Laurie, I have been using a relatively new Ziploc product called Perfect Portions. I use FoodSaver bags and Ziploc freezer bags; this product allows me to "pre-wrap" cutlets or ground beef before putting the food in the freezer bags.

I even pre-freeze the food in the Perfect Portions bags then put them in the freezer bags; this way I can FoodSave without sucking up any liquid that might going in the FS.

I just used them today to freeze the left over lasagna from our CF get-together. They are large enough to hold a meal for four. Good because I have enough lasagna left for two 4-person meals.

Here is a link that might be useful: Perfect Portions

Why not individually wrap them in parchment/waxed paper and then in Press'n Seal. Then, put half a dozen in a freezer Zip-Lock. Nothing to break and nothing leaky in the bag.

/tricia

Maybe I wasn't clear, I have conservation concerns and I don't want to use plastic bags at all that will just get thrown away after use. I wash mine but there's a limit to how much I want to do that.

I don't consider wax paper suitable for wrapping meat to freeze.

If you don't want to wrap first and freeze in plastic, buy some Reynolds Freezer Wrap Paper. It is meant for wrapping meat and freezing. The type of paper used in butcher shops.

~Ann

Laurie, I wash and reuse my Ziplocs and FS bags (probably too much), the Perfect Portions are very thin (minimal) plastic. I know you don't want to use glass but I do put ground beef (and a lot of food) in canning jars then FoodSave them.

Bottom line, I don't have an answer for you.

If conservation is the biggest concern, then I'd use good old freezer paper. That's what was used when stand-alone freezers were first introduced for home use back in the late 50's and early 60's. Even before my parents had a freezer at home, we had a "locker" at the local meat plant where we kept large amounts of meat after we butchered a pig or chickens, and it was all wrapped in freezer paper.

The key is making a tight wrap and you will find instructions at the link below.

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: How to Wrap Meat Like a Pro

I am not sure what your conservation issue is with using plastic bags. Simply recycle them when you are done.

We do not have recycling here for that kind of plastic. I'd prefer something either paper or easily washable. Like I said, I do wash the plastic bags but there's a limit to how many times you can do that without breakage and also it is rather a pain. I'm intrigued by the idea of freezer paper! Oh, and we didn't just wrap them in wax paper, we wrap them individually in the paper and then put them together in a freezer bag. I'm looking for a substitute for the freezer bags.

I don't use bags, plastic, anything purchased as a 'container' either - I use plain old white butchers paper most often, although I do vacuum pack and seal occasionally. Butchers paper works great, no freezer burn when wrapped correctly, I'm preserving the quality of my food, not tossing a designated 'container', not even a bag or zip lock bag.

I'd been married about a heartbeat when my mother in law gifted me with half a beef! She said, call the butcher and make an appointment to go wrap while he cuts. What!!!?

I'd never seen beef in bulk, did not have a freezer (but quickly went out and bought one, on time payments), and had an immediate lesson in paper wrapping given to me by the butcher. That was 40 years ago, I still am one heck of a paper wrapper, got quite good at it :)

Last time I bought a roll I got mega sized at Costco, but the grocery stores will carry it too in a more kitchen friendly roll, good for those who don't have a roll holder/cutter for the commercial sized product.

Most freezer papers are plastic coated anyway so you might as well just use plastic bags. I use the cheapo' fold-over plastic sandwich bags to freeze individual chicken breasts & ground meat in 1# packages. The plastic sticks to the meat and helps a lot to form an airtight seal. All the individual portions then go into a gallon sized freezer Glad bag. I much prefer Glad Bags over Zip-Loc. The ziploc brand always seems to tear at the zipper seam. I get a lot more re-uses out of the Glad Bags.

Of course you could dispense with using zipper bags altogether & use recycled plastic bread wrappers or cereal liners. Twist tie the bread wrappers & heat seal the cereal wrappers.

Lpink - Where do you live that you can't recycle ziploc bags? Does your grocery store take plastic shopping bags? You can recycle ziploc bags with plastic shopping bags.

Teresa

Paper, plastics cannot be recycled forever. A few times, may be.

This is how I freeze meats:

1. Get one of those thin vegetable produce bags and put your meat inside.

2. Put the bagged meat inside a Foodsaver type of bag.

3. Use you vacuum machine to suck out all the air, but before the machine seals the bag, remove the produce bag with the meat. You will find the meat is perfectly wrapped and ready for the freezer.

Nothing to buy, no freezer burns.

dcarch

I use aluminum foil. I usually wrap the meat in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. If I want, I can then put the wrapped meat in ziploc bags. The bags stay clean and the aluminum foil is too and can be re-used because the meat is first wrapped in plastic.

"Paper, plastics cannot be recycled forever. A few times, may be."

Dcarch - did you mean cannot be reused forever?

It's a shame freezer paper isn't compostable. Some waxed paper is--how bad a substitute is waxed paper for freezer paper? Would waxed paper inside aluminum foil be okay?

Teresa, I meant the following:

Paper - The fibers usually become too short for the lowest grade of paper after being recycled five to seven times.

Plastics - Most plastics degrade during reprocessing and have only one successful recycling.

dcarch

Well I did some perusing of some eco-forums and it seems this issue is very tricky. Paper or plastic, both can have some pretty nasty environmental impacts and also impart some nasties into your food. I think however, for our use if I could find some environmentally coated butcher paper it might works since we only do the chicken breasts and turkey burgers and don't hold them for long periods. I wrap in waxed paper first, and that has worked well to seal out the air. Also need to get some freezer tape so I can make a tight seal.
I'm really surprised that some of you can re-cycle ziplock type bags at the grocery store. Mine has a sign that specifically states that if any other type of bags get in the container the whole thing is contaminated and won't be recycled. I wouldn't be surprised if very little of those bags actually make it through the recycling process. Recycling plastic into meaningful uses is difficult really, despite the positive PR.
I'm trying to reduce my exposure to plastic, a tough challenge. I will continue to wash the freezer bags though, I have enough to insulate a small room, lol!