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.

Gadgets to Aid in Making Your Own Baby Food

There are several really great gadgets to help in the making of baby food.

1. Potato Ricer:

This little gadget is a multi-purpose kitchen tool. It makes great mashed potatoes and mashes bananas beautifully. One quick squeeze and a ripe banana is ready for Snugglebug's mouth.

2. Kidco Food Mill:

This hard-to-find gadget is the perfect portable baby food grinder. The hand crank will grind almost anything but some things such as chicken or turkey require some arm muscle. It generally costs around $15 and is worth every penny. My mother had one of these and she used it for all five of her kids then passed it on to my sister who is still using it with her third child. So even if you don't use it everyday, which I don't, you know it will be of use many years or even generations down the road. You can type in Kidco food mill in a search or you can go to Target. com.

3. 2 Qt. Food Mill:

If you are more into versatility, then the regular size 2 quart food mill will be your choice. It will do the same jobs as the portable Kidco model but will also make a nice batch of tomato puree for meatloaf or spaghetti sauce. It generally costs about $25 and can be found in the kitchen section of most tores.

4. Food Processor:

Generally, speaking all you really need to puree a batch of peas or carrots or even a chicken breast is a food processor. And while I would love to have a standard size food processor, I don't. So, I can honestly say a mini-food processor will do the job just as well. It just takes a little longer.