Freezer Clean

I don't really have a recipe today because I am currently cleaning out my freezer somewhat. That means we're having Manicotti (with my frozen ricotta), Pizza with toppings that are not our normal fare, Creamy vegetable soup from the frozen clearanced half and half, Pot pie (with the frozen collected leftover mix of veggies), Apple Pie (with a bag of frozen apples I found in the back) and other yummy stuff.

 Having a freezer that is actively being rotated is good for any household. When you do this, at least once a year if not more, you're making sure that food doesn't get freezer burn or end up buried for seven years so that it has to get thrown out.

That means you don't waste food -- which is kind of the reason you throw it into the freezer in the first place, right? So it doesn't go to waste.

It can also be fun, believe it or not. Finding something in there and determining to use it forces you, at times, to think creatively with your menu. Or, at the very least, to make something you haven't had in a while. Most of the time, if that 'something I haven't made in a while' is a thing that everyone likes, the reason I haven't made it in a while is because it is time consuming or I have to think ahead to make it. So that gives me a good excuse.

It also is self-supporting in a way -- seeing that little bit of space you made keeps you going. Seeing that empty shelf you cleaned out encourages you to work on another one. And so forth. When you're all done, you can look inside and see everything you have, probably a little bit organized, and it makes you feel pretty good.

If you need a more gradual approach to cleaning out your freezer, you can always just make a list of things in it that you'd like to use and then incorporate one or two meals a week that use those ingredients until you've emptied your list.

This can be good for your budget too. It means you're using things you have already rather than going out and buying more. And you can make room for when you come across that great deal at the store or farmer's market.