Hi gang, I had to laugh last week because no one caught my big oopsie. I’d accidentally written 2013 in my title above. It was not until later in the day that I’d noticed and went in to change it. It always takes awhile to get use to the fact that a new year is upon us…ha!
So I went out to check my freezer last night (it’s in the garage) to check inventory for this week’s menu plan and realized that my freezer is in need of a little organizing help. Oy! Freezers are the worst to organize as there are only so many ways you can do it. I’ll have to see what I can do. Anyone else need to organize their freezer?
Menu Planning Resources:
Cold Weather Meal Plan for the Slow Cooker ~ @ A Year of Slow Cooking
Couponing That Only Takes 15 Minutes a Week ~ Home Made by Carmona
Cooking for a Month Recipes & Grocery List ~ Saving 4 Six
My Weekly Menu Plan:
Monday: Black Bean Chicken Quesadillas
Tuesday: One Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Parmesan Honey Pork Loin Roast served with rice and broccoli
Thursday: Easy 20 Minute White Bean and Chicken Chili
Friday: Leftover buffet
Saturday: Sirloin Meatballs (from M&M’s) with Easy Homemade {Gluten-Free} Teriyaki Sauce
Sunday: YOYO (you’re on your own)
WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU PLAN THIS WEEK? JOIN US!
Menu Plan Guidelines, banner selections and recipe helpers are here.
More family favorite recipes here.
Don’t forget to join the growing Menu Plan Monday Facebook Page!!
One of my favorite menu planning resources:
SnoWhite @ Finding Joy in My Kitchen says
Looks like a delicious week at your place, Laura. We’ve made a version of that cheeseburger 1-pot pasta dish and really enjoyed it. I’m guessing no-one caught your 2013 blooper b/c we likely all made them too last week 🙂
Thanks for hosting each week — keeps me accountable!
Laura says
Thanks for being a regular around here and holding ME accountable 🙂
Karen @ Abundance on a Dime says
My freezer’s a mess, too! I’ve decided January is “eat down the freezer” month. We have a LOT of food in there, and I’d like to keep the grocery bill as low as possible this month to balance out December’s somewhat higher than usual grocery spending 🙂
Laura says
That’s a great plan Karen!
SusieQTpies says
I’ve been there with a messy freezer. Right now both mine are pretty empty. Time to start restocking. I like that because then you have a fresh start to keep it organized.
Cathy @ Chief Family Officer says
I don’t have a stand alone freezer, but I do find my top freezers difficult to organize (I have an extra fridge/freezer in the garage). Some people recommend baskets, like this: http://goodcheapeats.com/2012/01/tips-for-organizing-the-freezer/. Good luck! (And thanks as always for hosting!)
Laura says
Hi Cathy, yes I’ve got bins in there, but they are buried right now lol.
Wendy, A Day in the LIfe on the Farm says
It is funny that you posted on your freezer today. One of my goals next week will be to clean out our freezers. We have half a cow ordered and our pigs are going to slaughter so I need to prepare for the new. Any meat left from my last order will go to our food pantry freezer. Happy Organizing!!!
Laura says
Good luck with your freezer Wendy!
Janet says
I use plastic bins to help keep my freezer organized but I do need to go straighten it up a bit.
Laura says
I use bins too Janet only right now they are buried lol. First I will pull everything out and then see how I can make it work 🙂
Judi @ Frugal Frolic says
Great menu this week, thanks for sharing! We love single skillet or pot meals.
My freezer can get a bit messy but one trick I do use is I put like-items together in reusable shopping bags in my freezer (I like Trader Joe’s ones the best!). They are especially useful to hold lots of batches of tomato puree from the garden, or to make it easier to lift a half-ham or turkey from the bottom of the freezer. I like that the bags keep the space flexible and the handles make things easy to lift out.
Laura says
Yes it does get tricky trying to reach the bottom that is for sure especially for a shorty like me 🙂
carole says
I use the cloth shopping bags to organize my freezer too. Works great and it’s not expensive.
Lynn Huff says
Hi,
Would love the strawberry avocado smoothie recipe…..thanks,
Laura says
Hi Lynn, where did you see that?
Lynn Huff says
Hi Laura,
It was in my email yesterday….plan Jan 13-19.
See below: (OH…it says IF it is yummy I will post…I thought it said IS yummy I will post 🙂
Breakfast
Strawberry Avocado Green Smoothie – new recipe. If it is yummy I will post.
Make ahead tips
This will be made the morning of.
Keri says
My freezer is one of the few places in my house that is organized! I put only meat in the big deep freeze. It has two compartments, plus a basket, so I try to sort by animal. Frozen veggies, bread, etc. goes in my refrigerator’s freezer. I mostly have things in bags, so I just stack them by category.
Roz says
Regarding freezer organizing, I use the re-useable grocery bags. Meat in one fruit in another , poultry, bread, veggies and so on. Then I draw a map on a white board and I can lift out bags to get at what I want in a flash!
Brenda @ Meal Planning Magic says
Last week, I reorganized my chest freezer in the garage and the one with my refrigerator. Things had gotten so jumbled up since about Halloween and all the holiday stuff in between. Feels so good now to know what’s in there and what needs to be used up next!
Laura says
Can’t wait till mines done. Hopefully tomorrow!
More Than A Mom says
I just re-did my deep freezer. I used reusable fabric bags and in each put like items (e.g. 1 bag chicken, 1 bag beef, etc.). I read this on a blog and love the idea. I put tags on them with what is in it and it’s way easier to lift the tall handles of these types of bags. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do to organize it! (Maybe I’ll get further inspired!!).
Tracy @ Using Time Wisely says
Yep, I can relate. Just a few weeks ago, I reorganized our deep freeze. Without organization, the items just fall in the middle making it nigh impossible to find what you need. Good luck in your project. I feel your pain.