Summary of "25 Freezer Tricks I've Lived By That Supermarkets Don't Want You Knowing!"

Key freezer & grocery-cost tricks (25 total)

25) Walk the markdown clock
- Shop meat markdown windows: ~7:00 AM (first markdown) or last hour before closing (~6:00 PM).
- Approximate reductions mentioned:
  - Within 3 days: ~1/3 off
  - Within 1 day: ~1/2 off
  - Sometimes 3/4 off if the cooler is very full.
- Buy enough to cover the week during those windows.
24) Butcher’s primal cut (break down at home)
- Order whole beef primals (e.g., chuck roll) by appointment; described as far cheaper than retail.
- Example pricing mentioned: 40 lb chuck roll ~ $0.80/lb, under case price.
- Break down at home into:
  - roasts
  - stew meat
  - ground beef
  - soup bones
23) Loss-leader whole chickens
- Use whole chickens priced as weekly ad “loss leaders.”
- Approach described: buy the chicken and go straight through the store with no detours.
22) Butter dated for 8 months
- Butter goes on sale about twice yearly (week before Thanksgiving and Christmas).
- Freeze butter in waxed paper inside a freezer bag:
  - keeps ~8 months at 0°F.
- Cut into tablespoon portions with a cold knife so you can take only what you need.
21) Milk gallon split
- To freeze milk safely and prevent jugs from cracking:
  - pour off one full coffee mug from each gallon before freezing.
- For deals (e.g., buy one get one):
  - split into two half-gallons, freeze both.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge; shake to recombine fat.
- Use for cereal/cooking/baking; keeps about 3 months.
20) Block cheese beats shredded
- Avoid pre-shredded cheese (higher markup + cellulose anti-caking coating).
- Shred a block yourself.
- Optional anti-clump tip: toss a teaspoon of cornstarch into each bag.
- Freeze flat; hard cheeses keep about 6 months.
19) Ginger on the rock
- Fresh ginger spoils in ~10 days (commonly used in tiny amounts).
- Freeze: keep the whole unpeeled knob in a labeled freezer bag.
- Grate directly from frozen using a microplane, then return to the freezer.
- Reported benefit: ~4 months per $4 knob, compared with ~10 days fresh.
18) Lemon juice in shot-glass tray cubes
- Juice lemons in bulk using “shot glass” portions:
  - cubes equal 2 tablespoons per shot glass.
- Freeze juice cubes in trays, bag them; store zest separately.
- Keeps ~9 months with fresh taste.
17) Whole bean pound bag (pre-portion)
- Whole coffee beans keep longer than ground coffee because oils are protected until grinding.
- Portion into half-cup freezer bags and pull one at a time.
16) Rice pre-cooked for the week
- Cook bulk rice on Sunday:
  - cool on a sheet tray ~20 minutes
  - portion into flat bags.
- Reported savings idea: homemade costs far less per pound than microwave pouches.
- Similar approach mentioned for beans.
15) Over-wrap the Styrofoam tray
- Store packaging is for shelves, not freezers; described as leading to freezer burn in ~6 weeks.
- Over-wrap method:
  - tight plastic wrap layer pressed against meat, air pushed out
  - then place into a freezer bag and seal tightly.
- Result mentioned: better quality longer (example: roast lasts ~6 months vs ~8 weeks).
14) Flat bag filing system (organize for efficiency)
- Freeze liquids/soft foods in flat freezer bags laid on a sheet pan until solid.
- Stack upright like file folders to prevent everything sinking and becoming an ice-covered mess.
- Example capacity claim: organized flat bags allow more usable weight than tubs.
13) Flour in the deep freeze
- Freeze flour to stop rancidity/insects:
  - whole grain flour rancids; freezing helps it last ~2 years.
- Even white flour may get weevils:
  - freeze shortly after purchase (reported as killing weevil eggs).
- Prevents pantry moth/insect contamination.
12) Nuts away from the pantry
- Nuts go rancid from oil oxidation.
- Buy nuts in-season (Oct–Dec) and freeze immediately.
- Reported timeline:
  - freezer: flavor ~1 year
  - pantry: goes off ~3 months.
11) Tomato paste in teaspoon-perfect dots
- Freeze tomato paste in measured portions to avoid wasting most of a can.
- Method:
  - spoon paste into tablespoon dollops on wax paper
  - freeze solid, peel dots off, bag
- Each dot = 1 tablespoon, lasts ~6 months.
10) Cream in sized cubes
- Freeze heavy cream in an ice cube tray (2 tablespoons per cube).
- Pour the remainder before it goes bad; freeze overnight; bag cubes.
- Reported: heavy cream keeps ~6 months.
- Note: half-and-half doesn’t freeze the same way (lower fat).
9) Herb puck in oil
- Freeze herbs (parsley, basil, cilantro, oregano, thyme) as “pucks”:
  - chop, pack into ice cube tray
  - cover with olive oil
  - freeze overnight; bag pucks
- Use: drop a puck straight into a hot pan at the start of sauté.
- Also frames the ice cube tray as an all-purpose cheap portioning tool (2-tb portions), including for:
  - coffee creamer
  - lemon juice
  - tomato paste
  - herb oil
  - leftover wine
  - broth
  - egg yolks (with salt)
8) Marinating while frozen
- Freeze raw meat already portioned and marinated.
- Acid in marinade penetrates as meat fibers loosen from freezing.
- Thaw in fridge the next afternoon; cook for dinner quickly.
- Skips buying expensive pre-marinated meat.
7) Eggs cracked into cube trays
- Freeze eggs without freezing in the shell:
  - crack into a bowl; avoid whipping too much air
  - pour into an ice cube tray
- Measuring guide:
  - 3 tablespoons = 1 egg
- Baking note:
  - add ½ tsp sugar per cup of mixture (prevents yolk gumming)
  - savory: add ¼ tsp salt
- Keepability: ~12 months in freezer.
6) Double bag seal (anti-freezer-burn method)
- Use two freezer bags (vacuum sealers assumed rare at the time).
- Steps:
  - first bag: press out air, seal
  - second bag: seal again
- Claimed result: ground beef kept ~12 months without freezer burn.
5) Wine from the open bottle
- Avoid “cooking wine” and markup: use table wine opened the night before.
- Method:
  - freeze remaining wine in an ice cube tray (~2 tablespoons per cube)
- Use cubes for deglazing; “pure markup removed.”
4) The bone bag (free stock)
- Collect freezer scraps:
  - chicken backs/wing tips, beef bones, ham shanks, fish heads, vegetable trim
- When full:
  - simmer in a stock pot with cold water 6–8 hours
- Reported outcome: about 1 gallon rich broth per batch.
- Framed as replacing expensive bottled broth.
3) Sunday portion night (the core routine)
- Weekly “portioning” ritual:
  - 2–3 hours at the kitchen table
  - grease pencil + flat bags + bulk haul
  - portion and label/dates/log everything
- Examples given:
  - 10 lb pork shoulder → multiple portioned bags + bone for bone bag
  - 40 lb chuck → stew packs, roasts, and ground meat
  - 5 chickens → breast portions, thigh portions, drumsticks
2) The power out penny safety check
- If power goes out while you’re away:
  - freeze a cup of water with a penny on top
- Interpretation:
  - penny still on top = safe
  - penny in middle = partial thaw (use soon)
  - penny sunk = thaw/refreeze (discard)
- Safety rule mentioned: food above 40°F for >2 hours shouldn’t be refrozen.
- Cost of “insurance” = 1 cent.
1) The second freezer (final anti-supermarket move)
- Put a second chest freezer in basement/garage/laundry room.
- Claimed payoff:
  - stores can’t profit as much from shoppers who can buy markdowns and prime cuts in bulk.
- Example energy cost stated (~215 kWh/year) and “paid for itself in four months,” with savings over years.

Notable locations, products, and people mentioned

Buffalo, New York (Seneca Street; basement near a cinder block wall)
Sears Coldspot chest freezer (22 cubic feet; bought in 1978)
Bethlehem Steel and A&P on Seneca Street
Tops on Delaware Avenue (butter sale example)
Frank’s bowling league (shot glasses reference)
Orchard Park roadside motel (aunt Ruth’s business)
Mabel Koenig (neighbor on Seneca Street; multiple ice cube trays)
Speaker/voice: narrator referencing “grandma” and “grandpa,” plus aunt Ruth and neighbor Mabel Koenig.