school17777 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Why do I think that I will recognize food that I have frozen so I don't bother to label it? I am finally, after all these years of freezing leftovers, labeling the ziplock bag before I throw it in the freezer. However, I still have mystery stuff in there. Tonight's dinner has beans and corn in it - that much I know! Will figure out what is when the Instant Pot thaws it for me. Then, I will know if I need rice or pasta to serve with it. I know what always went through my mind as I was bagging up the leftovers - oh, of course I will know what this is! Need to remember if I slip back into the bad habit of not labeling again, that I won't recognize it! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I do that, too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I still do this sometimes even though history has shown that I will NOT accurately identify the contents after they have been frozen. Recent example: I found a container of spaghetti sauce with meat. Yippee! I had spaghetti noodles and could make focaccia. As it thawed, I thought it kind of looked like chili. Oh well, we'll do Cincinnati style and serve it over spaghetti. My family hates that because they don't think the two go together. But whatever. I went on about my day. And then at 4:30 I discovered it was taco meat. Sigh. No tortillas, no cheese, no lettuce.... 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 My dh will creatively label food when he puts it in freezer bags for me. Monkey brains, anyone? Would you prefer squirrel guts? So, I very nicely asked him to label things with their exact name and nothing else. So, now I find packages labels "Chicken taco meat and nothing else". At least I know what is in the baggies now! 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I still do this sometimes even though history has shown that I will NOT accurately identify the contents after they have been frozen. Recent example: I found a container of spaghetti sauce with meat. Yippee! I had spaghetti noodles and could make focaccia. As it thawed, I thought it kind of looked like chili. Oh well, we'll do Cincinnati style and serve it over spaghetti. My family hates that because they don't think the two go together. But whatever. I went on about my day. And then at 4:30 I discovered it was taco meat. Sigh. No tortillas, no cheese, no lettuce.... This is where I've been stymied...something with a tomato base. Is it spaghetti sauce? Tomato sauce unseasoned? Pizza sauce? Chili? For true confessions, I have sometimes, while making spaghetti sauce, just thrown any bits of whatever-it-is with a tomato base into the new sauce and call it good. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 This is where I've been stymied...something with a tomato base. Is it spaghetti sauce? Tomato sauce unseasoned? Pizza sauce? Chili? For true confessions, I have sometimes, while making spaghetti sauce, just thrown any bits of whatever-it-is with a tomato base into the new sauce and call it good. If you put it on spaghetti, it's a spaghetti sauce by definition :D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_JWM Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I will literally say in my own head as I'm putting in the freezer, "You'll totally remember this!" No, dummy - you won't. The Sharpies are within arm's reach. Just get the freakin' Sharpie out and LABEL IT!!! (Shouting at myself - not any of you!) Sent from my XT1049 using Tapatalk 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 I will literally say in my own head as I'm putting in the freezer, "You'll totally remember this!" No, dummy - you won't. The Sharpies are within arm's reach. Just get the freakin' Sharpie out and LABEL IT!!! (Shouting at myself - not any of you!) Sent from my XT1049 using Tapatalk This is what goes through my head too! I think there's no way that I won't know what this is. Tonight's dinner turned out to be a chicken chili. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymotherof4 Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Just be careful if you had a home birth . Sigh...... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I just found a container of something in my freezer, and we're going to find out what it is later this week. I wrote "mystery meat" on my weekly menu. I also always know that I will remember what the item is. When will I learn? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) Wait, if you don't know what it is how do you know if it's been in there too long or not? Eta: I remember nothing ever, so I have to date and label everything. Edited September 13, 2016 by KungFuPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Wait, if you don't know what it is how do you know if it's been in there too long or not? Eta: I remember nothing ever, so I have to date and label everything. As long as it's been frozen solid the entire time, it'll be safe. (even the usda says that) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I do the same thing! And each time I think oh I'll remember what this is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Just be careful if you had a home birth . Sigh...... LOL! I had two placentas in my freezer forever and ever. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of them, but really ha nothing I wanted to do with them. This time I'm telling the midwife "just get rid of it!". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 A few months ago I decided to start labeling everything--even the leftovers that are going in the fridge and will be eaten up for lunch the next day. It works so well; no more mysteries! I can't believe it's taken so many years to figure this out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) I have mystery food too, but less and less. I keep a sharpie and some masking tape in the kitchen. Sometimes I use plastic bags, and write directly on them, but if I'm using a plastic container I slap a piece of masking tape on top and write on that. (I'm sure there are beautiful labels available for the purpose, but masking tape is cheap.) It helps so so much. Today I pulled out a bag of nasty looking stuff and thought I was in trouble, but I turned it over and saw 'chicken carcass 8/15' and was so relieved. It's simmering now. Woe to the person who steals my kitchen sharpie! :-) Edited September 13, 2016 by marbel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 A few months ago I decided to start labeling everything--even the leftovers that are going in the fridge and will be eaten up for lunch the next day. It works so well; no more mysteries! I can't believe it's taken so many years to figure this out. How do you do that? This year I have made a big effort to be mindful about eating leftovers and for the most part it's successful. But I'd like to expand that so the rest of my family also eats them instead of only me heating them up and serving them again. How do you label them? I mostly use pint or quart size jars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 How do you do that? This year I have made a big effort to be mindful about eating leftovers and for the most part it's successful. But I'd like to expand that so the rest of my family also eats them instead of only me heating them up and serving them again. How do you label them? I mostly use pint or quart size jars. I use a sharpie and just write on the lid what it is and the date. So for leftover taco meat we had yesterday: Taco 9.12. I keep the marker in a drawer under the counter where I usually pack up the leftovers. I've also decided I don't have to keep the lids of even my nice glass bowls pristine. And you know what? I learned the marker comes off in the dishwasher! Ds is old enough to sort through the fridge to find what he wants but dd usually needs to be told what's available. If I think we have too much leftover--as in it won't get eaten before we tire of it or it goes bad--it will go in the freezer after a day in the fridge. Now we have fewer mysteries and more leftovers get eaten rather than tossed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I use a sharpie and just write on the lid what it is and the date. So for leftover taco meat we had yesterday: Taco 9.12. I keep the marker in a drawer under the counter where I usually pack up the leftovers. I've also decided I don't have to keep the lids of even my nice glass bowls pristine. And you know what? I learned the marker comes off in the dishwasher! Ds is old enough to sort through the fridge to find what he wants but dd usually needs to be told what's available. If I think we have too much leftover--as in it won't get eaten before we tire of it or it goes bad--it will go in the freezer after a day in the fridge. Now we have fewer mysteries and more leftovers get eaten rather than tossed. I might try a sharpie but I'm weird about wanting my containers and lids to look nice. I tried post it notes but the cool damp fridge doesn't help the note stick to the container. I really think my problem is this: my family doesn't seem very capable of estimating how long it takes to reheat things. It drives me crazy. One will reheat a piece of chicken for 15 seconds and another reheats a piece of garlic bread for 2 minutes. And it's as if they think once they microwave it, it must be done. Check the temp and keep heating if it needs it, people!!!! On the plus side, someone will take out a leftover and ask me how long to heat it and I toss out an estimate. They think I am a genius because I somehow know exactly how long it takes to reheat something. So if I'm not here, they usually just don't bother with leftovers. Honestly, my dh and kids are very intelligent. But I have failed them in the arena of food prep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I might try a sharpie but I'm weird about wanting my containers and lids to look nice. I tried post it notes but the cool damp fridge doesn't help the note stick to the container. Try masking tape, it works in my freezer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 In my house the mystery item is my secret stash of mallowmars. No one ever wants to open the tin foil. Could be something good or it could be ingredients I need for something. No one knows and no one wants to be bothered. Pro-tip. It is always mallowmars. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 In my house the mystery item is my secret stash of mallowmars. No one ever wants to open the tin foil. Could be something good or it could be ingredients I need for something. No one knows and no one wants to be bothered. Pro-tip. It is always mallowmars. haha ... and if that didn't work you could label it 'placenta' :D 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) I might try a sharpie but I'm weird about wanting my containers and lids to look nice. I tried post it notes but the cool damp fridge doesn't help the note stick to the container. I really think my problem is this: my family doesn't seem very capable of estimating how long it takes to reheat things. It drives me crazy. One will reheat a piece of chicken for 15 seconds and another reheats a piece of garlic bread for 2 minutes. And it's as if they think once they microwave it, it must be done. Check the temp and keep heating if it needs it, people!!!! On the plus side, someone will take out a leftover and ask me how long to heat it and I toss out an estimate. They think I am a genius because I somehow know exactly how long it takes to reheat something. So if I'm not here, they usually just don't bother with leftovers. Honestly, my dh and kids are very intelligent. But I have failed them in the arena of food prep. I use a Sharpie and it does wash off of the containers. This reminds me. Once one of my kids wanted to heat up one of those frozen pretzels. He misread the directions. He heated in the microwave for 3 minutes which were the instructions for using the oven. That thing was burnt to hell and the plate had a burn mark. I was like in what universe would you need to heat a pretzel in the microwave for 3 minutes!!! I just don't get why that didn't occur to him as rather crazy directions. Edited September 13, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Yeah sharpie can be washed off containers. I have done better, so far, this year in labeling things. Before it was hit and miss. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 I use dry erase markers to write on jar lids and such. Wipes off easily. I have some that have magnets on the marker, so I can keep them on the fridge :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted September 13, 2016 Author Share Posted September 13, 2016 LOL! I had two placentas in my freezer forever and ever. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of them, but really ha nothing I wanted to do with them. This time I'm telling the midwife "just get rid of it!". Can't you plant them? I recall hearing people do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Can't you plant them? I recall hearing people do that. You can. But you have to do it deep enough that animals don't dig it up, and sometimes it will actually kill the tree you are planting it with. Sounded like a good idea at first, but never happened. after a few years (yes...years) I finally got rid of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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