Freezing and Vacuum Sealing

I have mentioned freezing food quite frequently and wanted to share my favorite gadgets for keeping those meals from getting freezer burn.

Reynolds has a motorized vacuum sealer called the Handi-Vac. Ziploc aslo has a sealer simply called the Ziploc Vacuum. I have both and they both work very well. I have found food lasts up to twice as long as it would if frozen in normal freezer bags.

The only catch is that each brand has its own set of bags that must be used with the sealer.

The Reynolds Handi-Vac is powered by a battery. With the press of the button, the device pulls out the air. The Reynolds starter kit cost $7.48 and comes with 3 quart bags. A refill of quart bags will cost you $2.84 for 14 bags.

The Ziploc Vacuum is a hand pump. It has a powerful suction and is much quieter. The Ziploc starter kit costs $1.50 and comes with 3 quart bags. Refills cost $2.68 for 12 quart bags.

I prefer the Ziploc Vacuum simply because it is quieter. My son is a light sleeper and the only time I can spend freezing my meals is while he is sleeping. The Reynold's Handi-Vac is way too loud for our house. But, both sealer systems work very well. I have been very pleased with the results. Recently, I found a loaf of homemade bread in the back of the freezer. Usually, bread is consumed within a month but this had been in there for almost three months. It looked and tasted just like fresh bread.

I use the vacuum sealers for everything but soups. They don't work too well with soups. They tend to pull the juice out instead of the air.