Whatever you are wrapping, the key is to double wrap. I wrap pies and pizza crusts first in plastic wrap or cling film as some call it, then I place them in large freezer weight zip bags, forcing out as much air as possible when closing the zip bag.

For breads, I freeze a loaf in a bread bag, then put that in a freezer weight zip bag and force out the air when closing. Sometimes I can get two loaves in one large freezer zip bag. To thaw I take the loaf out of both it's wrappings, wrap a paper towel around the loaf and put it back in the bread bag and sit it on the counter to thaw. Doing this insures I don't end up with any soggy loaf bottoms.

I don't often use foil for freezing, much prefer heavy freezer zip bags. Plus, the zip bags are washable and reusable.

Teresa

An airtight wrapping is the key to success, rather than items tossed loosely into a zip-lock bag. Think of the type of wrap known as a "butchers wrap" - which is used to wrap meat in paper. It's also called a "drugstore wrap" (see link below).

When it comes to loaves of bread, I use a tight layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. The tight wrapping helps prevent the moisture in the crumb of the bread from migrating through the crust. This will prevent the ice crystals from forming. I generally freeze whole or half loaves. I find bread stays fresher longer if I slice it as needed. We use 1 loaf of homemade bread per week.

For specialty breads we use by-the-slice, rather than by the loaf (dill bread, raisin bread, etc.) are sliced, wrap in serving size portions in plastic wrap, and then place in Tupperware containers (square-rounds or sandwich containers). Sliced bread will keep fairly well for 2-3 months using this method.

As you mentioned, I use pop-up sheets of foil (I get a box of them at Sam's Club) for individual servings of things like hamburger or hot dog buns, 2 dinner rolls, 2 muffins, scones, cornbread, English Muffins, etc... These are easy to add to the oven when something else is baking to re-heat it, or pop them into the toaster oven for a quick re-heating (wrapped in foil). I place these items in large plastic containers so they don't get "lost" and don't get crushed. You might use the same method with a pie. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then foil (heavy-duty foil works best and can be reused many times), and place it into a lidded pie carrier for protection. You could also place foil-wrapped cardboard on the top of your pie/s, then put them in a zip-lock bag, to protect the outside layer from damage. Suck out as much air as possible (using a drinking straw) before closing the bag. Consider using a box or plastic container they will fit in to keep them from being damaged.

I freeze pizza crusts (I usually make enough for a month), not prepared pizzas, and always have a stack of them in the freezer. They are double-wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and then placed in a zip-lock bag. I put a foil-wrapped piece of stiff cardboard in the bottom of the bag to give it stability.

What a convenience freezers are... Bake once and use for a month!!!

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Food Freezing Basics

Thanks ladies.

When you say freezer bags what are you referring to? The largest I can find are just gallon size and my bread (if it has risen good!) doesn't fit.

Is there another type of bag available?

I have been wrapping my individual loaves in stretch plastic and then freezer paper. If I am careful, I can reuse the paper a time or two.

Gldnol:
I freeze leftover pizza slices like,

Teresa nc and Grainlady.

The prebaked Pizza Dough I just put into a Zip Lock bag and
into the freezer.

When I'm ready to bake a Pizza, with prebaked dough, I'll Baste the edge Crust with water.

If the bottom is too baked I'll baste it, also.

I always baste the Pizza Crust ( prebaked or fresh dough ),
while baking, if one part to baking more.

been doing it this way for over 50 years. Never had a problem.

gldnol, I have the same problem with my loaves of bread, they are just a tiny bit too big for a gallon ziplock. I do have a big box of 2 gallon ziplock bags, I think I got them at Gordon Food Service. The problem is that they are really too big!

Great for marinating a large pork roast or brining a duck, but a bit big for bread. Sometimes, though, I can "stack" two loaves into the two gallon bag.

Annie

Hefty makes a 2 1/2 gallon "one zip" bag that will hold several 10" to 12" pizzas or 1 lb. loaves of bread.

Teresa

I use the vegetable plastic bags from the supermarket.

Works for everything, including for the freezer for meats to prevent freezer burn, and the price is right. :-)

dcarch

gldno1:
I said a boo boo.
The Prebaked Pizza Dough goes into a plastic bag, with a wire tie. No Frost collects !!!
The Pizza Slices get wrapped in Plastic and into a Zip Lock, for freezing.
Lou

I flash freeze or pre-freeze pies and shells so they're firm then wrap in heavy-weight commercial foil (which I can re-use numerous times) and follow by bagging. I don't use ziplocs. They aren't the right size for me and their stiffness makes them awkward in the freezer. I use bags sold by the hundred by King Arthur Flour, though I'm sure there are plenty of other suppliers. The large bags will easily hold two "country-size" loaves of bread or a pie. Obviously those bags, like the foil, can be re-used many many times. In fact, I haven't discarded a bag yet. (But my twist ties seem to disappear, LOL.)

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: King Arthur Flour Mega Bakery Bags

I am learning so much from you wonderful cooks.

readinglady, where do you get the heavy-weight commercial foil? I didn't even know such a thing existed.

I don't like those twist ties. Sometimes, we don't get them tight enough. Sometimes, they are laying all over the countertops, sometimes, I can't find a single one when it's needed. I love these clips! They've got a magnet on the back so I stick extras on the side of the refrigerator within easy reach. They hold bags tight with no slippage & are easy to use even with arthritis. We use the different colors for different products so they also eliminate the need for some labeling of regular standard stuff like oatmeal muffins w/apples versus oatmeal muffins w/walnuts.

I also use the KA bakery bags & these clips hold them much tighter than I could ever accomplish with those wire twist ties things.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Clippy Things

Carol (Readinglady), I don't throw away bags either. Peppi gave me this handy/dandy bag dryer, so I wash and reuse! My mother thinks this is the best invention she ever saw and it sits in my kitchen, nearly always in use. Grandma had a piece of clothesline hanging from a peg on the wall in the kitchen, she washed bags and clipped them to the rope with a wooden clip type clothes pin.

Another issue when freezing pies and baked goods is freezer space. I seldom have any, so freezing just the crusts, rolled out and ready to use and stacked in a package is much more space efficient than freezing the entire pie. Although it doesn't save the time of preparing the filling, it does allow me to make several crusts in advance.

Annie

I get heavyweight foil from Costco in their food-service area (I also like their pre-cut waxed paper). But I know the stock varies from store to store, so you'd need to check. I think Cash and Carry offers the same thing, as do restaurant supply stores.

Annie, I have a similar kind of bag dryer, though mine is smaller and folds up.

I do admit there's some advantage in having two freezers. When it gets crowded, I freeze just the filling in a disk in a saran-lined pie pan. I mix up the pie crust but don't add the liquid and freeze bags of "crumbles."

Carol