Here is the final video in my kitchen tour series! In case you missed it I’ve already shared a tour of my fridge, pantry and kitchen (drawers, etc.). As you’ll see in this video we actually have an extra freezer that we use pretty regularly. When I first read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan (the book that inspired me to cut out all processed food) he said if you have the space then get an extra freezer.
And oh boy was he right – between the locally raised meat from our farmer’s market (that’s sold frozen), and the 100% whole-wheat 5-ingredient bread I like to stock up on when I’m in that part of town, and the homemade convenience food I frequently make (including chicken stock, soups, muffins, waffles, etc.) it has been so worth it to have this extra freezer space. And that’s because when you find a good source for something like humanely raised meat or real bread it makes sense to stock up when you have the chance! It also goes without saying – I usually have a minor freak out when there’s a big storm and we lose power!! LOL Enjoy the tour…
Guest Post: Clean Cuisine Cottage Pie (A British Food Makeover)
Thanks for the tour! I love peaking into another cook’s fridge, freezer and pantry. Your organization is inspiring! I’m a new mom and did a ton of cooking in preparation for my babe’s arrival. So glad I did! Having a second freezer is a luxury, but makes eating well so much easier.
I am so glad you liked it! And I like to see inside other people’s kitchens as well – always gives me new ideas :)
Great video! I am curious about your jars…I have had issues in the past with my jars breaking in the freezer and have heard that the jars have to be specially tempered or specifically “freezer safe”. Can you give any info on this or the jars you use?
Thanks!
i’m curious about the jars too. i use regular canning jars and leave space at the top and still have had breakage.
Hi Hayley. You do need to make sure you buy freezer safe jars like Mason or Kerr. Also, use wide necked jars because jars with a shoulder are more likely to break when the food expands. You can find Lisa’s jars here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/my-kitchen-essentials/. ~Amy
I’m curious specifically about the large jars with the flour in the them, with the flip top lids. Can you tell us where those are from? Thank you!
I’m curious where to find these jars as well! Thank you! :)
Hi. I believe those came from Sur La Table and you can find them in this post: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/11/16/moths-invaded-our-pantrybugs-like-real-food-too/. :)
Very Nice! We have three freezers. One for meat (we buy our beef locally by the half and chicken by the whole), fish when it goes on sale and some local pork.
In the second freezer, I keep prepared food. I typically double recipes and freeze for later. I make large batches of tomato sauce and freeze chopped fruits and veggies from our garden in the summer. I use a baking sheet in my third freezer and lay food flat in zipper bags. Once frozen, I move them to the second freezer and store in “bookshelf” fashion. It really saves space!
In my third freezer, I keep odd shaped food, cheeses, bread, frozen store bought veggies (Costco has a wonderful selection of frozen organic veggies!), flours, yeast, things that don’t stack as well.
I too, worry about the power going off. But we do have a generator that I can use if necessary!
And how to you thaw out everything for exam ok the bread? How long will the flour last without freezing?
Hi Anna. Remove bread from the freezer as needed. It thaws pretty quickly on the counter top. It is hard to know how long flours have been sitting on a store shelf. When you freeze them, you preserve the oils in the flour and more of its nutrients. ~Amy
Thanks so much for the tour! Love your organization! Two quick questions.
Do you cook with the flour straight from your freezer or does it have to get to room temperature before adding it to a recipe or to a bread machine?
I didn’t see the butter you refer to in the beginning of the video. Do you freeze it just as it comes from the store? or in special packaging? Also, do you just put it in the fridge and then use normal once at fridge temp?
Thanks! Love you site and your book!
Hi Jana. You can bring the flour to room temp if you want but I typically use it straight from the freezer. Lisa freezes the butter to keep it fresh since she typically buys multiple packs. She does not use special packaging. There is usually one butter thawed and kept in the fridge, too. ~Amy
Loved your video. I’m considering getting a freezer for Christmas. My MIL recommended an upright rather than a chest freezer because things tend to accumulate on top of chest freezers. This makes it a hassle to use the freezer if you have to move things off it. Uprights cost more, but I’m thinking it would be worth it. Any thoughts?
We have 2 chest freezers and I use milk crates to organize them. It’s easy to keep track of what’s in the freezers that way and easy to get to what’s in the bottom!
What was in the big jar next to the small jars of soups? Also, I think we only have room for a top-opening deep freezer. Do you think that’d still be helpful? Our current freezer is packed to the gills!
Hi Caitlin. It is a large container of soup. ;) I have a chest freezer that I keep manageable with plastic containers. If you are aware of what you have and keep it accessible (most frequently pulled from near the top), it is much more efficient. ~Amy
Do you have any tips for slicing the Great Harvest bread? It does not come pre-sliced at my local Great Harvest and I find that in order to keep it from crumbling, I have to slice it pretty thick which my 5 year old doesn’t like.
Use an electric knife! I make my own and noticed the same thing, so I tried my electric knife and it was perfect.
Great Harvest will gladly slice the bread for you. I have them slice it for me quite often.
I’ve never heard that whole wheat flour goes bad at room temp. Do you then thaw it to use? How long does it take to thaw? I’m pulling mine out to see if there’s an expiration date on it now :)
Hi Shari. Some say you should allow it to come to room temp but I use flour directly from the freezer all the time. :)
So jealous of your organization. I’m a type where everything has a place and we are currently relocated right now while we build our new home. I can not wait until we are in our space again. We shacked up with my mother in law. Our fridge is in the basement and I truck all up and down the stairs to cook. Love her dearly. Her home is warm and inviting I just feel I’m taking up space in her home. Lol. She loves your recipes though :)
Thanks for the tour. It’s makes me anxious for all the new and exciting things coming our way :)
Love this- thanks for sharing! Your posts on Facebook inspire me to double a lot of my recipes to freeze- we used to have such a hard time getting the food to the freezer instead of eating the leftovers lol! I’m loving the convenience though now that my freezer is well stocked!
Loved the tour! Oh, and thank you for supporting Girl Scouts!…I recognized the boxes :)
Our family is just embarking on our Real Food journey and I plan to visit your site often.
I’ll be watching the other tours (pantry, fridge) next!
A commenter from one of Lisa’s previous blog posts educated me about freezing in jars. If the jars have “shoulders”,i.e. the ones that are wide at the bottom and taper to a narrow top that uses a “regular mouth” lid, they are NOT for freezing and will break. The “straight side” jars, or the “wide mouth” are meant for either freezing or canning and will not break. I NEVER knew this and I have been using canning jars for years and years.
After reading this a couple months ago, I went to the store and looked–sure enough, “wide mouth” jars with straight sides are labeled “freezer safe” and the others are not.
I’m confused, I used to refrigerate my white whole wheat flour to keep it fresh. Then I read (Breadbeckers?) I should be freezing it, so I started putting it in the freezer. However, I recently read that freezing flour destroys some of the nutrients, so I moved it back to the fridge? I see that Lisa is freezing her whole wheat flour. Which is it, fridge or freezer? And is there research to back this up?
Wow, your freezers are so clean and tidy! I wish I had that talent..
This is great!! In addition, we have a generator so we don’t have to freak out if the power goes out ;)
where did you get your large glass jars for the freezer? thanks!
Hi Jenny. You can find those jars in this post: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/11/16/moths-invaded-our-pantrybugs-like-real-food-too/. :) ~Amy
I would like to know where you get those jars from as well. The big ones that you store the flours and beans and things in.
Hi there. You can find them in this post: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/11/16/moths-invaded-our-pantrybugs-like-real-food-too/. ~Amy
I always thought that glass shouldn’t be in the freezer?
Have you ever had any problems with glass?
I have only recently begun using whole wheat flour so it is still at room temperature. I see you have them stored in glass Ball jars. Do you have any difficulty opening the frozen jars and then resealing them to put back in the freezer? I would think that the gasket/ring would be too stiff.
Hi Lorraine. No, the rings have not been a problem. ~Amy
I was thinking this similar thing last night. Trying to figure out how to keep on track and keep the processed foods out! Then I realized that the problem was that I didn’t have the space to store everything like in the fridge/freezer. I’m so glad your e-mail came today and confirming that was a key reason to help cut out the processed foods. Time to save and go shopping for another fridge. Right now in my small freezer are pumpkin muffins, broth, fudge pops, mini pita pizza, whole wheat pancakes, and tomato bisque thanks to your cookbook. Makes preparing breakfast and lunches a snap. Thanks Lisa!
Thanks for confirming what I’ve been wanting to do for a while. We just moved so finding money and space hopefully soon!
I had no idea you could freeze glass jars. Don’t they break?
I’m interested in learning more about freezing soup. If you have a helpful resource, please share. Wondering if some types freeze better than others, etc. I like how you froze them in little individual jars for the kids to take to school. Your kids must have access to a microwave at school, very nice. Smart mom making them decide on their lunches the night before, makes those mornings go much smoother. Appreciate you Lisa!!!
I do the same, and probably got the idea from Lisa. Soup is thawed out in refrigerator over night, as Lisa mentioned, and then I heat up and pour into insulated containers. Stays warm for the kids lunches. Great solution for a chilly day!
Hi there. Nope, no microwave…just good thermal containers. This will help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/08/14/real-food-tips-10-recipes-to-freeze-for-school-lunches-which-makes-packing-a-breeze/ and additionally, http://www.thekitchn.com/freezer-meals-5-simple-tips-for-freezing-any-soup-177405. ~Amy
I didn’t know you could put flours in the freezer.
How do you use them when you need them?
Hi Vanessa. Just pull out the quantity you need and use it. Some will say you need to bring them to room temperature but I’ve not found that to be true. ~Amy
We have the extra freezer too, and it helps SO much with stocking up. I got some great ideas from you – I have never thought about freezing flours. And the individual soups are a great idea. Also garden seeds! Pure genius. Thanks for sharing. :)
Hi Lisa!
Love your freezer tour! Where do you order the lovely large glass mason jars that you store flour and dry chickpeas in your mud room freezer? I need these! Thanks so much!
Allie
Hi Allie. You can find them in this post: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/11/16/moths-invaded-our-pantrybugs-like-real-food-too/. ~Amy
I love that freezer. Can you tell me what type it is? It looks like the perfect size for me. Thanks so much!
I have loved watching your kitchen tours! And I absolutely love your cookbook! I noticed that you had hamburger buns in your freezer. I haven’t had any luck finding a real food brand of these. I called Great Harvest and they don’t make any here locally. Is there a store bought brand I can use? Or a recipe for them? Thanks so much!!
Jennifer, I came across this a few weeks ago. Make your own hot dog buns, sandwhich rolls, etc. http://realfoodandrealfitness.com/2013/09/30-minute-whole-wheat-sandwich-buns/
When defrosting items from your freezer, do you transfer directly to the fridge or let thaw on the counter for a bit? I’m finding that my jarred soups take at least 48 hours to thaw, so not sure if you encounter the same.
Also, I love the blog and cookbook. I’ve transformed the eating of my entire household (including a cousin who moved in after leaving the airforce that HATED vegetables but is starting to change), and we are all eating real food 90% of the time, which is a realistic goal for our lifestyle. I’ve lost 18 pounds too!!
Hi Liz. So glad you love the blog and book and congrats on making the switch! I do find that larger jars can take a while to thaw. You can have them on the counter for a bit but I am always fearful of unsafe temperatures. ~Amy
Lisa, I think it’s so great that you did this! I think a visual really helps people. I, myself, have um…. 3 freezers…. yeah. Well we usually buy half a cow at a time, plus I make all my broth and like to have lots of that on hand and then there’s the chicken, ham, bacon, made ahead meals, etc and whatever else because we buy it when it’s available and cost effective. There are times the third freezer is a little on the bare side but not often.
Thank you for the tour!! May I ask where you get all of your glass storage jars?
I also have a question about the white whole wheat flour. I noticed that the 2lb. Bag of organic white whole wheat flour has the 100% whole grain stamp, King Arthur brand on but the 5lb. Bag that is not organic but says 100% white whole wheat only has the whole grain stamp on it. Why is that? I believe you use the organic.
Hi Lucinda. You can find Lisa’s large jars in this post: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/11/16/moths-invaded-our-pantrybugs-like-real-food-too/ and her mason jars here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/my-kitchen-essentials/. Hmm, I’m not certain about the difference between the two bags but here is a link to the Whole Grain Council all about White Whole Wheat: http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whole-white-wheat-faq. ~Amy
I am buying a Chest Freezer (will be my second one) I am getting 150-250 allowance to fill said freezer what would you suggest I fill it with( what would you buy to fill it).
Thank you
Hi Hannah. This will help guide you: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/09/02/real-food-tips-21-essentials-for-freezer-pantry-fridge/. ~Amy
We are migrating to real food. My dilemma is that we are an urban family living in 1100 sq feet. Any suggestions on storage for us. I would love to have an extra freezer but not sure how to balance that with 2 kids and a cat sharing our space.
Hi Amber. You can find freezers small enough to fit under counters. You might also consider any extra closet space or garage space. Here is a whole host of ideas that might help you make the most of a tiny kitchen space: https://www.google.com/search?q=storage+in+a+small+kitchen&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&channel=sb.
~Amy
Wow…you are so organized! I have freezer envy! ;) Thanks for the inspiration!
Like another reader, I’m also curious about whether or not some nutrients are destroyed when flour is frozen. I read somewhere that they were, but can’t remember where.
Just curios on the details about your second freezer … size, brand, etc.
Thanks.
Hello….the glass hinge wide mouth jars in the freezer..what brand are they and what size..that is exactly what I need to store all my new whole grain flours and can’t find it anywhere online…thank you sooo much for sharing, love the ideas and how much they are helping me provide good food to my family :)
Hello Mary. You can find links to many of Lisa’s favorite containers here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/11/16/moths-invaded-our-pantrybugs-like-real-food-too/ and here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/my-kitchen-essentials/.