Holiday Leftovers – What Can You Freeze for Later?

Holiday meals often consist of lots of food – and lots of leftovers. If it seems like you are eating holiday leftovers well beyond the holidays simply so all the food doesn’t go to waste, you can safely save some of the food for later. Your VacMaster vacuum sealer is the perfect tool to help you prepare holiday leftovers to become delicious meals down the road.

What foods freeze best? When deciding what to eat immediately, trash, or save, here are a few foods you can store for later consumption.

Turkey – turkey refreezes well. Remove it from the bone prior to storing for best results. Also, the bones can be frozen separately to use later in soup stock.

Gravy – some gravy can be frozen. You shouldn’t freeze cream or milk-based gravies, as they will separate when thawed. Flour-based gravy can be frozen. You can freeze gravy in ice cube trays (then seal with your VacMaster sealing bags), plastic storage bags, or even freeze gravy with your turkey.

Cranberry sauce- it can be frozen as is, whether homemade or originally from a can.

Stuffing – stuffing is safe to freeze.

Pumpkin or sweet potato – these dishes can be frozen easily and will hold up well.

Desserts – some types of pies, including pumpkin, pecan, or fruit pies, can be frozen. Many of your holiday cookies can also be frozen for later enjoyment.

Breads and rolls – separate dinner rolls into smaller serving sizes or store your loaves of bread in smaller sliced portions. Bread will save for several months in the freezer.

Before freezing your leftovers, keep these important points in mind:

Freeze food shortly after serving. Pack up whatever you want to freeze for later within a few hours of your meal.

Freeze food in individual serving sizes. Seal your food with your VacMaster chamber sealing bags in individual serving portions. This helps save space in your freezer and helps the food stay fresher longer, plus it cuts down on the chances of waste the next time you eat it.

Seal food airtight. Make sure your food is sealed in airtight containers. Air is food’s worst enemy in the freezer as it leads to freezer burn. Your holiday leftovers can be stored for months if sealed properly. Keeping any air from getting into the bags is essential.

A big meal doesn’t have to mean a lot of waste for you. Follow these tips and you can enjoy a second helping of your holiday favorites instantly when you get a craving a few months later.