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plantoneonme
09-10-2008, 06:37 AM
Anyone else love theirs??? I purchased a Foodsaver about 10 years ago and find this one of my best kitchen appliances. (NO I don't work for them LOL). I know the bags can be kind of expensive but I recycle mine over and over to cut down the costs. I find that foods frozen in these bags last WAY longer, stay fresher and can be frozen MUCH longer without losing flavor or getting freezer burned. I prefer frozen vegetables and fruit to canned any day!

One thing I do to save time and money is to buy the bags on rolls. I cut them very long and fill with vegetables such as green peppers, beans etc. I then can simply cut off the top, take out what I need for the meal and reseal. Works great!

Another tip...if freezing foods with lots of juice, freeze first in the disposable food containers that are square. When frozen, pop out of the container and put into the bags and seal...no muss, no fuss. I do this a lot with tomatoes so I can freeze as they ripen as I often do not have enough at one time to fire up the canner.

Foods that clump...I freeze first on cookie sheets and then place into the bags. This allows me to take out what I need and then I can reseal the bag.

AbbeyLehman
09-10-2008, 01:59 PM
We have one, as well. MIL just bought it about 2 months ago and I am still learning all the ways to use it. SO far it's been good, but it involves one of the frugal things I choose not to use--washing bags!! I will do lots of things (family cloth, aka cloth TP), but washing out plastic bags has always been a BLECH thing for me. They never seem clean! Any tips on how I can do it and be happy with it? Can I do them in the washing machine, maybe??

plantoneonme
09-10-2008, 07:00 PM
I turn them inside out and wash in hot soapy water (yeah I still wash by hand). I leave them inside out to dry also. I only reuse things with fruit and veggies in them...no meat. To me they are no different then washing out a yogurt cup or margarine container to reuse.

If you don't want to wash them you could do the large bag method I also do. I make long bags that when laid flat just barely fit inside the freezer. I then fill with veggies and seal. When I want to use some, I cut off the seal, take out what I want to use then reseal. Eventually there is not enough bag left to worry about washing. If you happen to try this method, it is important to freeze the item on cookie sheets and once frozen then seal in the bags. If you don't you may end up with one great big lump.

I guess you could do them in a washer inside out. The bags are really strong.

rdsaltpower
09-12-2008, 09:59 PM
We bought one several months ago and so far so good. Still learning the tricks.

gardengirl72
09-13-2008, 03:34 PM
I use a food saver as well! That is how I store meats and cooked meals. They are great products. But, I believe in old fashioned canning is more important in a true dissaster as there may not be power. But again, we will all have our own private powerplants one day.

rdsaltpower
09-14-2008, 08:55 PM
Yeah, We have already installed a backup diesel generator that will carry the whole house and I have my solar panels backed up w/ small diesel gen. running a car alternator to keep my battery bank topped off. I have already had to use them several times this year.

gardengirl72
09-15-2008, 07:30 PM
Salt, we need to start a Alternative Energy page. How about posting some pics for me. What kind of diesel generator, is it a Listeriod type?

rdsaltpower
09-17-2008, 09:18 PM
Patti, here is a pic of my generator. It is a Chinese built Changfa. I used a mini-petter...India import.. for 2 years but its down now for a ring job. the petter is like a small version of the Lister.

AbbeyLehman
09-18-2008, 05:02 PM
What about alternate ways to do things that normally require electricity--laundry, air cooling & heating, cooking, etc? I visit other sites that list things, too, but this is a more "green" forum than the other sites....We could view it as more of an energy saving list, rather than a SHTF list....

rdsaltpower
09-18-2008, 08:52 PM
I try to do things as green as I can with in reason. We line dry our clothes until it gets too cold to do so. Also I doubled the insulation in the house. I have app. 2000sq. ft to heat and cool. I burn wood from my own wood lot and pallets I get at work and that saves big bucks on my gas bill. But if you are trying to replace your grid power w/ solar panels be prepared to spend at least $10,000 to 20,000 dollars to do so and thats a consevative estimate. Solar panels will have to drop 50% more inprice to be competive with grid power. I have had solar panels for three years now and they have dropped very little in price. I also raised a 100watt wind generator but got nothing out of it. I live on a hillside and their are poor wind conditions here. Another thing to consider is your storage batteries which if taken care of properly might last four years. I have ten to maintain and paid 50.00 each for them three years ago. I will probably have to replace them within the next 2 years. The best way to save on utilities and be as green as you can is to reduce consumption.

gardengirl72
09-23-2008, 08:27 AM
Salt, you are a true inspiration to me. I love everything you are doing. The Changfa looks great. I love the sound of a lister engine. I read somewhere that villages in the third world use them to power their homes and water pumps.