Food storage/preservation????

I'm looking for the best way to store and preserve my food.. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with those food sealers & bags?? I'm a bachelor and like to go food shopping once in a while (to cover a long period of time) but vegetables and fruits go bad so quickly, i wind up throwing it all out which is such a waste. Also, meats/chicken and other stuff could be preserved longer in the freezer but i don't know the best way to do this? Tupperware and ziplock bags really don't cut it. Anyone have experience with food sealers or have any other good ideas to help me keep my food real fresh for real long??

I have not tried a food sealer, but I know you can freeze your fruits and vegetables to use later. They lose alot of the "fresh" flavor they have when they haven't been frozen, but you won't have to throw them away. Most fruits and vegetables can be frozen whole, just make sure you wash them really well prior. Lay them out on wax paper in the freezer in a single layer and after a couple of hours, store them in an airtight container.

If you don't mind going the frozen route, you might as well buy frozen vegetables and use them. This is the same for frozen meats and chicken. You will save money on frozen items vs. buying fresh, if you are just going to freeze them when you get home anyway (unless you find a great sale that you can't pass up). You can always make a quick stop to buy just fresh fruits and vegetables, if you don't want to buy frozen.

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	Seal-A-Meal VS107 Vacuum Food Sealer List Price: $59.99 Sale Price: $39.95 Average Rating:
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	FoodSaver T03-0023-01 Wide-Mouth Jar Sealer List Price: $9.95 Sale Price: $7.99 Average Rating:
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	FoodSaver V2240 Advanced Design Vacuum Food Sealer List Price: $119.99 Sale Price: $104.99 Average Rating:
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	Weston 30-0101-W 8-by-12-Inch Vacuum-Sealer Food Bags, 100 Count List Price: $29.99 Sale Price: $23.95 Average Rating:
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	FoodSaver V3835 Vacuum Food Sealer with SmartSeal Technology List Price: $199.99 Sale Price: $136.87 Average Rating:
	Introducing the innovative and easy to use FoodSaver® Vacuum Sealer with SmartSeal™ Technology. The Automatic Bag Sensing feature takes all the guesswork out of vacuum packaging. Plus the new vertical profile keeps your kitchen counter clutter-free!

	Seal-A-Meal VS107 Vacuum Food Sealer List Price: $59.99 Sale Price: $39.95 Average Rating:
	With Seal-a-Meal® Vacuum Food Sealer you can: Keep leftovers as fresh and delicious as the day they were prepared. Prepare make-ahead meals over the weekend, then store them for easy weeknight reheating...

	FoodSaver T03-0023-01 Wide-Mouth Jar Sealer List Price: $9.95 Sale Price: $7.99 Average Rating:
	For those who cook large quantities of food, FoodSaver vacuum packaging systems offer excellent protection against food spoilage and freezer burn. This jar sealer attachment fits on wide-mouth mason jars and is for use with any FoodSaver machine that has an accessory port...

	FoodSaver V2240 Advanced Design Vacuum Food Sealer List Price: $119.99 Sale Price: $104.99 Average Rating:
	Simpler, Smarter, Sleeker - Advanced Design features in a compact design. New Compact Size - Saves Space on Your Countertop! Simpler because it improves upon favorite FoodSaver features like Hands-free operation -- now at the touch of a button...

	Weston 30-0101-W 8-by-12-Inch Vacuum-Sealer Food Bags, 100 Count List Price: $29.99 Sale Price: $23.95 Average Rating:
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Pro-2300 Vacuum Sealer $403.99 Pro-2300 vacuum sealer preserves foods 5-6 times longer than traditional methodsCommercial-grade vacuum sealer has extra-large Teflon bar for sealing bags up to 15 inches wideFood storage kitchen supply is 430 stainless steel

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FoodSaver Advanced Design Vacuum Sealer Kit - White $104.99 Package and preserve food neatly and efficiently with this handy vacuum-sealer kit.

Fresh Sealer Auto Vacuum Sealed Food Container $61.07 *Save time, money and hassle with the Fresh Sealer *Just close the transparent lid and this 12-liter container automatically sucks out the air to protect breads, pastries, chips, crackers, cereals and more *Smart vacuum sensor stops the pump when the perfect pressure is achieved and maintains that same pressure at all time *Also works as a quick food marinator *Fresh Sealer quickly pumps air out, allowing foods' pores and fibers to stretch and expand while marinade gets pulled deeper into the core and better than overnight soak marination *Marinate meats/foods in minutes instead of hours under vacuum stage *Fresh Sealer is your solution for a better, touchless way to store foods longer and marinate foods faste *Removable dishwasher safe tray *Powered by AC adapter (included) or 4 D batteries (not included)

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Can I start vegetable plants from seeds using a plastic storage bin as a greenhouse?

I want to start tomato and pepper plants from seeds to plant later next month. I live in NE Florida and we're already having days in the 80's. I bought some peat pots and seed starting medium. I want to know if I can put the pots in a clear, see through plastic storage tub and put them out in the middle of my yard. I think they'll get about 11-12 hours of sunlight right now and I think the moisture should be fine with the lid on. the tub is about 1.5 feet x 3 feet and clear plastic.

Yes you can. However, you would want to place a couple 2" holes on each end and place the container up on bricks (or 2x4 chunks, etc.). This will allow air flow and keep the plants from getting too hot. Some extras to think about:
- You might want to rig your holes so that you can slide them closed on cool nights (braxton clips??).
- You might find a screen of some sort to lay on top for those 80 degree days (or just remove the container).
- To really be fancy...rig a small fan up to blow air underneath to creat circulation (more important once the seeds sprout...keeps the fungas from growing).

However, it can all be done and would be a lot of fun. Don't forget to keep the cubes moist...the air flow will dry them out.

(Also...you could place a flouresent light above a tray with the peat pots and keep in your house with the thermostat set at around 72 degrees. The light should be about six inches from the soil. Once the plants sprout...raise the light another six inches. )

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I have SO many clothes - Which storage options are big and cheap?

I have been looking at those vac pac storage bags that you suck the air out and was wondering which ones hold loads and if anyone knows any good deals? I have just left my 2 bed flat and am staying at my parents in a small room and it is full of clothes! the piles are so high i can't see my TV on my desk! Are these vacuum bags as good as they say or do they only hold a few bits? Thank you
Yes good point! I meant to say I'm giving most to charity, but I'll still have a LOT left Thanks

Yes these bags work very well, you need to follow the directions thou. For example if the directions say 4-5 shirts dont stuff 7-8 shirts or 4-5 sweaters or jeans. If you have that many clothes, go thru them, give the ones you dont wear away, also seperate them into seasons. These bags can get costly so I hang up your dressy garments, fold t-shirts and put into drawers. Leave out the items you wear most frequeuntly and store the ones you dont or thats not in seasons in those vac bags.

https://www.spacebag.com/spacebag/901721/

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/bedroom/10452/

Hope this helps

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Pro-2300 Vacuum Sealer $403.99 Pro-2300 vacuum sealer preserves foods 5-6 times longer than traditional methodsCommercial-grade vacuum sealer has extra-large Teflon bar for sealing bags up to 15 inches wideFood storage kitchen supply is 430 stainless steel

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Fresh Vac 6pc. Square Container Set $23.99 The amazing Fresh Vac food containers are completely microwave, dishwasher, freezer safe, and they save you money by keeping foods fresher longer! This set of vacuum food containers comes complete with three containers: 1.4 cup, 3.4 cup, and 8.9 cup capacities. They vacuum seal without pumps, bags, or electricity, giving you the convenience of traditional food storage with the benefit of vacuum sealing. The canisters nest inside each other for space-efficient storage. The polycarbonate lids are transparent, giving you a view of what's inside, and they can also be used in the microwave to prevent messes! Largest Measures 8" H x 4" W x 8.6" D. Assembly level/degree of difficulty: No Assembly Required.

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