Vacuum packing is not new, but it is a wonderful tool to have in your kitchen. ~ A Product Review
If 2020 has taught us anything, it's that nothing stays the same! While the world is healing slowly, we
are left with finding ways to make our budgets go further. I don't know if you have noticed, but food prices are on the rise again.
For my family that means buying vegetables and fruits when they are in season. You get twice the bang for your buck by doing this. First you get the freshest of fruits and vegetables and because they are in season, the price usually reflects the abundance, by being much lower than when imported.
I prefer to go out and shop at my local farmer's markets, or when I visit my Sister's family, we make a trip out to the St. Jacob's Market, in St. Jacob's Ontario. This is a great place to visit for a day trip or if you live close by, to shop at! You know you are supporting local farmers and the Mennonite Community as well. (I digress!)
We try to buy our vegetables when the season is high. They are the freshest and tastiest vegetables that you could ever want. Picked at the perfect time and very cost effective, you just know you are getting nature's best. But, if you don't have a way to keep them, all that goodness is missed.
With our new Vacuum Sealer, we can purchase more of these vegetables and bring them home. My husband and I sit and clean, divide and package the goodness either the same day or the day after. Once they are all vacuum packed, they go into the freezer. Summer fresh goodness is ours even in the middle of winter.
We don't stop at the fruits and vegetables though. When we go to market, there are many farmers who make homemade sausages. Some farmers have, cattle, chickens, pigs and lambs. Yes we love our meats! There is a real pleasure involved in bringing home the freshest, grain fed, and antibiotic free meats. You know you are eating the finest quality foods available.
With our Vacuum Sealer, we separate our meats into family (for us it's two) sized portions. Some of the Roasts and chicken get treated with spices and then packaged.
Our Vacuum Sealer is getting a really good workout. We have a roll of freezer sleeves, that can be custom sized so there is no waste in the plastic. It is entirely up to you how small or how big you make your bags. The sealer seals both ends, one before you fill and one after you have filled the bag to your liking. Then you have the choice of just bagging it and sealing it, or bagging and vacuum sealing. Both are options.
This is the exact model that we have purchased and we are delighted with the ease in operation. We spend a day or so with the prepping, but once it's done, we can relax and just enjoy.
When we purchased our Vacuum Sealer we also purchased extra rolls of plastic because we knew that we would be making great use of this new addition to our kitchen. This Sealer is so much better than plastic wraps and easier to use too. We have even frozen leftovers for use at a future date.
Now, just a word of caution, you still need to prepare your vegetables like you would normally do. Wash them, blanch them and then pack them into the freezer. It couldn't be easier than that.
If you are a baker, then you will love this sealer too! Bake breads and buns, some for today and some for a later date. Freeze them and when you are ready, it's like you just baked them that day.
I don't like clutter in my kitchen, and have found that many gadgets are "extra" stuff. However, I would highly recommend that you think about getting one of these Sealers! If you are interested in saving money, buying food that is fresh and wholesome, even freezing your herbs, then you won't be disappointed. Gardeners will love this Sealer! When the cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli and your other vegetables are ready, there will be no waste! Use what you can and freeze what you can't! This really is a winner in my books.
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I have heard from friends who have backyard gardens that this vacuum sealer is perfect for preparing their bounty for the freezer. My NY friend has already harvested her backyard corn-on-the-cob, eaten some, and frozen the rest for this coming winter. She swears by this vacuum sealer machine.
ReplyDeleteIt is perfect for so many things. Corn on the cob is perfect in these vacuum sealed bags. If you clean and prep your cobs you can even add butter into the packaging, so that when you take them out of the freezer for use, you can drop the bags into the boiling water and have your corn buttered coming right out of the bag....it's great!
DeleteI have considered a vacuum sealer in the past, but settled for locking freezer bags. The freezer bags are fine, but it is really hard to remove the air from them. Therefore, they don't get that perfect seal to maintain freshness. I believe this sealer would make the perfect birthday gift for me. We certainly enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables from our local farmers market too.
ReplyDeleteI like this a lot better than the zip lock bags. I have used those in the past and always found that the food frozen isn't quite as well sealed as I had thought. When this vacuum seals the packages are nice and tightly packed, no air at all around the product. I like what I see so far and all my friends who use them agree that this is superior to other ways of preparing foods for the freezer.
DeleteBrilliant article, Olivia. You have convinced me that we need a vacuum sealer. I presume that things take less room in the freezer when processed this way, too.
ReplyDeleteIndeed they do. That's one reason that I really like this way of preparing my goodies. The vegetables and meats are compacted, no air within the packaging and they are so neat. I'm glad we invested in this. My brother in law makes home made perogies and vacuum packs them too. Really has lots of uses.
DeleteOlivia, I've considered something like this to seal other foods as well (such as frozen turkey breakfast sausages packaged in cardboard) that tend to develop freezer burn even before the package has been opened. After reading your review, I'm giving it more thought!
ReplyDeleteThat's one other reason we decided to go this route. We have also had many foods get spoiled by freezer "tastes" that really deter from the meats in the packaging. I really believe this is a better way.
ReplyDeleteOlivia, we've used one before as well, and can vouch for it. Reading how disciplined you are with your veggies makes me realize I've been lax! When I visit mom we go to the farmers market, my brother put a garden in this year as well - we however haven't. Fortunately most of the veggies get devoured before they go bad.
ReplyDeleteI would love to have a way to save foods when they are at their freshest. Could really benefit from this vacuum sealer. Thanks for directing my attention to the one you actually use and like. Very valuable recommendation. Thanks!
ReplyDelete