If you are doing the Once a Month Cooking (OAMC) to have an entire month’s supply of food in your freezer, it can be a challenge if you only have the small freezer above your fridge in order to store your meals. However, there are things you can do in order to save (or acquire!) space.
First, try and package meals as small as possible. If you are using ziploc bags, squeeze the air out, and press them as flat as possible, so you can stack them easily.
Use a container size suited for the job. Don’t use a container that is twice the size as what you need, because that empty space takes up room in your freezer that could have fit another meal.
Beg, borrow or steal freezer space. If a friend or family member has a large deep freeze that is half empty, barter for some of that space. Offering a meal for every week’s worth of food is a great exchange. Be sure to label everything well, and stop by to pick up your next week’s supply when it is convenient for that person. And be sure to use up all the meals before you stock up his or her freezer again.
If you have the space, watch for sales on new or used freezers. Or consider an apartment sized freezer – some are only a foot and a half wide, making them easy to squeeze into tiny spaces or even a closet. You will likely find that the money you save by making a large supply of freezer meals will cover the expense of a new freezer in no time.
If the above all fails, cook your meals in two-week batches rather than an entire month’s at a time.
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