I put the food into a ziploc bag, then press the air out of it and put that bag into the freezer bag. I then seal it. Also, when you wash it, turn it inside out before putting it into the dishwasher.

Great Idea "marie26"! Grease and plastic bags cling together, and it is just about impossible to get the grease completely cleaned off. When my FoodSaver bags got too messy from the content I threw them out....expensive (yeah, I know!!) but just couldn't deal with the mess of trying to get the bag clean. Am going to try Marie's method...sounds good!

Thanks Marie. Great idea about double bagging, & I hadn't tried washing them in the dw. This will help, as lisbet said, those bags are expensive!

Lorri

I use the ball jars and jar sealing attachment when I freeze stews and chili's. They are much cheaper than the plastic bags. I also have been buying bulk things like cashews and putting them in small sized jars and it works great!!! I can even put the jars in my musty basement and when I want some fresh sugar or non-frozen item they are really fresh. I have some "personal" sized snack jars that are very small and I use them for alot of things.

I use the bags for meats, then I throw them out because the meats are raw and I just dont' think I could clean them well enough to reuse. When I use the bags for cooked items or veggies, I will wash and re-use them untill they get too short to use.

-renee

scryn, when you vacuum seal and freeze the chili in jars, how much space do you leave at the top of the jar for expansion?

I fill them about 3/4 of the way.
if you have the ones that narrow a little on the top (have a shoulder) I would leave like an inch or more from the top of the food to the shoulder of the jar.

Hopefully that makes sense. I have never had any jars break yet and I freeze alot of soups, sauces and chili's during the winter.

-renee

I have a dumb question...I just got the newest version of the FoodSaver (my older one died awhile ago). When you are sealing the bags, which side should be up (smooth or rough), or does it matter? It's been so long since I used my old FoodSaver, I cannot remember and I am unable to find any reference to it in the booklet. Thanks in advance!!

bump

crue2001,

I am really sorry, and surprised, that no on answered your question. I have not been here for a while or I would have answered sooner. I have used my Foodsaver for years and never gave a thought to which side of the bag was up. It appears both sides will seal equally well. You probably figured that out by now. Love my Foodsaver!

I use my Saver for meat mostly, so I just throw them.
BUT, today I tried Marie's tip with strawberries & it seemed to work great. I froze the berries whole on cookie sheets 1st, then put them in daily bags (sandwhich) put about 4 of those in a big Saver, sucked air out for about 3/4 & then sealed, they look great & I'm hoping to open,
pull 2 bags out & re seal with the saver. These are whole, no sugar, so they can be hard to freeze. I like to just eat a few a day frozen in the winter, certainly can't do it with CA BERRIES(ugh) but I think it will work with our beautiful "Hood" berries here in OR. Jill

I have the food saver and a little tip I use when doing things that have liquid. fold a paper towel and put it at the top of the bag,not on the food. Near to where you are sealing. The paper towel will collect the liquid that is being sucked up and can hamper sealing. Then after defrosting just throw it out.

I tried the paper towel trick when freezing corn last year at this time. It didn't work. So, I was going to try freezing the corn first this year until I read about the "ziplock bag first" idea. Good idea.
Leslie

Hi all,
I don't ever post to this area of the site but I have a question.
I have just gotten a 18 year old never been used foodsaver from my elderly mom. She is a smoker and so the bags she gave me reek. Can I use the new bags with this machine.. Model number FS No 210097

Hello!
I bought my food sealer and 2 packs of 30 bags. Those bags were expensive. I was browsing at my local pound shop and found packs of press and seal freezer bags. 100 bags, 2 packs for a pound. So I thought I would give these a go. They worked better then the bags I bought with the sealer! All the air was pulled out, the bags sealed better then the bags that came with the sealer. So I now just use the cheap freezer bags and at 200 for a pound there's no need to wash them. Try using press and seal or zip lock freezer bags and see how they go for you. I am all about saving pennies.

Ana, I love this idea! Nancy

I make a lot of soups. I usually put 2-3 servings in a bag and put them in a baking dish, pat flat and fold up a 3-4" top so that you can still have a clean area to seal. freeze overnight, then seal. You end up with nice flat stackible soups/stews etc..

When someone is sick, I offer them a slabo-o-soup!

It saves a lot of freezer space.

I also buy blueberries and other stuff on sale, flash freeze on a cookie sheet and use a Fresh saver (about $20 at Wal mart) so that I can use and re-seal. Saves tons of $ buying stuff on sale!

We also buy meats on sale and seal in the FS, again saving tons of $ on meats! NT