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Friday, February 25, 2011

Food Storage Questions

My new rig.......I'm not worried about gas prices.

I'm back into the planning stage..........
Countdown to Takeoff

Does anyone have a food vacuum seal machine?
What brand is it?  Do you like it/use it often?

Does anyone have a good storage idea for fresh Ginger,
I had a small piece in the fridge, and when I went to use it today, it was moldy. I bought it about a week ago.

What is your best idea for keeping food fresh, especially if you are boondocking and away from stores for awhile?

I think that freezing is probably the best way to keep things, but not all fruits and veges can be frozen and retain texture.

7 comments:

  1. Fresh food can be a problem. But then just how long do you plan to stay away from civilization? Even with a good propane fridge, ceil don't last forever.

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  2. Ginger: I mince it up fine or put it through a garlic press then I preserve it in brandy. Get a brandy and ginger taste. Works for me.

    I'd be interested in what kind of vacuum seal contraption to get as well.

    I like freezing ... if one has a freezer. I freeze a lot of small meals for myself: chili, spanish rice, short ribs, beans, makings of peanut sauce, easy fajita filling, etc. Blueberries are probably my favourite frozen fruit.

    ReplyDelete
  3. When Stu and I got together I had the little portable sealer, you buy the bags and it sucks the air out. I'm not sure they even sell it anymore, I bought it 3 years ago.

    Stu had a Seal-a-Meal and used it a lot. We buy larger quantities of meat and break them down into smaller packages this way. Works well and the meat lasts longer.

    Also, recently read this:

    "Food Myth #3: Fresh vegetables are always a better choice over frozen.

    Frozen vegetables may be even more healthful than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets. That’s because fruits and vegetables chosen for freezing tend to be processed at their peak ripeness, a time when—as a general rule—they are most nutrient-packed, while fruits and vegetables destined to be shipped to the fresh-produce aisles around the country typically are picked before they are ripe, which gives them less time to develop a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. The first step of freezing vegetables—blanching them in hot water or steam to kill bacteria and arrest the action of food-degrading enzymes—causes some water-soluble nutrients to break down or leach out, but the subsequent flash-freeze locks the vegetables in a relatively nutrient-rich state. Plus, they’re relatively inexpensive, especially when compared with their “fresh” counterparts out of season."

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  4. Dry Sherry is where I keep my ginger.

    I also freeze small meals so they can be eaten as a family or one at a time. I freeze ripe bananas for breads.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have not tried it, but I have heard that you can freeze fresh ginger. I keep all of my herbs and spices in the freezer and have for years. They sem to last a lot longer. Actually, I am thinking about "deleting" the icemaker and water dispenser on the refrigerator when I order MY NEW RV so I will have more room for food. I freeze chopped fresh peppers when in season, because we seem to put them in everything.

    ReplyDelete
  6. we have a food saver vacuum sealer..use it all the time..buying larger meat packages and dividing it up into meal size packs!..it is an older one but still works well!..we will buy a new one before we hit the road..but this one will do for now!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I prefer to use the freezer over anything else. I had a seal-a-meal for awhile, but never used it very much. Ziplock bags work for me. If you really want to get the air out of a ziplock, put it into a sink of water and carefully lower it to pre the water out, then zip it up.
    I tried drying fruit in a food dryer, but didn't eat much of it.

    ReplyDelete

Hi, I welcome your thoughts and comments.

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