It's Time to Clean Out the Freezer - Rotate and Restock

It is time to clean out the freezers and start eating through the foods stored months ago. It will probably take about a week or so to eat through the meals and leftovers. It should be an interesting food adventure because I freeze leftovers, and I make extra food just for the freezer. It's just so convenient to thaw out a ready to eat home cooked meal.  

We use the top of the freezer to complete various tasks, and it is
used as part of our packing and shipping station almost daily.

So far this week we have had Chicken and Barley soup, Sausage Jambalaya with Rice, and Hawiian Chicken. I have Adzuki beans thawing in the refrigerator. I'm not sure what I will make out of them. Maybe I will make some Red Beans and Rice or Taco Soup.  

When we purchase meat by the case, I rotate the older meats to the top and reorganize the contents of the freezer while I am at it, so I shouldn't find too many surprises. If we have a large grocery haul and it won't all fit in the freezers, I pull out leftovers to make room for the new freezer items. I'm pretty good about using up what we have on hand. I rarely have to toss anything out unless something falls to the bottom or get overlooked. I don't like to waste anything.

In a worst-case scenario, the chickens will get a treat. An example of this is some rice that I made following a recipe that called for way too much soy sauce. I was unable to fix the saltiness after several attempts, so I thought that I would just add it a bit at a time to my Gather up the Fragments Refrigerator Soup. You can find the instructions here. Refrigerator Soup. I decided that I wouldn't take a chance and ruin anymore food on this rice, so I am thawing it out to give to the chickens and to our resident raven named "Blackie".

We don't need to buy much to restock the freezers for the winter months. We purchased poultry the last time that we were in the city and before that we bought beef. Both times we were able to buy before the prices increased. I'm hoping to add a variety of meats next time like fish, lamb and beef sausages. We will see what is available and at what cost. 

Update: Blackie and five of his friends loved the rice! 

Stay safe,

Mrs. Smith