# Convenience Foods



## Addie (Jan 30, 2013)

There is a woman in N.O. who had a bright idea. It takes a looong time to make a proper roux. And a lot of stirring. So she decided to make some, place it in jars and sell it. She now makes it in her large factory kitchen in different shades of doneness and it has become a big hit. Good luck to her and her inventivness. Another success story.


----------



## puffin3 (Jan 30, 2013)

Addie said:


> There is a woman in N.O. who had a bright idea. It takes a looong time to make a proper roux. And a lot of stirring. So she decided to make some, place it in jars and sell it. She now makes it in her large factory kitchen in different shades of doneness and it has become a big hit. Good luck to her and her inventivness. Another success story.


So if I understand, this woman is selling a roux to people who can't be bothered making "a proper roux" because "it takes a looong time". OKYDOKY.
This my friends is the definition of the classic phrase: "the dumbing down of America". "Who needs to learn how to do anything properly anymore? I can buy something in a jar instead". Sigh.


----------



## Addie (Jan 30, 2013)

puffin3 said:


> So if I understand, this woman is selling a roux to people who can't be bothered making "a proper roux" because "it takes a looong time". OKYDOKY.
> This my friends is the definition of the classic phrase: "the dumbing down of America". "Who needs to learn how to do anything properly anymore? I can buy something in a jar instead". Sigh.


 
You sound so angry. Have we done something that really displeases you? This is not the first  post you have made with this attitude. We try to be friends to everyone and realize that there is more than one way to do something. 

Sometimes busy working mothers simply do not have the time to spend hours in the kitchen like their grandmothers did.


----------



## jennyema (Jan 30, 2013)

puffin3 said:


> So if I understand, this woman is selling a roux to people who can't be bothered making "a proper roux" because "it takes a looong time". OKYDOKY.
> This my friends is the definition of the classic phrase: "the dumbing down of America". "Who needs to learn how to do anything properly anymore? I can buy something in a jar instead". Sigh.



I think your idea of a proper roux and a Cajun roux are different products


----------



## puffin3 (Jan 30, 2013)

Addie said:


> You sound so angry. Have we done something that really displeases you? This is not the first  post you have made with this attitude. We try to be friends to everyone and realize that there is more than one way to do something.
> 
> Sometimes busy working mothers simply do not have the time to spend hours in the kitchen like their grandmothers did.


No I am not "angry". I assumed that people who come to this forum do so to actually learn something....not to be 'enabled'. 
I was raised in a very loving but very strict Mennonite family. As a 14 year old boy I and a few cousins my age prepared a full meal for thirty family members just to show we could.
I have offered my opinions here based on over sixty years as a professional cook, a former restaurant owner and home cook and someone who cooked three meals a day for my crew on my commercial fishing boat for twenty years and as a tug boat captain. Frankly there isn't much I don't know about the basics of cooking. In the last few years, as a retirement hobby, I started to learn how to make classic french stocks and sauces. If I needed to I could get a job as a 'saucier' in any french restaurant in the country. I can make a 'Sauce Poivrade' in my sleep. 
What drives me crazy is this attitude the 'Oh well, if you don't have time just buy a jar of something'. That's fine and I don't have any problem with that at all. But it's for culinary 'civilians'. They can get all the info they need from 'All-cooks' etc off the internet. 
I want to exchange ideas with anyone who has a passion for food. That's what I thought this forum was about. I should have got the message when the first dozen posts I put up about 'low and slow' and 'SV' were responded to with "I'd be careful of undercooked food". etc etc.
I express my opinions in a no-nonsense way. Don't like it? ignore me. If you want straight talk based on decades of experience you'll always get it from me.


----------



## GotGarlic (Jan 30, 2013)

Puffin, I think the thing is that you come across as saying your way is the only right way. While we appreciate the contributions of people with lots of experience, you're not just  direct - you're insulting. That can be discouraging to new cooks. We try to be encouraging here. Most members of DC *are* "civilians" and not professional cooks. 

And, American cooking has changed from the classical French cooking you seem to revere. You might want to broaden your horizons a bit


----------



## salt and pepper (Jan 30, 2013)

Addie said:


> There is a woman in N.O. who had a bright idea. It takes a looong time to make a proper roux. And a lot of stirring. So she decided to make some, place it in jars and sell it. She now makes it in her large factory kitchen in different shades of doneness and it has become a big hit. Good luck to her and her inventivness. Another success story.


 
       There are allready products out there f
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





or lazy cooks, here is one:


----------



## FrankZ (Jan 30, 2013)

Addie said:


> There is a woman in N.O. who had a bright idea. It takes a looong time to make a proper roux. And a lot of stirring. So she decided to make some, place it in jars and sell it. She now makes it in her large factory kitchen in different shades of doneness and it has become a big hit. Good luck to her and her inventivness. Another success story.




Have you seen Seasoned Butter, Olive Oil Sauté Starter

Pre-packages butter/OO with herbs.  I wish I had thought of it.  They are likely to make a fortune.


----------



## Addie (Jan 30, 2013)

puffin3 said:


> No I am not "angry". I assumed that people who come to this forum do so to actually learn something....not to be 'enabled'.
> I was raised in a very loving but very strict Mennonite family. As a 14 year old boy I and a few cousins my age prepared a full meal for thirty family members just to show we could.
> I have offered my opinions here based on over sixty years as a professional cook, a former restaurant owner and home cook and someone who cooked three meals a day for my crew on my commercial fishing boat for twenty years and as a tug boat captain. Frankly there isn't much I don't know about the basics of cooking. In the last few years, as a retirement hobby, I started to learn how to make classic french stocks and sauces. If I needed to I could get a job as a 'saucier' in any french restaurant in the country. I can make a 'Sauce Poivrade' in my sleep.
> What drives me crazy is this attitude the 'Oh well, if you don't have time just buy a jar of something'. That's fine and I don't have any problem with that at all. But it's for culinary 'civilians'. They can get all the info they need from 'All-cooks' etc off the Internet.
> ...


 
Puffin I was married to a professional chef. He attended some of the finest culinary schools in Europe. He taught me my knife skills. What he didn't teach me was how to cook. He ate many a bride's meal. Unless I asked him for help, he ate what I made. On occasion he would go into the kitchen and make a meal with French sauces and other exotic foods. The kids loved it, I wasn't so fond. I like my New England dishes that I grew up with and my mother taught me. But he never got angry or upset because I wasn't so interested in what he could teach me if only I asked. He never criticized what I served. Nor did he offer suggestions unless I asked. He worked in some of the finest restaurants in Boston and New Hampshire. He too started out as a young boy as an apprentice to a Chef in France until he was old enough to attend culinary school. He was with that Chef for 2.5 years. He had years of experience yet he never criticized anyone's food. He had a pleasant attitude regarding his work. And for that, many folks, myself included, were very grateful to him. If asked about food, he would answer you and give you the benefit of his knowledge in a very pleasant manner. He didn't show off or try to inpress anyone. I still miss him and hope he is happy in heaven. I am sure he is cooking some heavenly food now.


----------



## medtran49 (Jan 31, 2013)

Although I have to agree with the comments made about the way Puffin presents his/her opinions, a good point is being made. America is being dumbed down and wallets emptied by all the conveniences. 

Case in point, I noticed last week in our grocery flyer that Kraft has apparently come out with a new product, bread/panko crumbs, fresh cheese and spice mixtures. I just Googled it to make sure I had the brand right and they have quite a few mixtures out, ALL of which could be easily made at home in just a very few minutes and a heck of a lot cheaper than what they cost in the grocery. Even at BOGO prices last week I thought it was too expensive to buy, especially since the last time we tried something along similar lines we weren't happy with it at all. 

Let's not even mention the tubs of chopped onions, peppers, etc. they have in the produce department. I mean really, how long does it take to chop up an onion? I'll admit I buy pre-peeled garlic cloves (whole cloves, not chopped, I want to see what I'm using) when I'm making up a batch of sausage or something else that requires huge quantities of garlic but chopped onions? 

Karen


----------



## forty_caliber (Jan 31, 2013)

medtran49 said:


> Although I have to agree with the comments made about the way Puffin presents his/her opinions, a good point is being made. America is being dumbed down and wallets emptied by all the conveniences.
> 
> Case in point, I noticed last week in our grocery flyer that Kraft has apparently come out with a new product, bread/panko crumbs, fresh cheese and spice mixtures. I just Googled it to make sure I had the brand right and they have quite a few mixtures out, ALL of which could be easily made at home in just a very few minutes and a heck of a lot cheaper than what they cost in the grocery. Even at BOGO prices last week I thought it was too expensive to buy, especially since the last time we tried something along similar lines we weren't happy with it at all.
> 
> ...



I couldn't agree with you more.  The amount of convenience items available is bordering on silly.  Same argument can be made for seasoning/gravy packages.  Beef stew seasoning, taco seasoning...really?  Much easier to make at home with real ingredients and no mystery chemicals.

.40


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 31, 2013)

forty_caliber said:


> I couldn't agree with you more.  The amount of convenience items available is bordering on silly.  Same argument can be made for seasoning/gravy packages.  Beef stew seasoning, taco seasoning...really?  Much easier to make at home with real ingredients and no mystery chemicals.
> 
> .40



I agree to an extent.  I can afford to order from Penzey's on occasion and get my fresh spices.  However, some cannot afford it and they have a choice between different seasoning packets at $1 each for five meals or buying one jar of "spice" for the same $5...been there and had to do that.  There was a time I was too busy trying to make a living and didn't have the time or money to eat the best of foods.

I am glad that now I have both and am able to enjoy cooking.


----------



## forty_caliber (Jan 31, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I agree to an extent.  I can afford to order from Penzey's on occasion and get my fresh spices.  However, some cannot afford it and they have a choice between different seasoning packets at $1 each for five meals or buying one jar of "spice" for the same $5...been there and had to do that.  There was a time I was too busy trying to make a living and didn't have the time or money to eat the best of foods.
> 
> I am glad that now I have both and am able to enjoy cooking.



That's a fair point, herbs and spices are staple items in our pantry.  I buy that type of thing in bulk when I can to make it more economical.  It's easy to take our many blessings for granted.  

.40


----------



## taxlady (Jan 31, 2013)

I once went grocery shopping with a young woman who bought a bunch of frozen "TV dinners". She saw the look on my face an said, "It's cheaper than restaurant food, when I'm too tire to cook."

I'm sure that applies to a lot of that convenience chopped onions, etc. I wonder if people notice that stuff like that is usually coated in preservatives.


----------



## Zhizara (Jan 31, 2013)

I agree with PF.  I do use some packaged mixes, mainly because of their consistency of flavor.

I can get carried away with the spices sometimes with unpleasant results.  I can end up with a pot full of food that I don't like, and that's _*not*_ economical at all.


----------



## RPCookin (Jan 31, 2013)

That's all well and good if you live somewhere that such activities can actually be done.  Realism for a lot of people doesn't include space for a couple of flower pots, much less a garden.  Many items are dependent on a certain environment.  Some locations are entirely unsuitable for growing all but a very few things.  

We have 2 acres here on our island in paradise, yet so far we have only found a half dozen things which can be grown here because we are situated on a sand dune, 30 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, with the Trade Winds blowing salt air off the water about 3/4 of the time.  As a result, the sandy soil is salt impregnated, and most common veggies won't grow in it.  Peppers, basil, rosemary, sweet potatoes are the most likely things we can grow here.  On parts of the island farther from the water they grow quite a bit of produce, but we are fairly limited.  For that reason, transporting produce is essential if you want any kind of variety.

But I agree that there is really no excuse for not learning how to cook basic foods.  My mother started us cooking back in the 50's when most men didn't even consider it.  That introduction has stood me in good stead my whole life, and in the last 20 years I've improved on what I learned from her.  I may not be a classically trained chef, but I did take a month long class on the classic essentials at a fairly good cooking school in Denver.  I'm no wizard, but I'm fairly comfortable in the kitchen.


----------



## Addie (Jan 31, 2013)

When my kids were small and my husband was in the trade of being a Chef, I was able to get my seasonings in bulk containers. But now I live alone and no longer cook for a family. So it doesn't pay for me to have great big jars of seasonings. Aha! Between me, my daughter, and my son we now do buy in bulk and split it between the three of us. Spike brought the large restaurant size jar of garlic powder to me last night because I needed a refill. I have the big jar of onion powder and he took some of that home. I also have the large jar of Italian mix of herbs. That got divided immediately betwen the three of us. My daughter asked me a couple of weeks ago if I was going to buy a new large jar. I wasn't. So I split what I did have on hand with her. I will be buying an new jar next month. It is the one seasoning that the three of us use the most. It is my turn to buy it this time. It is a mixture of five different herbs and a lot cheaper than buying individual containers. It is great having the family live so nearby. And a lot cheaper.


----------



## Addie (Jan 31, 2013)

RPCookin said:


> That's all well and good if you live somewhere that such activities can actually be done. Realism for a lot of people doesn't include space for a couple of flower pots, much less a garden. Many items are dependent on a certain environment. Some locations are entirely unsuitable for growing all but a very few things.
> 
> We have 2 acres here on our island in paradise, yet so far we have only found a half dozen things which can be grown here because we are situated on a sand dune, 30 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, with the Trade Winds blowing salt air off the water about 3/4 of the time. As a result, the sandy soil is salt impregnated, and most common veggies won't grow in it. Peppers, basil, rosemary, sweet potatoes are the most likely things we can grow here. On parts of the island farther from the water they grow quite a bit of produce, but we are fairly limited. For that reason, transporting produce is essential if you want any kind of variety.
> 
> But I agree that there is really no excuse for not learning how to cook basic foods. My mother started us cooking back in the 50's when most men didn't even consider it. That introduction has stood me in good stead my whole life, and in the last 20 years I've improved on what I learned from her. I may not be a classically trained chef, but I did take a month long class on the classic essentials at a fairly good cooking school in Denver. I'm no wizard, but I'm fairly comfortable in the kitchen.


 
I am with you RPC. I am 74 y.o. and have difficulty just walking around my apartment. Should I go out and try to garden just for the purpose of feeding myself? Because if I did, everytime I would have to bend over to do the weeding, I would pass out. Should I risk falling while I am trying to walk on uneven ground? I am trying to maintain my independence, but not at the risk of losing my life in the process. Our society has progressed to supermarkets as opposed to living like a pioneer and plowing with just a horse or mule. I have done my share of gardening over the years, and now am enjoying the ability to be able let someone else do the hard work. I will continue to buy my food from the supermarket and enjoy the conveniece of having ready made foods available to me.

I am afraid Puffin doesn't have much faith in the ingenuity and abilities of the American people.


----------



## puffin3 (Jan 31, 2013)

"I am afraid Puffin doesn't have much faith in the ingenuity and abilities of the American people." 
You and I grew up in a time when most people had to fend for themselves...and we did. We were called "the greatest generation" for a reason. I am referring to young people who have been raised to assume 'someone else' will always be there for them. Basic life skills are 'so fifties'. When the **** hits the fan economically it's those people who never learned how to tie shoe laces because they have always worn 'velcro' who will be leaving the cities and headed by the tens of thousands to your relative's farm who grows a garden in the country. 
You are correct. I have no faith in today's young people because they don't have the collective "ingenuity" to start a lawn mower. I see them every day trying to figure out how to use a bicycle pump. They can't read or write. The worst part about that is they believe they don't need to. They have pretty much given up any hope of having anywhere near the lifestyle of their parents. A 'well paying' secure job? Ever buying a house? A new car? A holiday in Spain? Not so much. Just another day with the latest 'shoot em up' video game'. Maybe 'borrow' another fifty from mom when the old man isn't looking.


----------



## Kayelle (Jan 31, 2013)

I hesitate to jump into the fray here but here's an observation on my part.

The new poster came here looking for help making roux, and got some sound advice. I'm sure he/she has run for the hills by now. The last two pages have turned into a cat fight.


----------



## pacanis (Jan 31, 2013)

Kayelle said:


> I hesitate to jump into the fray here but here's an observation on my part.
> 
> The new poster came here looking for help making roux, and got some sound advice. I'm sure he/she has run for the hills by now. The last two pages have turned into a cat fight.


 
Holy SPAMoli! 
I'd have to agree.
Didn't someone mention not too long ago about ten posts off topic was too much and would be split? 
I was wondering how much could be said about a roux when this post was started a while ago.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 31, 2013)

You are so right, this has gone way off topic and as such I have split it off.


----------



## vitauta (Jan 31, 2013)

i find myself agreeing with some parts of what everyone has had to say in this thread. well, almost anyway. for me personally, that is something that just doesn't occur very often. i welcome and appreciate this sort of straightforward exchange of ideas, and would like nothing better than to see more of it.
this debate developed into something with some real meat to it, even if, or maybe because of, the fact that it went off-topic--which was, what again?  

because the subject was allowed to develop beyond the concrete pros and cons of addie and puffin's initial positions, i think we were able to appreciate  that each had some distinctly valid views to offer.  not only that, but more people felt inclined to join in, further broadening the field of inquiry with contributions of their own.

let's have more lively conversations such as this thread encouraged....


----------



## Zereh (Jan 31, 2013)

It wouldn't be so bad if all you brought home in that convenience bag or box was food. Instead they're full of non-food stuff and chemicals that don't belong in our bodies.

Spending $50 on crap in the grocery store is amazingly easy. Or one can spend $50 on produce, a couple hunks of meat, some cheese and rice / beans / polenta and make several delicious dinners (with the added bonus of great left-overs for lunch!)

I would get flustered if I had to rush in the door every night and start from zero to get dinner on the table. So I've learned over time that I don't have to cook everything at once. I pretty much cook a day or two ahead as much as possible and do sides & salads the night of. I spend a couple hours a couple times a week seriously cooking it up and the rest of the time it's just a matter of pulling things together or finishing them up.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 31, 2013)

Zereh said:


> It wouldn't be so bad if all you brought home in that convenience bag or box was food. Instead they're full of non-food stuff and chemicals that don't belong in our bodies.
> 
> Spending $50 on crap in the grocery store is amazingly easy. Or one can spend $50 on produce, a couple hunks of meat, some cheese and rice / beans / polenta and make several delicious dinners (with the added bonus of great left-overs for lunch!)
> 
> I would get flustered if I had to rush in the door every night and start from zero to get dinner on the table. So I've learned over time that I don't have to cook everything at once. I pretty much cook a day or two ahead as much as possible and do sides & salads the night of. I spend a couple hours a couple times a week seriously cooking it up and the rest of the time it's just a matter of pulling things together or finishing them up.



How long did it take you to develop this habit?  Back when I started out, I ran my rear off at work and ran home to run around trying to get dinner ready.  Now I know about cooking ahead and have the leisure time and money to cook good food.

I know I am not the only person who had a choice between eating and paying rent at times.


----------



## jabbur (Jan 31, 2013)

Since I only work part time, I often have the time to cook "from scratch" and have given up a lot of convenience foods for the most part.  However, I HATE dicing veggies so those ones already chopped get bought on occasion.  I kill plants on a regular basis so please don't ask me to grow my own herbs.  I'll buy mine chopped, powdered, grated whatever, from the store.  I have a large freezer so I do a lot of frozen veggies and meats.  I don't know that I would buy premade roux since I don't find it all that difficult to make and when I want something that requires a roux, I plan to have the time to make it.


----------



## MrsLMB (Jan 31, 2013)

Addie said:


> There is a woman in N.O. who had a bright idea. It takes a looong time to make a proper roux. And a lot of stirring. So she decided to make some, place it in jars and sell it. She now makes it in her large factory kitchen in different shades of doneness and it has become a big hit. Good luck to her and her inventivness. Another success story.


 
It is true that some people don't have the time, or won't make the time, these days to do what seems simple and normal to other of us.

We have become a world of convenience.

Those who choose to indulge in that convenience have made the choice to go that route. 

It's not the route everyone chooses but that does not make it wrong.

Regardless of what people think, I applaud this lady for going for it and taking her shot at the American Dream .. good luck to her !!


----------



## Zhizara (Jan 31, 2013)

I will be looking for the bottled roux, simply because I cannot stand at the stove for the time required to make it myself, without causing back and leg pains that will last for days.

I've been wanting to make gumbo again for some time now, but it makes my back hurt just thinking about having to stand there long enough to make the proper roux.


----------



## Steve Kroll (Jan 31, 2013)

I can see the point of convenience foods, and I don't have a problem with people who use them. However, I enjoy cooking from scratch. I also enjoy the challenge of making great food on a budget. If you look at French cuisine, one thing that stands out is that it evolved from peasant food. People took what little scraps they had and turned it into haute cuisine. 

I'll give you one example, just because it's fresh in my memory from this week. We had French onion soup a couple of nights ago. I made the beef stock myself with a leftover bone given to me by my MIL. Add water, carrot, an onion, and a few herbs from the deck, and put it in the oven for 6 hours. I could've even made it in the crockpot while at work. Cost for ingredients: less than $1. My time: about 10 minutes (I don't count the time it was in the oven because I didn't have to do anything). Tuesday I bought a bag of onions, sliced them in the food processor and cooked them for 30 minutes on the stove top until they were caramelized. Mix it with the stock and you have soup. Delicious soup, too. The total cost to make 2 quarts of soup was somewhere around $3. And I froze half of it. So there's two meals without much time or money involved.

If I had bought the same amount of soup at the store, it would've probably cost closer to $15. In a restaurant, I've seen it selling for $8 a bowl.


----------



## GrillingFool (Feb 1, 2013)

We are all foodies, cooks, chefs and generally people who love to cook here.
There are a LOT of people out there who don't share our love of cooking;
they think chopping onions, peppers and celery is a chore, not a joy.
They have no interest, and take no pleasure in the long process of making
a nice roux....
But for those of them who want to cook, things like pre-chopped veggies,
roux in a jar, Kraft breadings and cheese, pizza crust in a tube are HEAVEN-SENT!
With these convenience products, they can quickly and fairly easily create real
meals that don't come from a box, are more healthy and taste better!
And for those who have busy lives, it can give them time to make a meal
for their family, instead of living on take-out and frozen meals.


----------



## bakechef (Feb 1, 2013)

puffin3 said:


> "I am afraid Puffin doesn't have much faith in the ingenuity and abilities of the American people."
> You and I grew up in a time when most people had to fend for themselves...and we did. We were called "the greatest generation" for a reason. I am referring to young people who have been raised to assume 'someone else' will always be there for them. Basic life skills are 'so fifties'. When the **** hits the fan economically it's those people who never learned how to tie shoe laces because they have always worn 'velcro' who will be leaving the cities and headed by the tens of thousands to your relative's farm who grows a garden in the country.
> You are correct. I have no faith in today's young people because they don't have the collective "ingenuity" to start a lawn mower. I see them every day trying to figure out how to use a bicycle pump. They can't read or write. The worst part about that is they believe they don't need to. They have pretty much given up any hope of having anywhere near the lifestyle of their parents. A 'well paying' secure job? Ever buying a house? A new car? A holiday in Spain? Not so much. Just another day with the latest 'shoot em up' video game'. Maybe 'borrow' another fifty from mom when the old man isn't looking.



Well you're hanging around the wrong young people.

The "young people" that I am associated with are not "foodies" but they all know how to cook from scratch, many of them sew their own clothing and knit their own stuff.  One couple has bought a farm and is raising much of their own food, have chickens for eggs and eating etc..  This christmas, the gift exchange was 100% homemade/handmade gifts.  Nobody said that they had to be homemade, it's just that everyone used their talent.  These aren't people that would stand out in society as anything but normal, they aren't back to the earth hippie types.

I see a resurgence of "young people" learning to do more for themselves.  The under 30 set, in particular.   

Young people don't corner the market on convenience foods, I actually see the opposite in the grocery business.  The young people buying the most convenience foods are usually college students.


----------



## bakechef (Feb 1, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I agree to an extent.  I can afford to  order from Penzey's on occasion and get my fresh spices.  However, some  cannot afford it and they have a choice between different seasoning  packets at $1 each for five meals or buying one jar of "spice" for the  same $5...been there and had to do that.  There was a time I was too  busy trying to make a living and didn't have the time or money to eat  the best of foods.
> 
> I am glad that now I have both and am able to enjoy cooking.



BINGO!

If  someone is starting to cook and doesn't have a well stocked pantry,  just making a single recipe and having to buy the spices can break the  bank.  Grocery store spice prices are horrible, but when just starting  out, you are less likely to know about alternative sources such as  ethnic markets etc...

And yes, I do buy Taco seasoning mix, from  Penzy's, I like the blend, it comes in a big bag without any unwanted  additives and I use it for multiple things.  I'm not at all ashamed to  admit that.  Yes I have made it myself, but I see no reason why I  should!


----------



## powerplantop (Feb 1, 2013)

Zhizara said:


> I will be looking for the bottled roux, simply because I cannot stand at the stove for the time required to make it myself, without causing back and leg pains that will last for days.
> 
> I've been wanting to make gumbo again for some time now, but it makes my back hurt just thinking about having to stand there long enough to make the proper roux.



Zhizara, I have friends who use this pre made cajun roux and are happy with it. Not the same as making it your self but you might give it a try.


----------



## pacanis (Feb 1, 2013)

GrillingFool said:


> We are all foodies, cooks, chefs and generally people who love to cook here.
> There are a LOT of people out there who don't share our love of cooking;
> they think chopping onions, peppers and celery is a chore, not a joy.
> They have no interest, and take no pleasure in the long process of making
> ...


 
EXACTLY! Well said.

As someone who rarely gets take out, or takeaway as some people call it, and cooks every single day for myself, the convenience of opening a package or can of something is my way of taking it easy on cooking that day.
It has always amazed me how insulting some people are to others for not eating or cooking their way, yet if you posted seven take out meals or restaurant meals a week nothing would be said 

And lets keep in mind there are different forms of convenience. There are probably folks out their snubbing their noses as those people opening a can of San Marzano tomatoes for their Sunday Gravy instead of a jar of tomatoes they grew and canned themselves. At least they are cooking.


----------



## Zhizara (Feb 1, 2013)

powerplantop said:


> Zhizara, I have friends who use this pre made cajun roux and are happy with it. Not the same as making it your self but you might give it a try.



Thanks, PPO.  I should be able to find it here in New Orleans.  I really have a hankering for some gumbo.  

Another advantage for me would be consistency of flavor.  That's why I like my taco seasoning mix.  I need a couple of things from Penzey's so I'm going to try their taco seasoning when I place my order.  Thanks for the tip bakechef!


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 1, 2013)

Zhizara said:


> Thanks, PPO.  I should be able to find it here in New Orleans.  I really have a hankering for some gumbo.
> 
> Another advantage for me would be consistency of flavor.  That's why I like my taco seasoning.  I need a couple of things from Penzey's so I'm going to try their taco seasoning when I place my order.  Thanks for the tip bakechef!



The Penzey's Bold is perfect, nice middle of the road, not too mild or too hot.


----------



## pacanis (Feb 1, 2013)

I'm going to try Penzey's taco seasoning as well next order. I said before in another thread, the recipes I have made myself give me some serious indigestion/heartburn. But I actually _like_ the taste of Ortega seasoning and their mystery ingredients, lol. Penzeys will have to top that ;^)


----------



## CWS4322 (Feb 1, 2013)

I can understand the convenience offered by a jar of spaghetti sauce, etc. I learned to cook from scratch and have always done so. I don't buy convenience food. I buy food that I then I have t prepare. I have almost always worked from my home office, so did not have to commute to and from a job site. My idea of convenience food is something I make ahead, have in the freezer, thaw and reheat or a stir-fry that doesn't take long to cook...or popcorn when I'm too tired to cook. Now, my parents rely on convience foods. They are in their 80s. My mom has dementia, my father never learned how to cook. He can, however, read instructions on a box or can or jar.


----------



## bakechef (Feb 1, 2013)

I like to use the Penzey's taco seasoning for marinade too.  I just put some in a zip top bag, squeeze in some fresh lime juice, fresh garlic, and olive oil.  Squish it around and drop in some chicken, let sit for at least 30 minutes then grill.  I use this for chicken tacos. 

I like buying it in bulk, that way you can use it for lots of other things.


----------



## Addie (Feb 1, 2013)

bakechef said:


> Well you're hanging around the wrong young people.
> 
> The "young people" that I am associated with are not "foodies" but they all know how to cook from scratch, many of them sew their own clothing and knit their own stuff. One couple has bought a farm and is raising much of their own food, have chickens for eggs and eating etc.. This Christmas, the gift exchange was 100% homemade/handmade gifts. Nobody said that they had to be homemade, it's just that everyone used their talent. These aren't people that would stand out in society as anything but normal, they aren't back to the earth hippie types.
> 
> ...


 
There are more than 500 schools of higher learning in Massachusetts. If Puffin thinks young people do not know how to cook, come here. For those of you who attended college, did you eat expensive foods at a restaurant during your college days? College kids are known for creating meals with next to nothing in the larder. Puffin has never seen a bunch of college kids get together and create a meal for 10 or more of them. They can take a box of the orange macaroni and turn it into a meal that any one of us would be happy to eat. They can create more meals with Ramen noodles than anyone we may know. A can of Spam, Ramen noodles, some seasonings and other foods added, and they consider them a gourmet meal. And happy to have it. Buy a premade pizza dough and use what they have on hand for toppings can make for a very interesting meal while studying for tomorrow's exam. 

Our young folks learn how to cook not only from hunger, but from the fun of sharing it with friends. I have great faith that when their income increases, they can produce some of the best meals we would ever taste and savor.


----------



## RPCookin (Feb 1, 2013)

The is another online resource available for spices, herbs, and blends.  Savory Spice Shop in Colorado is excellent.  I shopped there religiously until we moved down here, and I still head back there when I go home to visit.  Walking into the store you are slapped in the nose with all of these wonderful aromas - it's something I really miss.

For most anything I want down here aside from the basics I have to bring it myself.  Since anything like that is imported, it's also expensive for just ordinary seasonings.  I've been carefully doling out the last of my supply, and I won't be able to get more before this summer.


----------



## bakechef (Feb 2, 2013)

RPCookin said:


> The is another online resource available for spices, herbs, and blends.  Savory Spice Shop in Colorado is excellent.  I shopped there religiously until we moved down here, and I still head back there when I go home to visit.  Walking into the store you are slapped in the nose with all of these wonderful aromas - it's something I really miss.
> 
> For most anything I want down here aside from the basics I have to bring it myself.  Since anything like that is imported, it's also expensive for just ordinary seasonings.  I've been carefully doling out the last of my supply, and I won't be able to get more before this summer.



We have one of those locally too, really nice owners!  Penzey's is on this side of town, so I go there more.


----------



## kadesma (Feb 2, 2013)

taxlady said:


> I once went grocery shopping with a young woman who bought a bunch of frozen "TV dinners". She saw the look on my face an said, "It's cheaper than restaurant food, when I'm too tire to cook."
> 
> I'm sure that applies to a lot of that convenience chopped onions, etc. I wonder if people notice that stuff like that is usually coated in preservatives.


 True chopped onions and such are more costly. But when you break an arm and it tskes months for the pein to leave you you do the thing that is easier I know I did and still do at times. there are many times after dialysis i'm so tired I have to sleep for several hours so things already cut up for me help so much I don't by tv dinners but I do use some convience foods. Which I rinse off before using
kades


----------



## sparrowgrass (Feb 2, 2013)

I hope you are not rinsing your frozen pizzas, kadesma!


----------



## kadesma (Feb 2, 2013)

sparrowgrass said:


> I hope you are not rinsing your frozen pizzas, kadesma!


 Not on your life. I don't buy or indulge that's the DH's job I make my own I can't handle those things. I don't have a problem with people who like them but I like starting from scratch and building Yummy.
kades


----------



## pacanis (Feb 2, 2013)

I'd like to make pizzas from scratch more often, but making pizza dough is not in my cards, especially when I like thin crust. Any recipe I have tried has always produced too thick of a crust.


----------



## GotGarlic (Feb 2, 2013)

taxlady said:


> I'm sure that applies to a lot of that convenience chopped onions, etc. I wonder if people notice that stuff like that is usually coated in preservatives.



This product does not contain preservatives. And preservatives aren't automatically a bad thing. They simply keep food fresher a little longer.

http://www.groceries-express.com/WebPages/1312000473 Ore-Ida.html


----------



## RPCookin (Feb 2, 2013)

bakechef said:


> We have one of those locally too, really nice owners!  Penzey's is on this side of town, so I go there more.



I wasn't aware that they had grown so much.  The store in Littleton CO where we used to live was the 2nd one (met the owners there several times), and I thought that their brick and mortar stores were still just in Colorado.  Seems like I learn something every time I visit this forum.


----------



## taxlady (Feb 2, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> This product does not contain preservatives. And preservatives aren't automatically a bad thing. They simply keep food fresher a little longer.
> 
> Groceries-Express.com Product Infomation for Ore-Ida Chopped Onions Fresh Frozen" 1312000473


That's great that at some of the convenience food doesn't have anything but food.

Uhm, not all preservatives are as benign as you seem to imply. I'm not saying that all of them are evil. I was mostly pointing out that the convenience may have a price, more than the extra $$.


----------



## CWS4322 (Feb 2, 2013)

A lot of the convenience food market is a well-crafted marketing campaign. This was how the food industry got people shifted in the late 1940s-1950s to feeding their pets commercially produced pet food. The first dry dog food was the sweepings from the floor of a company that produced cereal. When food coloring was added to cereal, it was also added to dog food to make it more visually appealing to those buying it.  Other than service dogs, I've never bumped into a dog grocery shopping. The convenience food industry spends over 10 billion dollars/year marketing convenience foods to children and adolescents. Children don't grocery shop, but they sure influence what their parents buy. And, there are more and more studies linking obesity to convenience foods. Before 1990, obesity was considered to be because the person was lazy. Now obesity is recognized as a societal issue that does not stem from laziness. There seems to be a trend for shift-workers to be more prone to obesity (odd hours, eating from vending machines, etc). I stay away from convenience foods because I can control what goes into the bread I eat, the soups I make, etc. I can have something on the table with little effort in 30 minutes or less not relying on convenience/prepacked food. Yes, it takes planning and a good time to prep is on the weekend when one has more time.


----------



## GotGarlic (Feb 2, 2013)

TL, I didn't say that all preservatives are benign - just that they're not all bad and they do serve a purpose.

CWS, I admire your self-sufficiency, but not everyone has the good health (including energy and stamina), cooking knowledge and skill, resources (large gardens, multiple freezers), and organization you do.

All things in moderation


----------



## CWS4322 (Feb 2, 2013)

GotGarlic said:


> TL, I didn't say that all preservatives are benign - just that they're not all bad and they do serve a purpose.
> 
> CWS, I admire your self-sufficiency, but not everyone has the good health (including energy and stamina), cooking knowledge and skill, resources (large gardens, multiple freezers), and organization you do.
> 
> All things in moderation


It is a lifestyle choice. Freezers are not hard to come by and being organized is not difficult.


----------



## GotGarlic (Feb 2, 2013)

CWS4322 said:


> It is a lifestyle choice. Freezers are not hard to come by and being organized is not difficult.



I find that disabling, chronic diseases severely limit one's lifestyle choices.


----------



## mmyap (Feb 2, 2013)

One of the things I enjoy most about this board is that we have different levels of culinary skills.  I learn equally as much from both.  As a working person I appreciate a meal you can prepare with some shredded rotisserie chicken or a good quality jar of sauce.  God Bless whoever decided that selling whole pre-baked chicken might be a good idea!  

Also.   I stood in line behind a young woman at the grocery store just the other day.  She was buying a pre-made wheat pizza crust, had a jar of pre-made pesto, some shredded italian mix cheese, tomato's and a bag of spinach.  She shared with the cashier that she was making dinner for her boyfriend for the first time.  Okay, it was all "convenience" foods but I thought, you go girl.  She's learning, developing her taste's and being creative in the kitchen.   She seemed very excited about the project.  Good for her.  Use all the convenience foods you want to.  Play.  EXPLORE.


----------



## Dawgluver (Feb 2, 2013)

mmyap said:


> One of the things I enjoy most about this board is that we have different levels of culinary skills.  I learn equally as much from both.  As a working person I appreciate a meal you can prepare with some shredded rotisserie chicken or a good quality jar of sauce.  God Bless whoever decided that selling whole pre-baked chicken might be a good idea!
> 
> Also.   I stood in line behind a young woman at the grocery store just the other day.  She was buying a pre-made wheat pizza crust, had a jar of pre-made pesto, some shredded italian mix cheese, tomato's and a bag of spinach.  She shared with the cashier that she was making dinner for her boyfriend for the first time.  Okay, it was all "convenience" foods but I thought, you go girl.  She's learning, developing her taste's and being creative in the kitchen.   She seemed very excited about the project.  Good for her.  Use all the convenience foods you want to.  Play.  EXPLORE.



Well said, mmyap!


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 2, 2013)

I make a pasta dish that will knock your socks off and you would think i spent all day in the kitchen preparing the sauce.  Nope, it comes out of a jar.  The company uses the exact same ingredients I would use, no preservatives, it's perfect and saves me a whole day.  Darn right I'm going to use it, why should I break my back making something that tastes just as good as what I make?  Took me years to find a brand that I liked and could trust and yes, I still check the label each time to make sure they haven't changed anything.


----------



## Zhizara (Feb 2, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I make a pasta dish that will knock your socks off and you would think i spent all day in the kitchen preparing the sauce.  Nope, it comes out of a jar.  The company uses the exact same ingredients I would use, no preservatives, it's perfect and saves me a whole day.  Darn right I'm going to use it, why should I break my back making something that tastes just as good as what I make?  Took me years to find a brand that I liked and could trust and yes, I still check the label each time to make sure they haven't changed anything.



Not only is this a huge time saver,  you don't end up with a gallon or more.  I wouldn't have any place to keep that much.


----------



## MrsLMB (Feb 2, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I make a pasta dish that will knock your socks off and you would think i spent all day in the kitchen preparing the sauce. Nope, it comes out of a jar. The company uses the exact same ingredients I would use, no preservatives, it's perfect and saves me a whole day. Darn right I'm going to use it, why should I break my back making something that tastes just as good as what I make? Took me years to find a brand that I liked and could trust and yes, I still check the label each time to make sure they haven't changed anything.


 
I love it when you find a timesaver like that !  Can you share what it is with us?


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 2, 2013)

Bertolli Marinara.  Only one I buy!

And yes, Z!  I end up with enough for our dinner and ONE lunch for me.  That is plenty as I don't have the space to store more.


----------



## Addie (Feb 2, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I make a pasta dish that will knock your socks off and you would think i spent all day in the kitchen preparing the sauce. Nope, it comes out of a jar. The company uses the exact same ingredients I would use, no preservatives, it's perfect and saves me a whole day. Darn right I'm going to use it, why should I break my back making something that tastes just as good as what I make? Took me years to find a brand that I liked and could trust and yes, I still check the label each time to make sure they haven't changed anything.


 
When I was raising my family, I had to pay for my utilities. The pressure cooker was my friend on many a day. It helped keep my gas bill down. Yankee Pot Roast, All day Italian Sunday Gravy, New England Boiled Dinner, etc, cut the cooking time in half. Not only did it help in controlling my utility bills, but when I went to work, I was still able to feed my family a full meal when I got home. But you can bet there were some nights when convenience foods came into play more and more. A package of Oreos helped keep the cookie jar filled for after school snacks. Weekend made meatballs went into a large jar of doctored pasta sauce to be heated up. What was left over made sandwiches for the next day's lunches. Most Saturday's I made my own Boston Baked Beans. Sometimes the kids got doctored up canned beans. The more convenience foods I used the lower my utility bills were. The one area I couldn't use convenience foods, were canned veggies. My kids would not eat them. So I resorted to frozen ones. Less waste, quicker cooking time, lower utility bills. 

Convenience foods are not always a bad thing. Sure I can cook from scratch. But I now live alone. My eating habits are sporadic. Sometimes I just want something quick. A jar of sauce and some Angel Hair pasta fills the bill. I only need a couple of tablespoons of sauce. Not a whole five quart pan of it that has been cooking all day. And if I want to take a nap, I can without worrying about having to stir it every so often. I can nap for 20 minutes or a couple of hours without worry. I still cook from scratch. Tomorrow I will be making a large pan of mac and cheese for eating while we are watching DA. What doesn't get eaten, will go home with my kids. I don't need all those carbs hanging around the fridge.


----------



## medtran49 (Feb 3, 2013)

pacanis said:


> I'd like to make pizzas from scratch more often, but making pizza dough is not in my cards, especially when I like thin crust. Any recipe I have tried has always produced too thick of a crust.


 
I stretch it out by hand to a "normal" thickness and then use a marble rolling pin to roll it out really thin, like piecrust thin or even thinner.  We then precook whether on the grill (way high, he uses wood and gets it up there) or in the oven at 475-500 until the dough is just cooked enough to be more or less stable and then top and finish off.  We always get a nice crispy crust that way.  Got the idea from when Craig was in Antibe, France, and had pizza with the thinnest, crispiest crust he's ever had.  We talked about it and decided they must use a sheeter since it was so uniformly thin and crisp.


----------



## Addie (Feb 3, 2013)

medtran49 said:


> I stretch it out by hand to a "normal" thickness and then use a marble rolling pin to roll it out really thin, like piecrust thin or even thinner. We then precook whether on the grill (way high, he uses wood and gets it up there) or in the oven at 475-500 until the dough is just cooked enough to be more or less stable and then top and finish off. We always get a nice crispy crust that way. Got the idea from when Craig was in Antibe, France, and had pizza with the thinnest, crispiest crust he's ever had. We talked about it and decided they must use a sheeter since it was so uniformly thin and crisp.


 
Oddly enough, today I watched a repeat on ATK regarding thin crust. It seems the secret is to work with very cold dough. It prevents the dough from rising and from bouncing back when trying to stretch it. Made sense to me.


----------



## pacanis (Feb 3, 2013)

Thanks for the tips, Medtran, especially pre-cooking it a little. I hadn't come across that one before.
My problem is gluten related. I can't seem to find that resting time and method when the dough will stretch and stay put without shrinking back.


----------



## MrsLMB (Feb 3, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Bertolli Marinara. Only one I buy!
> 
> And yes, Z! I end up with enough for our dinner and ONE lunch for me. That is plenty as I don't have the space to store more.


 

Thanks PF.  I've seen their sauces in the store but never purchased them.  It's on my list for next shopping trip !


----------



## vitauta (Feb 3, 2013)

CWS4322 said:


> It is a lifestyle choice. Freezers are not hard to come by and being organized is not difficult.



cws, you give yourself way too little credit, the rest of us far too much. i disagree with your statement that 'being organized is not difficult'.  except for brief, temporary spurts, being organized has been an impossible goal for me.  i speak from experience--a lifetime inability to develop an organized way of getting things done.


----------



## Zhizara (Feb 3, 2013)

I agree freezers are cheap, but I have limited space.  When I was seriously thinking of finding a small one that I could fit here, I decided that I was being silly since I live alone and only cook for myself.

That's when I decided that I'd have to be more organized about keeping my food shopping and preparation planned to fit the space I've got.  

It's aggravating sometimes that I want to cook something new and there won't be enough room in my freezer to store left overs, but I make myself use food from the freezer for a few days to make room, and write down my new recipe idea so I can try it later.


----------



## RPCookin (Feb 3, 2013)

vitauta said:


> cws, you give yourself way too little credit, the rest of us far too much. i disagree with your statement that 'being organized is not difficult'.  except for brief, temporary spurts, being organized has been an impossible goal for me.  i speak from experience--a lifetime inability to develop an organized way of getting things done.



Amen!  Some people simply have organized minds, but I'm not one of those people.  I can arrange, and organize something to death, but after a week or so, it's usually back to the mess I started with.  For me, _mise en place_ is essential, especially when I'm baking.  When I make bread, I start by proofing the yeast in warm water with a little bit of sugar, then while that's happening, I get everything else measured and ready to go.  Even doing this, I have still been known to forget something, usually some finishing touch like a sprinkle of Parmesan or herbs that isn't applied until after the last rise. 

Most people can train themselves to be organized, but it takes constant effort and attention.  For others it's just the natural way of doing things.


----------



## Oldvine (Feb 3, 2013)

I didn't see any anger in the first comment in re: the instant roux.  Just a straight forward comment about yet another "huh?" product.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Feb 3, 2013)

vitauta said:


> cws, you give yourself way too little credit, the rest of us far too much. i disagree with your statement that 'being organized is not difficult'.  except for brief, temporary spurts, being organized has been an impossible goal for me.  i speak from experience--a lifetime inability to develop an organized way of getting things done.



I agree, I thrive on Organized Chaos!   Being organized is against my natural thinking process.  I'm a ditherer, a nervous nelly and spastic to boot!


----------



## Dawgluver (Feb 3, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I agree, I thrive on Organized Chaos!   Being organized is against my natural thinking process.  I'm a ditherer, a nervous nelly and spastic to boot!



I like to think of it as being Creative.  My Disorganized Chaos is very Creative, I keep telling myself.


----------



## vitauta (Feb 3, 2013)

Oldvine said:


> I didn't see any anger in the first comment in re: the instant roux.  Just a straight forward comment about yet another "huh?" product.



totally, oldvine!  puffin doesn't mince words, calls it the way he sees it--i love that about him, without the need to agree with all of his points...


----------



## Kayelle (Feb 3, 2013)

RPCookin said:


> Most people can train themselves to be organized, but it takes constant effort and attention.  For others it's just the natural way of doing things.



I'm another one lacking in organization skills but I think it's a talent, not something you can acquire. Everyone can sing, but not everyone does it well even with practice. Just ask my husband.


----------



## Kathleen (Feb 3, 2013)

I'd love a freezer, but I do wonder whether items will get away from me.  I'm a clumper and am not so great with inventory.  

You would be surprised what people have found in the back of some pantry shelves.


----------



## CWS4322 (Feb 4, 2013)

Well, there are areas of my life that are not organized <g>. I am organized in the kitchen. I think my brain was trained a certain way because of all the languages I studied. I went from German to French to Latin to Spanish class or Italian class. I had to turn off German and turn on French. I never mixed up words or grammar. I have a compartmentalized brain. I label my cupboards so I know at a glance what is in them (I love my label maker - and it doesn't destroy the finish). Also, after living in the house for almost 20 years, I reorganized the kitchen and had to break the habit of looking for things in certain cupboards because I no longer keep a lot of the things in the same places that I used to keep them. And, I have an inventory written on the front of the freezers...otherwise, I wouldn't know what was in them. I do sometimes go to get something and pull out something else because it is closer to the top. And, I do know what people keep at the back of their pantries...I have to clean my parents' pantry (and their freezers) every time I go there. I am amazed at some of the stuff I find...especially since my mother no longer cooks and my father opens boxes/jars/cans to make everything.


----------



## Addie (Feb 5, 2013)

I have a standard freezer at the top fridge and a stand alone cabinet for other foods. It is the freezer I have a problem with. Can't seem to remember to label meats when I break them down and rewrap them. Because my dry goods cabinet is only two items deep, I can always see what I have and need to replace. I try to have two of everything in there. When I use one, I add it to the grocery list for the coming month. I keep a grocery list on the computer and open it at least two or three times a week to add to. I try to shop the sales for meats for the freezer. And I do break them down to individual servings. Two per meal in one  packet. I bought this time a very large chuck roast with a minimal of bone. Cut the bone out and ground up the rest for hamburg. The trimmings and bone went into the freezer for stock. Of course I forgot to label it. Had to pull it out and do that. 

I also have a life long supply of Post It Notes. You will find them all over the place with items of food written on them. Every so often I will gather them up and bring the over to the computer. 

If organized chaos is a system, I guess I am organized.


----------



## buckytom (Feb 5, 2013)

Kathleen said:


> I'd love a freezer, but I do wonder whether items will get away from me.  I'm a clumper and am not so great with inventory.
> 
> You would be surprised what people have found in the back of some pantry shelves.



when i was in the hospital this past fall, my wife took it upon herself to clean out my freezer (again, we have 2 kitchens in our tiny 2 family house, of which we live throughout. i get the downstairs kitchen. sort of like downton abbey, lol. just call me bucky patmore)

i was heartbroken at first to see all of those beautiful lamb and beef bones, chicken carcasses and parts, and containers of leftovers like soups and sauces, and freezer bags full of tomatoes and peppers from previous years' gardens had gone. 

but then it occurred to me that the key was in that last sentence, _previous years_. she said that everything was freezer burned, so she chucked it. i tried to argue that an empty freezer uses more energy, but to no avail. 

i guess it's for the best. i probably would have done the same, bit by bit over time. now i get to refill an empty freezer and this time learn to try to stay organized.

and i'm learning to pick my battles.


----------



## CWS4322 (Feb 5, 2013)

buckytom said:


> when i was in the hospital this past fall, my wife took it upon herself to clean out my freezer (again, we have 2 kitchens in our tiny 2 family house, of which we live throughout. i get the downstairs kitchen. sort of like downton abbey, lol. just call me bucky patmore)
> 
> i was heartbroken at first to see all of those beautiful lamb and beef bones, chicken carcasses and parts, and containers of leftovers like soups and sauces, and freezer bags full of tomatoes and peppers from previous years' gardens had gone.
> 
> ...


In 2008, I cleaned my parents' pantry and freezers for the first time since they had moved (about 13 years). I threw out so much stuff from the freezer--freezer burned, way out of date (1996!). It broke my heart to haul so much frozen stuff to the dump (and canned goods). I tried to institute a system of keeping track of what is put in the freezers and pantry (this cupboard is about 3 ft deep) to no avail. Now when I go there, I put the year on every can. I know there are codes on the cans, but this is an easier way for them to realize that one can of soup has been there longer than any new stuff they've added. The problem is my dad buys stuff when it is on special so he has stockpiles of what he considers staples--mandarin oranges (27 cans), cream of mushroom soup (17 cans), I think you get the picture. A freezer is a wonderful thing to have. I tend to eat out of the freezer during the winter months so that I'll have room for the stuff from the garden come August. One thing that I find helpful as the freezer empties is to put 2l-4l containers with water (preferably containers with lids) to take up the empty space as I'm emptying the freezer. This helps reduce the energy used to keep the other stuff frozen. I also move stuff out of a smaller freezer into a larger freezer so I can unplug it when it is empty. I keep the stuff I use more often in the freezer compartment of the fridge (ginger, frozen mushrooms, peppers, lemon/lime juice, etc.) and the bigger stuff in the larger freezers.


----------



## buckytom (Feb 5, 2013)

thanks for the tip about the 2 and 4l containers of water, cws. when i need the freezer space, i'll just move one down to the fridge which will help keep that a bit cooler as it melts. great idea.


----------



## Zhizara (Feb 5, 2013)

Addie said:


> I have a standard freezer at the top fridge and a stand alone cabinet for other foods. It is the freezer I have a problem with. Can't seem to remember to label meats when I break them down and rewrap them. Because my dry goods cabinet is only two items deep, I can always see what I have and need to replace. I try to have two of everything in there. When I use one, I add it to the grocery list for the coming month. I keep a grocery list on the computer and open it at least two or three times a week to add to. I try to shop the sales for meats for the freezer. And I do break them down to individual servings. Two per meal in one  packet. I bought this time a very large chuck roast with a minimal of bone. Cut the bone out and ground up the rest for hamburg. The trimmings and bone went into the freezer for stock. Of course I forgot to label it. Had to pull it out and do that.
> 
> I also have a life long supply of Post It Notes. You will find them all over the place with items of food written on them. Every so often I will gather them up and bring the over to the computer.
> 
> If organized chaos is a system, I guess I am organized.



I think that's organized.  It eventually gets on the grocery list, and that's the aim.


----------

