Do I really need a Freezer?

Mines invaluable when I can’t get to the shops or busy and need a ready meal that I cook in advance and freeze. Also like ice cream and freeze my glut of apples.

Got did of my freezer because having to keep it full to run efficiently was a pain. Also full would last me a coup!e of years. Who needs that? Certainly not me. Now doing fine with the small in-built one in my fridge and never missed the big one once. Yet another learning curve!

I have a large upright freezer and also purchased a small chest freezer when we first had lockdown. I like to batch cook so that we can have roast dinners/casseroles etc when I'm feeling lazy! There is only 2 of us (plus the dog and cat!) I know, but it just saves so much time and I like to freeze the rhubarb and vegetables that DH grows too. I do ensure that I rotate food regularly though . I wouldn't want to be without them!

I don't particularly like cooking. I cook enough for a family of 4, eat one, one for the fridge for tomorrow, 2 for the freezer.

Very very useful during lockdown!

Of course if depends on individual circumstances, but I’ve got two (one in the cellar) and wouldn’t want to be without either of them. We have an allotment, so they come in for storing excess produce, and soups, pies etc made from it. And it means we can pick up bargains when we see them and stick them in there. Plus they’re invaluable when we’re entertaining, or at Christmas etc, so we can plan ahead.

We were away for a few days lately so I checked with my energy account online approximately how much they cost to run when very little was left on. I was surprised at how little it was.

But if you need the space and don’t use yours much, it’s another matter altogether.

I would hate to be without mine . I have a large chest freezer in the garage and a fridge freezer in the kitchen . I always have meals precooked soup and we freeze the local raspberries to last all winter . We just finished last years to-day . I also buy any fish or meat on offer . We do not live near good shops so it is so handy to go out the night before and pick what I will cook or reheat the next day . We had one of the very first chest freezers 45 years ago and always had one since then .

Thanks for all the views, think I will give it a try without one and get the table for the sunny kitchen.

Of course you do!
Where would you keep your Mini Magnums for Wimbledon fortnight?

No, I can’t imagine doing without my freezer. Frozen veg & fruit, making double quantity meals so one can be frozen for another day, oven chips, meat from the butcher, fish etc. No, thinking about it, it’s pretty indispensable.

I use my freezers a lot. I have fridge freezer in the kitchen that has frozen vegetables, the ones that are needed in handfuls in recipes: peppers, celery, carrots, plus peas and sweetcorna sliced loaf (in use)bacon, sausages, bread rolls, etc etc. Small pots with excess food - veg and similar from meals where i cooked too much.

My big upright freezer in the utility room has all my batch cooked ready meals, meat bought in bulk from local farmers that sell Pasture for Life grade meat. Fish, which comes in kilo packs, from a local supplier, plus surplus crops from the garden. I then have a small 'seasona'l freezer in the garage for the abundance of crops I get rom the garden. Last year it contained 26lbs of rhubarb, 8 lbs of runner beans, 15lbs of blackberries, several large containers of stewed apples, etc etc. This usually doesn't get turned on until late September and gets switched off in February as stocks shrink and will fit in the other freezers.

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A new miele upright freezer was the first thing I bought on moving here and it stands proud in my kitchen, together with its twin fridge. 253litres. I always fill my freezer, easy to do as I make lots of ready meals for myself, soups, crumbles, freeze coffee beans and nuts, butter. Lots and lots of berries, all home grown, a years supply of blueberries. Grass fed meat. Fish from cornwall

Via the freezer, I know exactly what is in all my meals. I am widowed and single and use my freezer to the max. Ready food allows me to save money on batch cooking and saves me lots of time so I can get on with my hobbies and go cycling

Isn’t it funny that people presume everyone has a garage

I have changed this year from a large fridge freezer to a smaller free standing separate fridge and freezer
I don’t cook much apart from things like stir fries jackets potatoes in the microwave vegi burgers of various types quorn etc non of which takes much cooking I probably use my stove about half an hour a day

I only shop about once every ten days so yes I feel I need a freezer

Couldn't manage without either my under the counter fridge and under counter freezer. I can't cook a fresh meal or soup for my lunch everyday. So I cook enough dinners to last me 6 meals same with my soup..
Both fridge and freezer always well stocked as well as my stock cupboard. I have a Sainsbury's delivery everything 6 weeks and just get fresh veg when I need them. Yesterday made a lasagne using Quorn mince,peppers , leeks, tomatoes and mushrooms all ready cut up in freezer and everything just went into the pan to cook. Cheese was out of the freezer as well. I buy a 400g block cut it into 8 and freeze. Just get a chunk out when needed. I bulk buy fresh veg and when my hands are ok cut every thing and freeze. The only frozen veg I buy is cauli,broc ,peas and French beans. Need to make soup today but as my hands are ok will be made out of fresh veg.

I like to batch cook, and keep some ready meals etc, so really do like having a freezer. But it lives in the spare bedroom as there is no room in my kitchen. A slight inconvenience only.
It used to live in the garage, but I got through three freezers before learning that they don't like to get too cold, strangely.

henetha

I like to batch cook, and keep some ready meals etc, so really do like having a freezer. But it lives in the spare bedroom as there is no room in my kitchen. A slight inconvenience only.
It used to live in the garage, but I got through three freezers before learning that they don't like to get too cold, strangely.

Depends on the model of freezer you buy. The majority of freezers don't like the lower temperatures of garage storage.

Beko are one of the few manufacturers that have freezers that are designed to work at ambient temperatures of -15 degrees, cannot think of any garage that would be that cold.

We have a fridge freezer and a vertical freezer. Very useful for all sorts of reasons.

We’ve just bought a small chest freezer, the f/f is packed.

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Ha BlueBelle I don't have a garage.
We never had more than the ice compartment at the top of the fridge when our 4 DC were growing up here. How did we manage!

We must have felt the lack because before DH died, we bought a front loading freezer which fits inside a cupboard. I looked inside recently and see I have veg soup and plums from the mega harvest and rather than buying for one, I buy normal size packages and use what I need and freeze the rest.
Frozen food never looks attractive and
everything creates some work though doesn't it!

We have 2 fridge freezers. Both are Bosch. One in the kitchen and one in the garage Both always in full use as I batch cook and freeze. Wouldn’t be without them.

I use my freezer for bulk cooking of things like soups and bulk buying of things on offer e.g. butter, when it’s 2 for £5 instead of £3.75 per tub. Also frozen veg like garden peas (only the dog and I like them and just a handful at a time is soo useful). At Christmas, I wish I had a bigger fridge and freezer -there are some tempting party foods and the family appetites have grown!

I have just a fridge freezer but couldn’t manage without. I only buy frozen fish because I think it is freshest, and try to shop once weekly to cut travel cost, and I find a freezer is essential especially for staples like bread and milk. I also find batch cooking saves time and electricity and freeze special offers such as butter. Would not like to have to shop more frequently, unless I had a shop on the doorstep.