Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

So last nite DH and I went food shopping---and there were some good meat specials at Shop Rite. Even though its just the two of us, I like to stock up.

So I bought lots of ground turkey, since I can use it for lots of stuff, especially turkey burgers over the summer. As well as chicken breasts and pork chops.

Now while DH appreciates that I do this, he still thinks I"m crazy and the only one....but when we get home I take all those items, and open up the packages and portion them out in freezer bags. Most of the time they come in "Big Deal" packages of 3 or 4 lbs or more, and I really don't want to defrost an entire package if we are just eating for us 2. So I took the 2 packages of chicken and trimmed any fat off and sliced them to form 4 bags full of 5 pcs of chicken breast each...and even figured I might as well season them too while I'm at it and made them with different seasonings.

I bought a good 6 lbs of ground turkey and portioned them into 2 1/2 lb bags and I think 1 lbs bag. He was laughing at me and saying how "cute and crazy" am with all my bags and sharpie labeling each one.

Sooo question, am I a rare breed or do others do this too?

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

We buy in bulk from the local butcher and have them separate everything into smaller portions that work for the two of us.

I don't pre-season the meat though.

I think it makes total sense.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

we buy in bulk and portion out all the time. sometimes we'll prep the food before freezing, sometimes not. depends on what we're doing.

you're totally not weird. it saves time and money!

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

We do this all the time esp. with ground meat. We use vaccume bags.

It's great bc nothing really goes to waste.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

we do this all the time! with anything - chicken breasts and thighs, sausage, ground turkey. we try not to freeze steak though.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

If I buy a large portion of meat that I know I'm not gong to use all of right away then I'll make portions in bags. But I don't season, I do that when I cook it.

It's something I learned from my mom, so that makes +2 of us that do the same thing!!

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I have to portion things out too if it's more than a 1lb package.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I do this also. I'll even marinate the meat before freezing it. it makes it easy to pull out the portions that you need.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I ALWAYS do this. I made the mistake ONCE of buying a huge pack of meat and putting it in the freezer - there was no way for me to defrost just a portion so we had to make the entire pack and most of it went to waste in the end.

So now I always wash, portion it out (I portion them to make enough for dinner for the both of us and lunch for me the next day), AND I season it. That way when we're ready to cook it, just defrost and bake/cook.

The ONLY time I don't season the food before freezing is when we buy chicken at Costco - it comes already pre-portioned and vacuum sealed so we just freeze it and season when we're ready to cook.

I also use the vacuum seal bags (foodsaver) instead of the Ziplock freezer bags - the ziplock bags always let the food get some freezerburn and with the foodsaver bags, none of that.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

We always portion it out, but usually we’re going to use some of the package in the next two days, so I will stick it in the fridge (in a bag) until the next night when we open it, take out what we need and portion the rest. We don’t season it. If we aren’t going to use it within 2 days we will portion it when we’re making dinner or something…I’m too lazy to do it right when I get home from the store (although we probably should). We don’t stock up TOO much b/c our freezer can’t fit that much but we definitely do buy the family packs and then some weeks we can just eat out of the freezer and have a lower grocery bill

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I portion big packages - but I don't season it unless I plan to marinate it - in which case I put the marinade is a regular gallon Ziploc, put the meat in the marinade and close the Ziploc and suck out as much air as possible without sucking any of the marinade up. THEN I put that in a storage bag and suck out the air from the big bag.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

Although we should do this with everything, we only do this with chopmeat and that is if and when we remember. But usually if we buy a big package of chopmeat, we will split it up in one Gallon freezer bags......flatten it out and freeze.

Then it takes no time to defrost when we are ready to use it.

We should do this with chicken too, but we rarely ever do.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I portion out the packages into ziplocks then freeze, but do not season, bc I have multiple uses for each kind of meat.

I thought this was normal-who wants to waste all that meat when only cooking for 2.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I portion everything, because there are just two of us. What are we going to do with a 4 lb package of meat??

Sometimes I add marinade to the bag before freezing.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

After a trip to Costco or my favorite butcher, I always separate and marinate my meat before freezing it.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I always portion - never season though...

I even portion chicken nuggets.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

You can freeze your meat in marinade???? I never knew that!!!

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

we do this all the time, too! we go to sam's club like once a month or every couple months and stock up on pork chops, ground beef, chicken.... then we seperate it into 1 lb portions and freeze each pound in a freezer bag, so we have the perfect portion for a meal it cuts down on the groceries we have to buy every week.
we even have a seperate shelf in our freezer for each type of meat LOL
we don't season it before we freeze it though--- but might have to try that sometime!
so, nope, you're not weird! you're smart and organized LOL

Message edited 6/23/2009 8:10:32 PM.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I put other because it depends on my game plan. Sometimes a season, other times I don't. I'm marinate chicken before I freeze it so that as it thaws it marinates. I leave some plain in case I'm making fajitas and just needs to season it or just don't know what I want yet. Ground meat I'll seperate though. Sometimes I'll make the burgers with the seasoning and freeze them as individual patties as well as making meatballs. I'll usually store those so it's enough for one to two meals. I do buy some meat from omaha steaks like good cuts of steak when they are on sale and those are already preportioned.

Basically I like to buy with a game plan but I don't go crazy. When we have kids to feed I'll probably be one of those cook once a month moms! LOL.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I portion everything out and freeze, but don't season them.

I should try seasoning half, so it would be easier when it's time to cook.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

I portion everything out and freeze it into 'dinner-sized' portions.

In addition, when whole boneless chicken breasts are on sakle for $1.69/lb I buy like 10 packages and make chicken cutlets, strips, cubes, etc so they are ready to go.

Sometimes I bake some chicken breasts then shred or dice and then freeze in small portions --- easy to defrost and throw in a quick stir fry or on salad.

I buy family packs of chicken parts and separate them into a variety to make baked chicken.

Same with hot & sweet sausage - I make a mix and portion it for easy cooking.

When things are on sale, I stock up like crazy.

Re: Question: Food Shopping in Bulk

We do this all the time as well.

And I almost always season the meat before I put it in the freezer. That way when we want it, just need to let it thaw out and it's ready to go.