Chicagolandia
I have a wonderful problem. No, you're not going crazy - I actually said that, but in my own defense, I have a good explanation. Really, I do.

I have a full freezer. My freezer is loaded with tasty deals and fabulous freebies. I've got meats, fruits and berries, chocolate and candies, veggies, and cheese - don't forget all that cheese loaded in, neatly (okay, not so neatly) packed in. I have a 2-part (though, still wonderful) problem:

1. Most pressing part of the problem is that I can find sales on the good stuff far faster than my family has been eating it. Unlike the rest of the country, I have more deals that I can find space or time fill. I do not take all the credit, or even mouch of the credit for that - my hounds on the pound have been great at keeping me in touch with the best deals, prices, places to go, and steals not to miss out on. If it wasn't for the freezer being full - I'd have no problem at all with this.

2. The inability to find the item you're looking for the moment you need it. Hmmm, I think that's called organization. Yeah, that might be it. It sounds like something my mom would say (and since I think she's pretty darn smart), I'll go with that. Last summer/fall - I went through and organized the entire freezer....and that system lasted less than 2 months. I made spread sheets, counted how many of each item was in there - grouped them by category, and I can now understand why it didn't last. That, however, is another story unto itself.

Loving the organization I see on other blogs (I'll blame lbmoore (at Living Easy) and DHunny (at 4 hats and Frugal) for making it look so easy. I've started, slowly, building meal plans, got the pantry organized, coming up with a new system - rather than being the lazy fool that simply grabs "something off the top" of the freezer and that becomes the meal. Or, if I get too busy to do my batch cooking, we're back to the dreaded soup, sandwich, or breakfast dinner rut.

My new plan is to involve the family (that way no one can decide they're "not in the mood" for something) and spend 15 minutes each Sunday planning the meals (lunch and dinners) and getting some feedback - positive, I hope - about this new way of organizing during the week. This Sunday will be our trial run, and I'll report what progress is (or isn't) made.

Wish me luck!
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4 Responses
  1. Lacy Says:

    Craigslist....we just bought our 3rd freezer for around $30!!!

    Anyways,

    I love your blog....

    I'm the admin at www.WeUseCoupons.com and was wondering if your interested in a link exchange??

    I have a blog wall on our site with useful coupon blogs.... here is the url:

    http://www.weusecoupons.com/index.php?pageid=blogroll

    My husband also makes blog buttons for FREE!!! I didn't see one off hand, but if you don't have one, he will make one for you. If your interested in exchanging let me know!!!

    Lacy
    Admin @ weusecoupons.com


  2. I too was having a problem with my freezers being full. However I have not been able to hound any good deals lately. My sales have been, well, awful. I did go to aldi's yesterday and pick up a couple of things, but it was just about one bag of food, and only a roll of turkey for the freezer. My freezers are slowly going empty! I want some sales, could you send them my way?!?


  3. Amiyrah Says:

    I feel ya, sister! Yeah, my inventory on the blog has really helped a lot, especially when I make our menu plan every week. This past week, I even looked at the list, took out a pen and paper, and wrote down as many meals I could think of making from those items. I came up with about 3 weeks worth of meals. I love/hate seeing a full freezer because I'm always scared that something in there is on it's way to getting major freezer burn, but I love that I know for a fact I have lots of meals in there.

    Good luck with the trial run. You are much nicer than me....I just make the meal plan and they have the choice of eating that meal or not eating that meal each night lol.


  4. Central - I hear ya about the no good deals - that was December and January for food - especially meat, around here. But with summer coming, I know I'll be able to snag some deals here and there.
    Amiyrah - I can come up with dozens of meal ideas from the freezer - I just wish my fmaily & I could eat 'em as fast as I can think 'em! That way, I can go hounding for some more good deals. :)


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