How to store food

[MosesBinx]

Just looking for any good ideas on what you folks do when you store the raw food you make.

I divide the meals per day for how every many weeks i want. Each day gets wrapped in aluminum and then the whole batch gets sealed in a tupperwear in the freezer. Each day, i take out an aluminum package to let it thaw in the fridge. And i partition the package into 4 servings, into glass containers to be handed out at meal time. (my guy is young and it suits him better to eat more frequentyl).

I feel the aluminum is a waste, and was interested in what other people do when storing their raw food?

[hoofmaiden]

I feed whole prey mostly (mice), so I partially thaw a big bag, then tong the mice out into smaller bags (each bag contains 1 meal for 4 cats) and refreeze. I pull one baggie out every 12 hours to thaw.

The dogs eat prey model--I just pull out what I need, thaw, and feed. Anything not fed goes into baggies in the fridge for the next meal.

[MosesBinx]

Frankenprey. So i have to store it once its all prepared. its not a terrible setup or anything, just wondering if anyone does it a different way.
What type of storage they use, etc.

[catinthemirror]

I use snack sized ziplock bags. I can get 100 of them for about $3 so they don't break the bank. I do feel bad about the waste though - I throw out 3 little ziplock bags a day I wish there was a way to reuse them but I just don't feel I can get them sanitary again.

I've though about using very small tupperware containers, but the cost would be huge. I like to keep a rather large amount of food in the freezer as well, and the plastic containers take up a lot more space.

[hoofmaiden]

Originally Posted by MosesBinx

Frankenprey. So i have to store it once its all prepared. its not a terrible setup or anything, just wondering if anyone does it a different way.
What type of storage they use, etc.

Oh, I see. I don't do it ahead of time like that--too complicated. There is no need to feed 80/10/10 at every meal--instead you can do something like this:

Day 1 am: 1/2 quail
Day 1 pm: venison
Day 2 am: venison and liver
Day 2 pm: 1/2 quail
Day 3 am: boneless chicken, kidney
Day 3 pm: beef

Etc. That said, SOME prep is necessary, and in those cases, I just use ziplock baggie. I think that adding alum foil isn't necessary at all. For instance, I do feed some quail and boneless meat occasionally to add variety to the mice--so I get a container of 8 frozen quail, thaw it and cut the quail in 1/2, then put 4 halves per baggie (each baggie is a meal for 4 cats). Then I just pull the baggie out of the freezer and thaw.

Don't make it too complicated or it will be hard to keep up!

[dweamgoil]

I feed frankenprey also. As soon as I get back from the market, I butcher the meat and ration it out into 1 meal bags for the 4 cats. I use 2 small freezer ziplocs per day.

[doodlebug]

And ziplocs are washable if you really want to conserve.

[Zilla]

Originally Posted by hoofmaiden

Oh, I see. I don't do it ahead of time like that--too complicated. There is no need to feed 80/10/10 at every meal--instead you can do something like this:

Day 1 am: 1/2 quail
Day 1 pm: venison
Day 2 am: venison and liver
Day 2 pm: 1/2 quail
Day 3 am: boneless chicken, kidney
Day 3 pm: beef

Etc. That said, SOME prep is necessary, and in those cases, I just use ziplock baggie. I think that adding alum foil isn't necessary at all. For instance, I do feed some quail and boneless meat occasionally to add variety to the mice--so I get a container of 8 frozen quail, thaw it and cut the quail in 1/2, then put 4 halves per baggie (each baggie is a meal for 4 cats). Then I just pull the baggie out of the freezer and thaw.

Don't make it too complicated or it will be hard to keep up!

This is interesting! So you mostly just toss them a mouse?? And/or maybe half a quail? Also is it like a real quail feathers and all? Im sure thats not pleasant to cut in half

[Katniss]

I buy the Blue Ridge kitten mix and then divide it into separate portions to seal in ziplock bags. When its time to eat, I take out a portion from the ziplock and thaw it in the fridge in a small container. I usually keep 4 portions in one snack size ziplock bag.


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

[ccomaya]

I feed mostly ground mix with chunks in it. I use the ice maker to make bunch of 1oz cubes. Then store the cubes in the ziplock bag in the freezer.