Experiencing the FrozenTundra

Awhile back I posted this blog Cooking Experiment in which I admitted to a dirty little secret. I showed you my freezer which clearly reinforces the fact that I have hoarder tendencies. That baby was so jammed packed it was almost impossible to add anything to it. Of course many people would ask, if it's that full, what could you possibly need to add to it? Well, the correct answer would be "nothing." But that is not exactly how I roll.

The problem is twofold. First, I don't have a clue what all is in there and many times I will buy something not realizing I already have it in the freezer.

Second, I really haven't adjusted to cooking for two. I find myself making the same quantity of food that I did when the boys were home. What that means is there are a LOT of leftovers. Unfortunately, around here the word "leftover" is equated to a four letter word.

Most people will eat leftovers the next day for lunch or for dinner later in the week. My husband however is not most people. He does NOT like to eat leftovers. Period.

Consequently I am left with two choices.

One, I can simply pitch the leftovers and forget they ever existed....and apologize to all the starving people around the world.

Or, two, I can try to fool my husband by freezing the leftovers and introduce them (much) later as a brand new meal. Bingo! What a grand idea.

Shouldn't this simple solution make my life my easier? On the days I can't figure out what to fix for dinner, all I need to do is run to the freezer and pull out the leftovers. Defrost, heat, and serve. Easy-peasy.....right?

NO!
No way my problem could be resolved so simply. This solution only works if I actually remember what is in the freezer!

Today I pulled out one quart size bag and two glad containers - all filled with spaghetti sauce. And then there were the other two bags which might contain either spaghetti sauce or possibly chili but, because they weren't marked, it was impossible to tell. And is that a bag of pasta or is it potatoes? I try hard to mark things as I add them to the freezer but obviously I don't do so on a consistent basis.

It would also help my freezer storage room dilemma if I would keep a list of everything I put in there. I know you find it hard to believe, but I have NO idea what all is my fridge!

Today I found one full, and two half-full bags of frozen carrots. There were two partial bags of onion rings, three partial bags of french fries, and two single breaded chicken patties in separate boxes. I also found, among other things, an unopened bag of meatballs (expiration date 5/2010), a ring of shrimp (dated 12/2009), and a bag of dinner roll dough (dated 2007).

Well, today I decided to reclaim my freezer. I started pulling stuff out and pitched what was outdated and/or indistinguishable.

I ended up with this   And while I do feel bad for wasting all this food it's not like, at this point,  I can give it to anyone in need. I don't want to be responsible for killing off anyone by feeding them old food. So, off to the dumpster it goes! 

So what do you think?


Do I at least get an "A" for effort?

Then and now

See any difference? 

You might not be able to tell but I actually organized the shelves. There are categories!!
 Do you think I will be able to find things now?

Do You think I will be able to maintain the organization?


Do you think I know what to fix for dinner tonight?
ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!