Ditch the Freezer Challenge: Days 9–12

Across Days 9–12 of my Ditch the Freezer Challenge, two more substantial batches of food moved out of the freezer and into useful, ready-to-eat storage.

This time I worked with sausage mince and roasting beef, creating easy breakfasts, quick family meals and another welcome patch of empty freezer space.

Day 9: Breakfast Patties for the Pantry
For Day 9, I took 1.5 kilos of sausage mince from the freezer and turned it into breakfast patties.

I portioned the mixture into 75-gram patties — and yes, I weighed every one. Weighing them keeps the patties a consistent size, which helps them cook evenly and makes it easier to divide them into family-sized portions.

I packed five patties into each pint jar, enough for one family breakfast, and finished with five jars for the pantry shelf.

Breakfast Made Easy
The patties are the perfect size for an English muffin, making them ideal for homemade breakfast muffins.

They can also be served as they are with:
• Scrambled or fried eggs 
• Baked beans 
• Toast 
• Fried tomatoes 
• Mushrooms 
• Hash browns 
Because the patties are already prepared and cooked, breakfast can be on the table quickly without needing to thaw a packet of sausage mince first.

That will be especially handy on busy mornings, lazy weekends or those nights when breakfast-for-dinner sounds like the easiest option.

Day 9 Progress
Food moved from the freezer: 1.5kg sausage mince
 Pantry result: 4 pint jars
Portion per jar: 5 breakfast patties
Food wasted: None

Day 12: Roast Beef Ready for Quick Family Dinners
On the evening before Day 12, I pulled two pieces of roasting beef from the freezer and moved them into the fridge to thaw.

Their combined weight was 5.1 kilos.

After trimming and preparing the beef, I filled six quart jars. That is another substantial quantity of meat permanently moved out of the freezer and safely onto the pantry shelf.
These larger jars are ideal for family dinners because each one holds enough roast beef for a generous meal.

A Sunday Roast in Around 30 Minutes
Having jars of roast beef ready to heat and eat will make Sunday dinners so much easier.
The beef is already cooked, so while it heats I can prepare vegetables, make the gravy and have dinner on the table in around 30 minutes.

There is no need to remember to thaw a roast several days ahead, wait hours for it to cook or keep checking whether it is ready.

And the stock in the jar is far too good to waste.

It makes the most delicious gravy, filled with all the flavour from the beef. With roast vegetables, mashed potato or steamed greens, it becomes a comforting family meal with very little last-minute effort.
The beef can also be used for:
• Beef and gravy rolls 
• Quick beef pies 
• Cottage pie 
• Beef with mashed potato and vegetables 
• Hot roast sandwiches 
• Beef casserole 
• A simple beef and vegetable soup 

Day 12 Progress
Food moved from the freezer: Roasting beef 5.1kg before trimming
Jars preserved :6 quart jars
Food wasted: None
Future meals: Roasts, pies, rolls, casseroles and soups

More Than Empty Freezer Space
Every batch moved onto the pantry shelf gives me more than physical space in the freezer.
It gives us meals that are already prepared, reduces our reliance on electricity and protects more of our food from the risk of an extended blackout.

The breakfast patties give me five easy family breakfasts. The roast beef gives me six generous meal starters that can become Sunday dinners, pies, sandwiches or casseroles.

That is at least 11 future family meals made easier from food we already had.

This is exactly why I started the Ditch the Freezer Challenge.

It isn’t simply about emptying appliances. It is about using what we have wisely, preventing waste and building a pantry that can continue feeding us even if the power goes out.

Little by little, day by day, more food is moving from the freezer to the pantry shelf — and our food security is growing with every jar.