Check out the other FS threads. Beans are blanched prior to freezing. I use a salad spinner on the blanched ones to remove excess water. After that, they are placed on a big clean bath towl to soak up any further water. I use regular zipper freezer bags. You can use the FS ones, but set the vacuum to low. If they are still wet, the whole frozen mass can be hard to seperate. Placing them as one layer on big cooky sheets and freezing prior to baggng can help too. My green beans don't seem to have the best taste once thawed and cooked. Instead, I like the better tasting yellow waxed beans. Still got 4 gallon bags (zipper freezer types) of them in my freezer. The FS works best on freezing meats. Careful using a FS to pull a vacuum on a jar that has liquid in it. The vacuum can cause the items to swell and many bubbles will be released. MY vacuum pump has a big moisture trap that keeps liquids out of the delicate vacuum pump. If planning tyo freeze a combination of items like peas, potatoes, and a sauce, be sure that all will get heated equally and they all cook at the same time.

The vacuum food savers will seal any bag such as chips. But it won't vacuum the air out of those bags. I press down on those bags before sealing to get as much air out of the bag as possible. I was explained by a representative of one of the vacuum sealer companies that the reason you must use their bags is that a regular sandwich type bag's thickness won't be able to withstand the vacuuming strength of the machine. That's why they use those special bags when vacuuming and sealing foods.

I'm on my 3rd FoodSaver and have used them since 1986 and my next one is in the basement should the one I have go to appliance "heaven". I found the last one at a really low prices at Tuesday Morning. All have performed very well and I would classify myself as a heavy user of a FoodSaver - everyday use and several times a day - bags, canisters, and canning jar storage. -I don't see that you can go wrong with any of the models. I've never had the same one twice and they are improving them all the time. Get on their e-mail list at FoodSaver, they are always having specials. -The higher priced machine doesn't necessarily mean better performance or longevity - it's how you take care of it and follow the information from FoodSaver for the best use. -I need a port (hole) so I can use the hose and jar sealer and the hose for sealing canisters. We do home food storage and a large amount of our dry goods are vacuum-sealed in canning jars and placed in storage. Any food item that needs to remain free-flowing is stored in jars or canisters, rather than bags - such as chocolate chips... If you place chocolate chips in a FoodSaver bag and vacuum-seal it shut you will end up with a chocolate chip "brick" as the chips fuse together. Anything that is low-moisture and would crush in a bag (chips, cereal, crackers, etc.) store best in a jar or canister. If you store flour it needs to be placed in a jar to remain free-flowing, instead of sealed in a bag. There is enough moisture in the flour to cause it to smell moldy if stored compacted in a bag (as suggested by FoodSaver). -I need a FoodSaver wide enough to seal both sizes of bags, which only come in two sizes and have for the 25-years I've used them. The only time I have the pre-cut bags on hand is when they come in the bulk box of bags I purchase at Sam's Club (I stocked up when they were $29.99 last fall), or the time I found rolls of bags as well as pre-cut bags at a reclaimed freight store at a great price (I bought all they had and didn't need to purchase bags for years after that). I prefer rolls to pre-cut bags. -Whether it's upright or flat, holds the roll of bags or not doesn't really matter to me. I've had both. Those are personal choices - neither is right or wrong - just a choice. -My best suggestion is to make room for it so it remains out and ready-to-use. I have a baker's rack with the FoodSaver on one shelf (it's to one end so filled bags can lay flat on the rest of the shelf for sealing); a cute basket with rolls of bags in it another basket with other FoodSaver accessories (I also have a FoodSaver FreshSaver), a Sharpie for marking the bags, and a pair of scissors to cut bags. On another shelf is my collection of canisters, some canning jars and canning lids used for vacuum-sealing dry goods. -Much of my cooking is based on make-once-and-freeze - in serving sizes. I make soup/stew/chili/broth/stroganoff meat mixture (meat only, no noodles or rice)/sloppy joes/all kinds of meats and meat mixtures/spaghetti sauce/etc. and freeze it in plastic storage containers (in serving sizes). Once frozen, pop them out of the containers, stack them in a FoodSaver bag and vacuum-seal shut. This way I can take out one serving (1-cup) of soup, or as many as is necessary. This frees-up my storage containers for other uses, and lengthens the storage time in the freezer without freezer burn. -I make large batches of freezer mashed potatoes a few times a year and freeze them either in dollops (using an ice cream scoop) or serving size containers. Once again, remove from the container, stack and vacuum-seal in a FoodSaver bag. -Frozen fruit and vegetables from the store are placed in a FoodSaver bag and flatten to a single layer (with the opening of the bag to the side NOT the top), then vacuum-sealed. Using this method, cut open the bag, give the bag a tap and the pieces break into pourable/measurable pieces. Quick-freeze cooked wheat/beans/rice or fresh fruit or blanched vegetables on a cookie sheet, then transfer to bag and vacuum-seal shut after they are frozen. -I prefer quick-freezing nearly everything before I bag and seal it. The filled bags are "filed" in plastic baskets. I can remove the fruit/vegetable basket and quickly flip through to see what I have or need. There is a basket with breakfast meat in it. I cut rings of smoked sausage (kilbasa) into "coins", quick-freeze them and then vacuum-seal in a bag. Once again, freeze in a single layer and you can take out the number of "coins" you need per meal. -Portion and slice meat (cooked or raw), quick-freeze before bagging. I make up large amounts of pre-cooked beef/pork/chicken to use in stir-fry, wraps, Mexican entrees, dinner salads..... Cooked shredded or ground meat is placed in zip-lock snack-size bags, then those bags are vacuum-sealed in a bag. This size will generally serve one or two people. -If you bag something that might penetrate the bag (i.e. bone-in meat), place a wad of plastic wrap over the bone to keep it from piercing the bag and compromising the seal. -Quick-freeze a casserole in the dish you will heat/reheat it in (line it with Renyolds Easy Release foil and it will be easier to remove and make clean-up a cinch after it's heated). When frozen, pop out of the dish and vacuum-seal. It will now go from the freezer back into the dish when you are ready to use it, but you won't have the dish sitting in the freezer. -I reuse bags, except those that contained raw meat I thawed the meat in. Do they stain? That's never been an issue for me because I quick-freeze foods first, and a spritz with a mild bleach/water solution of 1 quart water and 1 teaspoon bleach will probably remove any stains as well as disinfect the bag. I have a wooden dowel rack hubby made me for air-drying the bags open. I understand the bags can be cleaned in a dishwasher, but I've never done it. -Grainlady

Hello everybody, I don't usually join forums, but I ran into this one while looking for some food saver tips, so I joined in order to be able to share some ideas about freezing and vac packing foods that may make a huge difference to many of you out there. With a number of years of food saver use under my belt, I have have found that while it will never really be easy work, there are ways to make it a less labor-intensive, less messy, and more organized chore. Those lovely plastic takeout containers such as the ones you get with Chinese food are perfect for freezing food, and they are top rack dishwasher safe. Fill containers, cover and place in the freezer (make sure they are level so the shapes are uniform). When the food is frozen solid, remove from container and wrap is plastic food wrap, then vacuum pack. If you have several containers, do this assembly line style; 1) unmold 2) wrap in plastic film 3) determine size of bag to seal and make all the bags 4) vac pack and label. If you shop at a club type mega store, purchase the 3000 square foot roll of plastic film and you will have film for months to come. The film will keep the food saver bag clean to re-use. The containers will make uniform rectangles or rounds which saves space in the freezer and keep it organized. Also, if you set up everything before packing, after a while it will become second nature to you and you'll be doing it without even thinking. And just one more thing (yeah, you thought I was finished, didn't you?), after you wrap the frozen bricks (that's what I call them), put them back in the freezer while you make your bags so they don't get runny if the room temperature is warm. Hope I helped one or many of my fellow food prepaholics out there.