I buy frozen cooked veggies because they’re handy to toss into my homemade frozen dinners as a side dish for an entree. If I make chicken, I can just shake some frozen peas, carrots, green beans, corn, etc., into the food container with each individual serving.
I’ve decided to quit buying prepackaged frozen veggies, though, because I can get more food for less money if I buy fresh vegetables instead. I’d like to be able to cut up and cook the veggies, then freeze them in a bag, so that just like with the store-bought packages, I can shake out what I need as I need it.
The problem, though, is I don’t know how to keep them from freezing together, which they’ll do if I cook them in liquid. So, I decided to try a steamer. I thought that unlike with boiling them, they don’t get dunked in the water, so maybe they’ll remain loose when frozen.
So, on my last trip to the grocery store, I bought some carrots, green beans and yellow squash, and I spent a chunk of Saturday cutting up veggies and steaming them. My theory did not pan out. They all froze together anyway; therefore, when I get ready to distribute them into my frozen dinner containers, I’ll have to reheat them first.
The good news, though, is that I have another method to try. On Wednesday, I read a related tip in the Everyday Cheapskate column that runs in my local paper. A reader had written in that when she has extra strawberries, she washes them then spreads them out on jelly-roll pan and freezes them. Then, they’re individually frozen pieces. I think the next time I’m cutting and cooking vegetables, I’ll try partially freezing them spread out on a cookie sheet before I bag them.
I’ve decided to quit buying prepackaged frozen veggies, though, because I can get more food for less money if I buy fresh vegetables instead. I’d like to be able to cut up and cook the veggies, then freeze them in a bag, so that just like with the store-bought packages, I can shake out what I need as I need it.
The problem, though, is I don’t know how to keep them from freezing together, which they’ll do if I cook them in liquid. So, I decided to try a steamer. I thought that unlike with boiling them, they don’t get dunked in the water, so maybe they’ll remain loose when frozen.
So, on my last trip to the grocery store, I bought some carrots, green beans and yellow squash, and I spent a chunk of Saturday cutting up veggies and steaming them. My theory did not pan out. They all froze together anyway; therefore, when I get ready to distribute them into my frozen dinner containers, I’ll have to reheat them first.
The good news, though, is that I have another method to try. On Wednesday, I read a related tip in the Everyday Cheapskate column that runs in my local paper. A reader had written in that when she has extra strawberries, she washes them then spreads them out on jelly-roll pan and freezes them. Then, they’re individually frozen pieces. I think the next time I’m cutting and cooking vegetables, I’ll try partially freezing them spread out on a cookie sheet before I bag them.
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