for your practical, insightful, and fun blog. One of my favorite places to visit!
I grew up on month or two or three month old holiday candy. 🙂 This post makes me smile.
P.S. I love the cheese bread twists. They are so good. I had them with tomato italian chicken.
What a great idea to reuse cereal bags! I often get frustrated when I find my frozen foods in plastic zipper bags have freezer burn. This seems like a wonderful solution to cutting down on waste and freezer burn. Thanks!!!
This is random and I'm not even going to get started on the meat industry. . . I do agree that you really have to *know* your farmer to *know* where your meat is coming from. And that's a lot to ask.
I just wanted to share that the tops of large raisin containers (Newman's own OR Sunmaid--maybe others) fit the small anchor containers quite well. So--if you eat raisins (we add to cereal or oatmeal or trail mix) and are short on small glass bowl lids, then there's a fix. (Cream cheese lids and sour cream lids, on the the other hand, don't fit. I really wish our packing companies would stick to a few standard sized so that everything could mix.)
I've been scrupulously washing out ziploc bags, but this gives me an idea for freezing chicken. Our milk comes in bags of bags - heavy duty plastic bags. I think I will use those bags, clipped shut, for freezing chicken, to get one more use out of them.
Magdalena, are you in Canada?? I just ask because I live in Ontario where bagged milk is the norm but when I talk to my American relatives, they think its the weirdest thing to not have milk in a carton or jug. The bags are great though!! I re-used them for all sorts of things when I was still buying fresh milk. I switched to drinking powdered milk since my work schedule made buying the correct amount of fresh milk tricky to manage...I was so tired of having to dump milk that had gone bad or spending $$$ on tiny cartons that I could use up before the expiration date.
I miss my reusable milk bags!! 🙂
That is really odd to think of milk coming in bags! lol
Kristen, I'll have to take a pic of my milk for you. All we buy is bagged milk. lol
There are several chains in WI that sell milk in bags. Kwik Trip gas stations are the ones nearest us, but we get tons of milk through WIC right now, so I haven't used them.
Growing up in Argentina, 30 years ago, the milk was sold in 1 litter bags. Because it was a thick white plastic (printed in red for whole milk and in green for low fat) the old ladies used to cut the bags in spiral, about 1/4 inch wide and roll it into a ball. With this big ball of plastic "yarn", they knitted (or crochetted, I can remember) big, sturdy and reusable grocery bags. They were pionners in thriftyness!!!
I'm in Canada and we too got milk in bags when I was younger, although the companies have switched to jugs and cartons now. (There was a special pitcher sold that held one bag for easy dispensing.) My mom reused those bags constantly and saved enough that she still freezes all her garden vegetables in them. They are practically indestructable! I wonder what the health ramifications of using that plastic over all these years is, though.
I'm new to your blog and absolutely love it. I have shared it with my mom and friends. I'm a single girl in my mid 20's and i'm in school full time for a PhD program and I love my life....except that I live off a student salary can be frustrating. I love your perspective on living frugally and serving God. You might say your website was the encouragement I needed to continue being a faithful frugalista.
My mom is wonderful and is always sending me recipe's that are quick, easy and economical. I'm particularly interested in your chicken freezing. I always seem to get freezer burn no matter how hard I try. To be clear you freeze your chicken uncovered on a backing sheet, then wrap individually and put in the cereal bags? On a side note, I've seen Food Inc (my PhD program is in public health)...it will really change your perspective on food.
I'm relatively new to your blog and for the life of me, I can't find your review page. I'm sure it's operator error. =P
That would be because I have not gotten around to putting a link up! I usually just throw the link out when I'm actually doing a review or giveaway. lol I just posted about my new giveaway series, but here's the link as well: https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/reviews/
My frugal chip clips are binder clips. The bigger ones are inexpensive, strong as all get out and last a long time. If you want to be festive, take the chrome handles off and spray paint them!
Every now and then you can go to Staples and find the same clips in discount bins. I also use the medium and large clips for my chips. It beats the plastic ones any day. (I don't buy plastic ones but will grab them at home shows and such when people used them to promote their business.)
Regarding your Anchor containers, sometimes when a part of some beloved product breaks, I take a couple minutes to email the company. "Oh my gosh, I love your glass containers with the plastic tops so much, but the tops are splitting! What am I doing wrong? Is there any way I can buy just the tops? Here are the sizes I'd like to purchase." Sometimes the companies will just send me the parts. I lost a part from my coffee maker, and the manufacturer just sent the part for free! Considering that I LOST it (it did not break) I call that excellent customer service. The little connector piece on my son's Crocs...sent to me, no charge. It's worth a couple minutes.
Love your blog!
The Valentine's candy looks good!
I have been very surprised at how expensive pyrex, anchor, etc. are at my local thrift shops. I save a little compared to buying it new, but nothing like the 90%+ savings on clothing and books.
Have you considered calling pyrex and asking about getting replacement lids? Many times companies will send you a couple of them w/out charge. You'd be surprised what you can get with a simple phone call -- besides standard samples & coupons I've also received replacement parts for board games and even a case of trash bags.
Sad to say that the only thing I consider when purchasing meat is the price and the lower the better. However, I now own an upright freezer and have always "dreamed" about having one stocked full of local meats. Through research, I have found several local farmers who could accomodate me, but the price is high. So I am considering having another ING account for this. Wanna consider this as well? I suppose it all boils down to where we put our priorities. Perhaps the $20 a week I am saving everytime I make home made pizza could go towards this.
Just imagine a freezer stocked full of enough meat to last out the entire winter (next of course) and then some. Grass fed, free range, humanely treated, no steriods, no antibiotics, no this , no that... and local. Supporting local, small farmers and letting corporation know what we really want. Sounds good, huh?
Here's another thought. Meat from animals that were hunted / fished from the wild should probably also be considered decent and humane. (After all, the animals spent their lives living in their natural environment.) A husband who hunts could be a relatively *frugal* (if messy) alternative to buying organic, free-range, humanely treated, etc, etc, meat.
Also, here in Alabama, I know that it's necessary for deer to be hunted. We no longer have natural predators like Florida panthers and wolves, so prey species like deer would overpopulate and end up starving if they weren't hunted. And considering that these animals presumably lived a much better life than, say, your hamburger, hunting meat may be the way to go if you're going to eat it. (I don't eat meat myself, but my husband and daughter do . . . not hunted and rarely of the responsible variety.)
Kristen, here's an extension on your chicken freezing comments. We love to grill chicken breasts. When they go on sale, I follow the recipe from the powdered packets of McCormick Grill Mates and put all the ingredients into a gallon zip lock bag.
After I mix (squish) all those ingredients together I place enough fresh chicken breasts into the bag so that they are one flat layer. Those go into the freezer. The night before the planned grilling the bag goes into the refrigerator to thaw. Throughout the day I flip the bag several times to distribute the marinade. By dinner time they're thawed and ready for the grill. Very tasty!
You need a stronger detergent than hand dish soap to clean fat off of plastic bags. I suspect stirring a half teaspoonful of dishwasher detergent in a pan full of water would do the trick. Just put the plastic bag in the water and stir for a while . You can do this on the stovetop or just use hot water from the tap.
Personally, I find that the Ziploc manual vacuum bags (the kind you use with a manual pump) work great with meats, and cleaning them as I described above is probably the best way to go. If you were really paranoid, a 1% bleach solution would sanitize them fully. But keep in mind that after the bags dry for a week or more no bacteria will likely survive on them anyways.
1. If the bag of frozen chix stays frozen, then you don't need to clean it. Empty it, leave it in the freezer, fill it up with the next batch. It helps to write "raw chix" on the bag so you don't forget between batches.
2. The loss leaders are good this week so I may go to four stores (three more than my usual). Extra opportunity for on-sale candy! I love me some peeps. I hear they've debuted chocolate-covered ones this year.
My M&M's are always a holiday behind, too! Love those after holiday sales.