Food Saver

[In the Kitchen]

I am wanting to invest in a Food Saver. Seems everyone has one. Would you mind telling me what brand and how much it cost? Find more things that really are necessary and I don't have one. Do they take up a lot of room? My kitchen small. Probably has to be stored in basement if it is bulky like most of my things. Thanks Do they require certain kind of storage bags? Most importantly are they worth all this?

 

[sattie]

ITK... I have owned one for the past 5 years or more and could not imagine my life without one. I use it for just about everything and it was well worth the money. There are various models out there of the Tilia Foodsaver, you could probably get away with the most basic modle. Mine has the jar sealer on it, but I rarely use it. I imagine they cost any where from $75 to $200 these days.

They are a bit bulky, but I ditched the toaster oven (in the bottom of the pantry now) for my foodsaver... I use it more than any other counter appliance.

Yes, special bags are needed, but they can be used over and over. After the bag is empty, I spray it with an anti-bacterial spray and let set and then soak in hot water. Then rinse and dry. It may be a good idea to separate the ones you use for meat vs other products. But I have never had a problem with it. Also, when labelling your bags, use the part that you will cut off so that each time you use your bag, you will have new space to write what is in it without confusing yourself.

This is one purchase I have never regretted!!!!

 

[Candocook]

I wouldn't be without one. I have had 3. I have gone back to the one that just pulls a vaccuum and seals (no special plastic canisters, etc.--the one I had that did that never worked particularly well.
Anyway, I just bought one like the latter at Tuesday Morning for $35!! TM has been carrying various models for some time now and if you have access to one, try there first.
Amazon has them for very good prices. The plain one is usually about $50, others for $75 with the expanded features.
Yes, you need to use the bags designe for FS. Tuesday Morning has had good buys on them also. WalMart carries them.
When using bags, there are ways of "stretching" --they can be used over . Wash and use. If I am sealing something "messy" I put it in another plastic bag so there isn't so much cleanup of the FS bag. If you are going to seal something (such as cheese) in a FS bag, and know you will be using the product, cut the bag larger than needed(originally) so that it can be re-sealed when you have opened it.

 

[candelbc]

I don't have a FoodSaver brand, I have a Black & Decker Model that can use all of the Foodsaver attachments and bags..

Like everyone else, I wouldn't want to be without one. I don't tend to seal raw foods as much as I do cooked.. I use it primarily by freezing already cooked (grilled) Chicken Breasts and browned Hambuger. Then if I want something with a Chicken Breast, I merely drop the frozen cooked Chicken Breast into boiling hot water for 5-8 minutes.. Comes out tasting like it was on the grill..

I made Taco's one night in about 5 minutes.. Cause the Chicken and Beef were already cooked.. Just needed to be warmed up!

I do save money by buying in bulk, but it's really a conveinence factor for me.. I'd be happy to share all of the ways I use it if you're more interested..

-Brad

 

[In the Kitchen]

Appreciate

As always, you guys help me all the time and I do so appreciate it. As long as I have someone who has used them and it seems as though you wouldn't be without them, I will start my day of looking for them. We do have Tuesday Morning. You really have to be there when they set the items out in order to get the good ones. I have gone there many times and have been what I consider lucky. So back I go. I feel so sure about making the investment in Foodsaver that it will be money well spent. Hopefully, it will save me time and money too. Tilia never heard of it. Will google and see what comes up. Target showed something like Tupperware. Not what I wanted.


thanks all.

 

[eatsOats]

I have the new advanced design, SS in color. Works great! The three uses I get most out of it are:
- Buying ~15 lbs. of New york steak ($4/lb) and cutting my own steaks, packing them individually and freezing.
- marinating quickly (in the special container) -- really does work well.
- when I smoke a couple pork puts and have LOTS of leftovers.

 

[Candocook]

As always, you guys help me all the time and I do so appreciate it. As long as I have someone who has used them and it seems as though you wouldn't be without them, I will start my day of looking for them. We do have Tuesday Morning. You really have to be there when they set the items out in order to get the good ones. I have gone there many times and have been what I consider lucky. So back I go. I feel so sure about making the investment in Foodsaver that it will be money well spent. Hopefully, it will save me time and money too. Tilia never heard of it. Will google and see what comes up. Target showed something like Tupperware. Not what I wanted.


thanks all.

The Tuesday Morning FSs are just on the shelf.They have been having them pretty regularly, as I said. Probably in another thread and on every thread about a FS, it will flat save you money in spoiled food--I have saved enough in cheese alone!.
Look on Amazon. Shipping is usually free (choose the one that gives free shipping). QVC "may" have it, but Amazon is better in my opinion.
I only seal cheeses, meats, things that need to be 'sheltered from air and frostbite. Liquids don't need to be vacuum sealed. I usually don't bother to vacuum seal my browned hamburger meat--I do that also.
YOU WILL LOOOOOVVVVE it.!!

 

[Corey123]

I got a Kenmore, which works very well.

 

[LRCooks]

Well, I'm excited to say i went to Tuesday Morning and found several models of FoodSavers. I bought one - they were all priced the same and appeared to be basically the same-I got V1205. Will be heading to Sam's for our monthly bulk trip and will be using to separate meat, poultry, etc.My Daughter and I are planning to do a Saturday cooking day to make some casseroles and other stuff that would help in time crunches.

There are some really great prices on asparagus now. Would it do well to blanch asparagus and freeze, then package with the FS.

 

[Darlene7]

I really want to buy a foodsaver but having trouble finding a website that talks about all the different things you can use it for - do any of you know of a website forum that will help me - can you use a foodsaver for ice cream? Want to find out about all the things (food wise) you can use it for.
Thanks for any info
Darlene

 

[candelbc]

Here's a nice one...
FoodSaver®, America's #1 Selling Brand of Home Vacuum Packaging Systems

 

[Darlene7]

Foodsaver ideas

Candelbc
thank you so much for the link, helps a lot and found many ideas there - still would love to find a website were people really get into discussing uing the foodsaver in the kitchen - have so many questions. I saw on the website you directed me to that someone put peeled banannas in the foodsave and they stayed good in her referigerator for awhile, other places have said it does not work and not to do it, have you ever tried that?
Darlene

 

[Hungry]

FS Group

I really want to buy a foodsaver but having trouble finding a website that talks about all the different things you can use it for - do any of you know of a website forum that will help me - can you use a foodsaver for ice cream? Want to find out about all the things (food wise) you can use it for.
Thanks for any info
Darlene

There is a users group on yahoo gropes.
This is My Yahoo but it will get you in the ball park:
http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups
As most forums you can browse but can't post until you subscribe.

I use to monitor it regularly. I still go there occasionally for an update on any new stuff they have came up with.

BTW I keep ice berg lettuce for over a month. My salad "fixins"
Lettuce in one container, veggies on another are good for 5 days.

Enjoy,

 

[Candocook]

Candelbc
thank you so much for the link, helps a lot and found many ideas there - still would love to find a website were people really get into discussing uing the foodsaver in the kitchen - have so many questions. I saw on the website you directed me to that someone put peeled banannas in the foodsave and they stayed good in her referigerator for awhile, other places have said it does not work and not to do it, have you ever tried that?
Darlene

What are your specific needs? Banans will keep in the fridge for a good while without the FS. The model that has the canisters does extend the "life" of lettuce and fruits like strawberries. But how long do you want that to go on--eventually the food needs to be used.
I have had one that did that--it didn't work particularly well (the machine) and I have gone back to the one with just vacuum and seal which I would not be without in my kitchen.
The other night I simulated the vacuum marinating by putting my skirt steak in marinade and in a plastic bag and then a FS bag. Pulled the vacuum and sealed. The marinating was complete in 20 minutes.
Keeping cheese fresh is the absolute primary use I make of all of mine.
If you have leftovers, you can seal them and they keep better and fresher. Freeze strawberries or other berries and the vacuum seal them. They will keep in the freezer for YEARS.
Re-seal and vacuum seal bacon if you only use a few pieces as we do. It stays fresh rather than going "off".
YOu can get one for $50. It isn't a huge investment.

 

[Treklady]

I use mine to seal just about anything I know will go bad.

I seal meats mostly, and our homemade bread crumbs, seeds, sprouts (Before they are sprouted). I haven't done veggies yet, but I shall venture in that direction soon. It is a wonder machine, even though I cannot convince my hubby it is better than just slapping food in a regular Zploc style bag...go figure.

 

[pacanis]

The model that has the canisters does extend the "life" of lettuce and fruits like strawberries. But how long do you want that to go on--eventually the food needs to be used.

I'd like it to last longer than it does and reading about the lettuce peaked my interest.
I live by myself and lettuce always goes bad before I use it all. I'll buy a head for tacos, maybe make a salad, go to grab some for a sandwich and it will be brown and slimy. I've tried tupperware, which takes up a lot of room, ziploc bags especially for fruits and veggies and wasn't impressed with either.
Anything that can get me another week+ out of a head of iceberg lettuce has my interest.

 

[GB]

I put a half head of lettuce in a food saver container once as a test. After 3 weeks in the fridge it was still as good as the day I bought it.

 

[pacanis]

So you need to get the FS that uses the containers to preserve lettuce..... you can't put it in a large bag and keep resealing the bag?

 

[sattie]

No, drawing the air out of the bag would crush the lettuce. That is why the containers come in handy, for those more delicate things that can't stand up to being vaccumm packed. I even did a half of an avacado (left the seed in to help hold it's shape) and it kept for over 2 weeks!

 

[Jikoni]

The Foodsaver sounds like a cool idea. I have no idea what it is though.