Forum Thermomix
Questions Doubts and Requests => Questions? Technical Issues? The Survival Guide => Topic started by: KarenH on July 16, 2012, 12:26:07 am
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My oldest DS is starting school today, and so we begin years of packed school lunches :P
I would like to cook in advance and freeze things like muffins, rolls, mini quiches etc etc, but I am not sure what is the best way to freeze these things without getting "freezer burn" and lots of ice collecting on them in the freezer, which turns them to mush when they thaw. I have no trouble freezing soups, stews, casseroles etc ..... more the cakes, bread, muffin, pizza, pastry type things.
Any suggestions gratefully accepted!
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Karen I usually just pop them into a zip lock bag. I only make enough for one week at a time. Or get some little freezer safe containers and pop them into them. I don't do that because the containers rarely come back home again. Usually found a week later in the sandpit.
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I have special tupperware containers for the freezer. I freeze cut up cake portiins, muffins, quiche slices, cup cakes in these. I also use the paper that you can use in the freezer to separate layers so they dont stick.
I buy the zip lock freezer bags for bread rolls. I also freeze ready made sandwiches in tupperware sandwich keepers. Of course no salad.
If its an item for long storage, vacum seal.
H :)
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Karen, zip lock bags should work just fine. Just put a straw into the corner, seal it as close as you can to the straw and suck out the air - it is sort of like vacuum sealing but won't crush cakes etc. It takes a bit of practice but it does work. You just have to be very quick to pull out the straw and seal it before any air goes back into the bag.
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JD thanks for the tip with the straw. Must try it :-*
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thanks judy never knew that tip on the straw , will try in next time
l used zip lock bags in the freezer too there great
l use little containers too in lunchbox saves on gladwrap and saves sandwich on getting squash too
and mine do come home from school
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Thanks for all the tips - especially the one with the straw JD! Have just make a batch of savoury muffins that are cooling, so will try freezing some using the straw trick, and also try some in containers. Thanks everyone!
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I hope his first day went well Karen - any tears? from mum I mean! 😉
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No tears from either of us, thankfully. It wasnt so bad really, because where he is going to school changes from kindy to reception in the same place, and all they do is move from half-days to full days.
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I appreciate this thread is very old, but was wondering, after freezing, how you 'prepare' the frozen items for eating again. I would like to freeze things like muffins, pizza scrolls, sausages in pastry etc for school lunches, but don't know whether I need to defrost overnight in the fridge first or pop straight into the lunchbox from the freezer in the morning?
Apart from bolognese sauce where I defrost in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop, I have yet to master the art of freezing. I have tried freezing cupcakes etc but not very successfully so have ended up throwing it out after freezing rather than eating again. Hence, any tips, advice or suggestions would be MOST gratefully accepted.
Thanks :-)a
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In this heat I left the items defrost in the school bag, cp always says his lunches are nice and fresh :)
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I think frozen is best too. It helps to keep the food cool in the lunch box and usually thaws before it is eaten.
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ok. Will try that. Thanks for your responses.
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Mine get sent frozen too - only things I do thaw first are drinks (especially smoothies) as they seem to stay too frozen even by lunchtime otherwise! :)
Halex, may I ask what sandwich fillings you use for freezing? Mine aren't great sandwich eaters but DH is..... ;) 8) TIA :)
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When we lived in Broome, long before it became developed, (37 years ago) DH used to make his lunches for the week and freeze them. He made polony and sauce on white bread ( all you could buy up there then) and had it for lunch almost every day for 2 years.
I guess you can freeze polony and sauce sandwiches. ;D ;D
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I've only frozen meat sandwiches with perhaps some relish. Ham in particular freezes well.
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Thanks cookie. I wonder if cheese and ham would work too?
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My DH makes sandwiches and freezes to take to work, ham and cheese, but he cooks them in the sandwich maker. Can see why they wouldn't be ok, it's a long long time since I had to make school lunches.
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Ham, pineapple and grainy mustard sandwiches freeze and thaw really well in lunch boxes and are very tasty.
I use thinly slice canned pineapple.
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Polony and sauce sandwiches - now that brings back memories Cookie ;D ;D That was my standard school lunch for years - along with cheese and vegemite and corned beef and tomato sauce - both of which freeze well.
I just introduced my 2 boys to fritz and sauce sandwiches last weekend (SA equivalent). They loved them. Easy street for school lunches ;)
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Thats what I do for my FS Cookie. He has lots of commuting as his parents live north of the city. I "draw" a heart and a cross on the bread with tomato sauce and tell him it has my love in it. I wrap inividually and freeze then we always have something ready. He is the only one that eats polony in our house so was forever throwing it out.
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That's so sweet Denise.
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That is lovely Denise. Do others take him for the visits and bring him back?
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We have done some of the commuting but not any more. Big days for the little fellow. First sleepover this week. He is showing signs of confusion. Sad how the most impacted are the innocent. All going good though.
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Karen thanks for saying what SA equivalent of polony is ... was wondering what everyone was talking about 😄
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Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought fritz or polony or devon (different names for different states in Australia) was slightly carcinogenic. DH was a butcher and he told me I would never eat fritz if I saw it being made (he never would tell me what it was made from though). We had it as kids, my kids enjoyed it as do my GKs but I never have it myself now because of this reason and I wouldn't give it to my GKs either. Pop dogs are also off the menu for me, in fact, I guess I could say all manufactured meat is off the menu. Not sure if sausages fit this category, probably not but goodness knows what goes into them.
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That's scary Judy. I know manufactured meat isn't good for us or sausages either. For the heart bacon is a no no too. We have bacon and sausages occasionally. It must be over 20 years since I had a piece of polony/fritz/??