This thing has been a life saver!

I bought this little box freezer about 8 years ago, and it has saved my life many a time over the years. It cost me $149 dollars. It's not big, like my moms used to be, because I have a smaller kitchen. Moms was almost 6 feet long!!!!!




It's empty now, cause over the summer my son has managed to eat just about everything that was in it, but that's cool.

I put the little bit left over stuff in my refrigerator freezer, and took the time to unplug it and defrost it, clean it out.... and plug it back in!

Cause this month it's being filled up again for the fall, winter, and spring.


My mom always had a huge box freezer in the kitchen, never really thought of why, but after getting just this small one... I totally understand!

When I get extra money... ie. tax check, extra payday, low bills month etc.... I go out and buy enough stuff to fill this beauty up!!!

Then for a least a year... if not more... I don't have to worry about food.

Sure I still have to get the everyday stuff, and canned stuff, but the meats, breads, and others are all stocked up and waiting for me.

Also, during the summer I freeze blueberry's, gooseberry's, jams (yes you can freeze homemade jams!) And all the other bounty from my garden.

When times are tough (like when you have to buy Christmas gifts for a TON of people) or the weather is so bad (Jersey winters can be a bitch!!) and you can't get out to the stores.... you have enough to last you till you can.

I found, if I fill the freezer to the top, I have at least a year or more that grocery shopping is just the basics. It really helps when your on a super limited budget! And to fill it with meats and such usually doesn't cost more then $300!!!

And, NO, I do not buy my meat from those freezer trucks that service households!!!! I find them very expensive, and the meat doesn't taste good.

I just do the sales at shop rite and other stores.

The trick is repackaging it all!!! I have one of those things that suck the air out, and repackage in freezer bags.... suck the air out.... and food lasts forever!

I also use it on leftovers, I package single servings for when I don't want to cook, and all I have to do is drop the bag in boiling water to heat, or microwave it.

Blueberry's from my bush, I freeze without making it juice.... so that I can reach in the bag and take a hand full out for my breakfast or pancakes, or baking.

I also buy butter in the six packs at BJ's, and freeze the rest. 2 of those packages last forever if you take the bars out one at a time.

This year I'll start a BJ's... getting butter, and those bags of prepacked breakfast foods for my son. I'll probably get my bacon, pork roll, and hot dogs there also.

Then to shop rite for the meats. I'll buy the big packages and break them down into individual packages. Like buying bulk pork chops, then package them 1 or 2 at a time for individual meals. I'll also get bigger things like pork roasts and London broil.

I'll also make a few different soups.... like split pea, and vegetable, in big pots, and then put them in Tupperware containers and freeze them.... when I want soup, run the container bottom in hot water, pop out the block of soup, and heat. Yummmmmmmm

Chili I do this way too. If I want a quick lunch, do the hot water stuff, and heat the Chile.

Single servings. After all, even when the boy is home there are only 2 of us!

And if something happens that month........ a big bill for medications, or Dr. Visits, or you have to buy a tire, or get the car fixed, you can feel free to spend the money knowing that food isn't the problem.