The Prepper Thread

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BrutulTM

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As someone with both a standing and chest freezer, the standing freezer is easier to see stuff in, but unless you're going to stack it 6 high, you can't get as much stuff in there and if you do stack it 6 high then it all falls out when you open the freezer. You can sort of improve both by using rubbermaid or even just cardboard boxes. Like put this year's ground beef on the bottom of the freezer and last years in a box on top of it and then when you get your next beef, move the stuff from the bottom into the box and repeat. This is pretty basic shit and my freezers are really hard to find stuff in though, so if you discover a good method I'm here for it as well.
 
Gavinmad

Gavinmad

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Dunno how you can really do better than just dating everything and then checking your inventory twice a year.

Cardboard boxes work in a deep freezer too, keep things somewhat organized at very minimal loss of storage space.
 
Lanx

Lanx

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Haus said:
OK, so this isn't a true "Prepper" question, or maybe it is... But this seems to be the best place to drop it.

Deep Freezer Inventory Management​

So, we have a chest freezer here which we use for storing meat. We also have a second fridge which we store some things in (mostly bread and such in the freezer, drinks and a few odd bits in the fridge).

The obvious best practice for leveraging a deep freezer would be that you want to use your oldest stock first. Around Chez Haus we know what the oldest/newest is because we label the vacuum bags when we pack and seal the meat before freezing. In the case of a chest freezer (and how gravity works) this means that over time your oldest stock is always on the bottom under all your newer stock. Right now around twice a year @Mrs. Haus and I will have "Big Meat Inventory Day" where we'll fold out a table next to the chest freezer, completely unpack it onto the table, then reload it newest stuff on the bottom. This also keeps us up to date on what we're going through faster or slower, and good ideas of what to keep an eye for sales on to stock back up.

I'm wondering if any of your folks have any better systems for this? I'm debating getting a standing freezer, but the hoarder in me knows that would just mean additional space (and much easier to keep organized) and I'd still keep the chest freezer (which was a free hand me down from the brother in law when he upgraded to a larger one). A new standing chest freezer would only be around $250 which is pretty easy to work into the budget right now.
Click to expand...
try to reuse grocery bags (the strong clothy kind)
f2b5b325e217f78b16614e0fcde2b627.png


you can lay primals/long meats (in my case briskets) on the bottom of the chest freezer, and have 3 of these on top (easily separated into chicken/beef/pork or whatever)

i found plastic/wire bins to be very limiting b/c they have solid structure/walls, but youre putting chunks of meat into a freezer that eventually turns into oddly shaped rocks, so it'd be nice for the containers to have flex and give (bags).

i'm sure you have a few grocery bags around, but try to find some on amazon that are like this, that are more "crate" like and fit the measurements of your chest freezer and you'll see, a few primals on the bottom and 3 of these on top, is pretty good organization.
 
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Haus

Haus

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Lanx said:
try to reuse grocery bags (the strong clothy kind)
f2b5b325e217f78b16614e0fcde2b627.png


you can lay primals/long meats (in my case briskets) on the bottom of the chest freezer, and have 3 of these on top (easily separated into chicken/beef/pork or whatever)

i found plastic/wire bins to be very limiting b/c they have solid structure/walls, but youre putting chunks of meat into a freezer that eventually turns into oddly shaped rocks, so it'd be nice for the containers to have flex and give (bags).

i'm sure you have a few grocery bags around, but try to find some on amazon that are like this, that are more "crate" like and fit the measurements of your chest freezer and you'll see, a few primals on the bottom and 3 of these on top, is pretty good organization.
Click to expand...
We have some like that around here already. (We have accumulated so many different "reusuable" bags it's kinda crazy). I think I'm going to give either this or cardboard partitions a try. That way I have a "beef stack", and a "chicken stack", and then stack the pre-packaged meats (like sausage, etc) on one side of that.

Another vacuum bag trick I learned was when vacuum packing things like ground beef vacuum it, then flatten it out so it's only like an inch think "meat plate". When those freeze they're much easier to stack/deal with. They also thaw much quicker as a "meat plate".
 
Lanx

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Haus said:
We have some like that around here already. (We have accumulated so many different "reusuable" bags it's kinda crazy). I think I'm going to give either this or cardboard partitions a try. That way I have a "beef stack", and a "chicken stack", and then stack the pre-packaged meats (like sausage, etc) on one side of that.

Another vacuum bag trick I learned was when vacuum packing things like ground beef vacuum it, then flatten it out so it's only like an inch think "meat plate". When those freeze they're much easier to stack/deal with. They also thaw much quicker as a "meat plate".
Click to expand...
the cardboard i find limiting, b/c w/ the grocery bags, you have handles/straps that you can quickly pull up 3x bags, lay em on the floor and get a brisket from the bottom, while cardboard boxes won't have a handle to quickly "yank" out.
 
Gavinmad

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i only have a half-sized chest freezer atm so cardboard boxes work just fine for me but I can definitely see those reusable shopping bags working much better in a full sized chest. I might even switch to them for convenience sake.
 
Void

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Haus said:
We have some like that around here already. (We have accumulated so many different "reusuable" bags it's kinda crazy). I think I'm going to give either this or cardboard partitions a try. That way I have a "beef stack", and a "chicken stack", and then stack the pre-packaged meats (like sausage, etc) on one side of that.

Another vacuum bag trick I learned was when vacuum packing things like ground beef vacuum it, then flatten it out so it's only like an inch think "meat plate". When those freeze they're much easier to stack/deal with. They also thaw much quicker as a "meat plate".
Click to expand...
That flattening thing is exactly what my coworker's mom does. Makes a ton of sense once you hear about it for the first time.
 
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Haus

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Void said:
That flattening thing is exactly what my coworker's mom does. Makes a ton of sense once you hear about it for the first time.
Click to expand...
Yeah, you can lay them flat, or even stand them on end like you were putting plates in a dishwasher....
 
Gavinmad

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I get meat bundles from the butcher that are already frozen in relatively brickish shapes (or plates in the case of steaks) that make for easy stacking and organization. Are yall talking about doing your own processing?
 
Void

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Gavinmad said:
I get meat bundles from the butcher that are already frozen in relatively brickish shapes (or plates in the case of steaks) that make for easy stacking and organization. Are yall talking about doing your own processing?
Click to expand...
Not sure about Haus, but I do it with the chubs. I'm sure I could go to a butcher for relatively similar prices, but I just grab them from the grocery store (or Costco) while I'm there for other stuff because I'm too lazy to make a separate trip. And the grocery store butcher price is not worth it. Have to take the metal staple off the ends of the chubs before freezing anyway, otherwise it is impossible to open until defrosted, so might as well smash it flat and put it into portions in baggies. Or vacuum packed if you're fancy like Haus :p
 
Cutlery

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Gavinmad said:
I get meat bundles from the butcher that are already frozen in relatively brickish shapes (or plates in the case of steaks) that make for easy stacking and organization. Are yall talking about doing your own processing?
Click to expand...

Nah, my GF does this too. Basically, take your lb of ground beef that you bought in a 17lb chub from Costco, put it into a Ziplock Quart bag, get all the air out, then flatten the beef, so essentially it's a "hamburger" that's exactly the dimensions of a quart freezer bag, and about as thick as an actual hamburger.

That way you can have like 10lbs of beef stacked up that are all the same dimensions (whatever storage bag you're using) and they lay flat so you can maximize space. I'll post a picture when I get home.
 
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Lanx

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yea it's just like i'm sure most of you vacuseal steals side by side, instead of on top, it's also easier for sous vide if youre doing 2 steaks
Vacuum-Packing-Meat-22.jpg
 
Haus

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Gavinmad said:
I get meat bundles from the butcher that are already frozen in relatively brickish shapes (or plates in the case of steaks) that make for easy stacking and organization. Are yall talking about doing your own processing?
Click to expand...
As mentioned the main use we have for this is ground beef. From time to time I can get a great deal somewhere I will buy a LOT of it. Usually in normal packs. Then we divide into around 1lb portions (since with just two of us, thawing/cooking 1lb at a time is around the right amount). Put that into the vac bag. Vacuum it, then flatten in. To that degree we "self process".

Although I'm starting to check out some of the local carnecerias and some have the ability to request how to package it. But I don't know if that would drive up the cost past my cheap ass instincts....
 
Lanx

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Haus said:
As mentioned the main use we have for this is ground beef. From time to time I can get a great deal somewhere I will buy a LOT of it. Usually in normal packs. Then we divide into around 1lb portions (since with just two of us, thawing/cooking 1lb at a time is around the right amount). Put that into the vac bag. Vacuum it, then flatten in. To that degree we "self process".

Although I'm starting to check out some of the local carnecerias and some have the ability to request how to package it. But I don't know if that would drive up the cost past my cheap ass instincts....
Click to expand...
speaking of ground beef, i was thinking of a way to portion it easily and i think i'll try a 4oz ice cream scoop, you can thaw and use 1 scoop for a smash burger cuz 4oz burgers are pretty on the money, or just use multiples for whatever recipe calls for.

i don't buy or make much ground beef, i just wanted a better way to make burger patties instead of weighing and putting into a patty maker.
 
Edaw

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Lanx said:
speaking of ground beef, i was thinking of a way to portion it easily and i think i'll try a 4oz ice cream scoop, you can thaw and use 1 scoop for a smash burger cuz 4oz burgers are pretty on the money, or just use multiples for whatever recipe calls for.

i don't buy or make much ground beef, i just wanted a better way to make burger patties instead of weighing and putting into a patty maker.
Click to expand...
Amazon product ASIN B00XHI1AGA
Can toss the entire thing in freezer and pop out a burger like your popping pills whenever you want.

Birth Control Otc GIF by Bedsider
 
Cutlery

Cutlery

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Gavinmad said:
I get meat bundles from the butcher that are already frozen in relatively brickish shapes (or plates in the case of steaks) that make for easy stacking and organization. Are yall talking about doing your own processing?
Click to expand...

Like this...next to 2lbs of chicken for scale.
IMG_20230711_052333459.jpg
 
Sludig

Sludig

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Edaw said:
Amazon product ASIN B00XHI1AGA
Can toss the entire thing in freezer and pop out a burger like your popping pills whenever you want.

Birth Control Otc GIF by Bedsider
Click to expand...
Had them, hated them. Kinda messy, if you didn't pack just right you weren't filling the hole completely or ending up with little smudged bits stuck between the edges drying out.

Also recall them needing some hot water to really pop out, still take up decent room. Some of our maybe was trying to fit a bigger chub in 2 of them
 
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Lanx

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Figured i should take my own advice, i was just using basic grocery bags (cloth) so i got cubes that fit perfectly
0713231656_HDR.jpg


i put a full brisket in there to show the size difference, the brisket is laying on a squared off section which i can only assume is where the motor is, the chest freezer goes deeper (you can see the brisket underneath.

so w/ my basic chest freezer i can fit 3 of these bags (i got 3)...

unfortunately the bottom is froze, so i have to thaw first, heh, thats the penalty i get for putting the chest freezer outside. (there is no room inside or in the garage)

heres the measurement of the bag and if you want the same one (i chose the cheapest color)
14.57” x 9.84” x 9.84”
WiseLife Reusable Grocery Bags [3 Pack],Large Grocery Tote Bag Water Resistant Shopping Bags Foldable Collapsible Grocery Bag for Clothes,Toys,Shoes and Picnic

your chest freezer will vary i assume? but if it's 14in, these bags will fit nicely

also it's insulated, which turns out to be a bonus, so if you leave it out on the floor, it will not melt right away
 
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Cutlery

Cutlery

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Lanx said:
Figured i should take my own advice, i was just using basic grocery bags (cloth) so i got cubes that fit perfectlyView attachment 482340

i put a full brisket in there to show the size difference, the brisket is laying on a squared off section which i can only assume is where the motor is, the chest freezer goes deeper (you can see the brisket underneath.

so w/ my basic chest freezer i can fit 3 of these bags (i got 3)...

unfortunately the bottom is froze, so i have to thaw first, heh, thats the penalty i get for putting the chest freezer outside. (there is no room inside or in the garage)

heres the measurement of the bag and if you want the same one (i chose the cheapest color)
14.57” x 9.84” x 9.84”
WiseLife Reusable Grocery Bags [3 Pack],Large Grocery Tote Bag Water Resistant Shopping Bags Foldable Collapsible Grocery Bag for Clothes,Toys,Shoes and Picnic

your chest freezer will vary i assume? but if it's 14in, these bags will fit nicely

also it's insulated, which turns out to be a bonus, so if you leave it out on the floor, it will not melt right away
Click to expand...

Defrost that shit homey
 
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