Poll-To Label or Not to Label?

[donleyk]

OK, it's embarrassing to admit but I don't always label what I am freezing. (Oh, I'll remember this! HA!) DH pulled out of the freezer something that resembled soup for lunch Saturday. While we were enjoying it, try as I may, I didn't remember the name of it. (Close as I could come was that I am pretty sure it is an Emeril recipe!) A little hard to repeat it if I don't know the name! Otherwise I usually find this a pleasant surprise.

[funnybone]

I do the same - but thankfully I never freeze much.

[cchhbb]

I freeze a lot and I rarely label. I just assume that I will remember everything. Fat Chance! I often start guessing. I do go on kicks about once a month when I reorganize the freezer and label everything. Usually my memory is still with me for that long. When I do label, I take masking tape and place on container and write on that. I can't stand writing on the container.

[ReneeV]

I must be in the anal minority here. I lable absolutely everything in my storage freezer.
(I don't lable the stuff in my litte freezer on top of the fridge. I keep mostly day to day stuff in there.)

There is no way I would remember what was in those frozen cubes without help! Maybe I'm not anal so much as I am aware of my cerebrial limitations. LOL

Renée

[chefbec]

I don't label, although I wish I would! I usually pull out things and open them up to see what's inside. It's always a surprise. I'm much more organized in other areas. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif

[KathrynY]

I should label, but usually don't. My memory is usually pretty good, but I do end up with occasional frozen block of mystery stuff in the back of the freezer. Also a bit scary when you're trying to determine if it's been in there too long to eat!

[gobluem82]

I have to label everything with contents and date, otherwise God only knows how long things would end up in my freezer. I use to keep a running inventory of what was in my freezer, but as you might imagine, I abandoned that a long time ago.

[Jewel]

Well, up until a few days ago EVERYTHING was labeled! I freeze mainly meat that I buy on sale because my only freezer is on top of my fridge. I always wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil, then inserted the wrapped blob into a zippie bag. Hard to tell what all those foil blobs were without labeling! I always bought the Ziploc Freezer bags that you could write directly on, so that made it easier.

However, since I bought my Food Saver a few days ago, and all of you Food Saver Fans have told me that I don't need to wrap meat in plastic wrap and foil any longer, my meat is totally visible! I can tell chicken from beef, pork from veggies! I write the date I vac-packed it on the top, but I haven't actually labeled what's inside. Kinda nice actually! Saves another step! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Wendy w]

I am inconsistent with my labeling. I should be get about it-especially with dates!

[makedah]

I freeze mostly raw items (grated cheese, chopped onions, chopped fruit for smoothies), and I always write the date and the item. I also sometimes write how much each increment has. So frozen cubes of lemon juice are each about 1/2 juice of one lemon. Or each saran-wrapped mound of shredded mozzerella is 1/2 cup. Otherwise, I won't know what's in there or how long its been in there, and I won't eat it. I've only started freezing recently. I had a one-month rule in place that's starting to slacken up, but things that I've had in there 2 months must be gobbled soon.

Note: I will also start keeping a log on the side of the fridge with dates. I had one before with no dates, but lost track of it.

[Terrytx]

I am also a labeler. I use the freezer zip-bags and note the contents and the amount, but I usually don't remember to put a date on it.

[Melina]

I'm also "cerebrially challenged" so I label everything. I've got my little stash of write-on plastic bags, stick on labels, and permenant marking pens.

[Mamasue]

I do and I don't. Since the Food Saver came into my life I can pretty much not have to label anything. I do write the date on the top flap that gets snipped off when opened. If the package looks like I would not be able to tell what it is, then I will label. Especially when I mix up some hamburg with spices and such, such as meatball mixture...then I would have to label to tell the difference between just plain hamburg and flavored.

[Chefmom]

Oh, Hubbie and the kids bought their totally anal mother/wife a WONDERFUL Brother labeler last year. It is SO nice to have everything from Holiday boxes to freezer items, lids on spices neatly labeled.

I'm just one of "those" people who like to open up the freezer to nice neatly stacked and labeled containers. For loose items, I have a rubbermaid container to place them in.

I think I get it from my Grandmother. She was a career secretary and taught me numbers at an early age. When she started having short term memory problems (she's 86 and going strong) she would take a black marker and mark EVERYTHING in the cupboard with the purchase date. That way she would use the oldest items first and know what she really wasn't using, so not to buy it in the future. She is STILL the most organized person I know, and my hero!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Tami