​Ditch the Freezer Challenge: Days 1 and 2

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Days 1 and 2 of my Ditch the Freezer Challenge are done, and I’m pleased to say there is already a noticeable amount of room appearing in the freezer.

After Tuesday night’s YouTube Live on Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing, I moved four kilos of mince from the freezer into the fridge to thaw.

On Wednesday evening, I pressure canned the mince and turned it into 10 pint jars of shelf-stable, ready-to-use meat for the pantry.

That is 10 quick meal starters ready for those nights when dinner needs to be simple. The mince can be used for pasta sauce, tacos, savoury mince, cottage pie, soups, casseroles and plenty of other easy meals.

The mince was also bought on markdown. I saved $6.09 on each packet, giving me a total saving of $24.36.

Buying meat on markdown can be a wonderful way to stretch the grocery budget, as long as it is used, frozen or preserved promptly and safely. In this case, the mince went into the freezer when I bought it, and now it has been turned into convenient, shelf-stable food for the pantry.

2 pints are missing - they are being used to make taco filling for the weekend

This mince was bought on clearance and saved $6.09 per packet - total saving $24.36 on four kilos of mince

Day 2: Meatballs for the Pantry

Yesterday, I took another four kilos of mince from the freezer and allowed it to thaw safely in the fridge.

After dinner, I turned it into meatballs. Once the meatballs were prepared and cooked, I pressure canned them in stock and added another seven jars to the pantry shelves.

That brings the total for the first two days to eight kilos of mince removed from the freezer and 17 jars of convenient meal starters added to the pantry.

There is already so much more room in the freezer. I’m beginning to think emptying it may not take quite as long as I first imagined.

Of course, there is still plenty to work through, but seeing that empty space is very encouraging.

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The Challenge So Far
Food removed from the freezer: 8 kilograms
Jars added to the pantry: 17
Ready-to-use meal starters created: 17
Food wasted: None
Extra electricity used to store these jars: None

That last point is one of the reasons I’m enjoying this challenge so much.

The food is no longer relying on freezer space and electricity to keep it safe. It is now sitting neatly on the pantry shelf, ready to be heated and used whenever we need a quick meal.

And, unlike frozen food, I can see exactly what I have. There is no digging through icy bags or wondering what might be hiding underneath everything else.

What Can I Make with the Jars?

The jars of mince can become:

• Spaghetti bolognese
• Tacos or burritos
• Savoury mince
• Cottage pie
• Lasagne
• Chilli
• Mince on toast
• A quick pasta bake
• Soup or casserole

The jars of meatballs can be served with:

• Pasta and tomato sauce
• Mashed potato and vegetables
• Rice
• Homemade gravy
• Sweet-and-sour sauce
• A vegetable casserole
• Crusty bread for a very easy meal
• On rolls for meatball sliders
  

Having these jars on the pantry shelf means the main part of the meal is already cooked. All I need to do is add a few simple ingredients, heat everything through and dinner is ready.

Today’s Job: Bread Ends into Breadcrumbs

Today, I’m tackling all the bread ends that have been saved in the freezer.

The fire is going, so I’ll place the bread on racks above it and let the gentle heat dry the pieces slowly. There is no need to turn on the oven or use any extra electricity.

Once the bread is completely dry and crisp, I’ll let it cool before whizzing it into breadcrumbs.

Those breadcrumbs will be useful for meatballs, rissoles, schnitzels, crumb toppings and all sorts of other meals. Best of all, the bread won’t be wasted, and there will be a little more room in the freezer.

I’ll add the amount of bread removed to the challenge tracker once the job is finished.

Little by Little
This challenge isn’t about trying to empty the freezer in one exhausting weekend.

It is about working through it steadily, one packet, one container and one meal at a time.

Some of the food will be eaten straight away. Some will be turned into meals, and some will be preserved so it can be safely stored on the pantry shelf.

Nothing is being thrown away or wasted. Everything will be used.

Little by little, day by day, the freezer will be emptied. Along the way, I’ll end up with meals ready to eat, a better-organised pantry and far less food hidden and forgotten in the depths of the freezer.

Eight kilograms out and 17 jars on the pantry shelf is a very satisfying start. I'll be turning off the freezer very soon.

How are you going with your own freezer eat-down? Start with just one item today. Take it out, make a plan for it and enjoy seeing that first little patch of empty freezer space appear.