[justcurious55]

Is it OK to freeze celery? I never seem to be able to use all of what I buy. And I hate having to throw food away. I was thinking about chopping it up like I do for the soups I used it in and putting it in freezer vacuum bags. Has anyone tried freezing celery before?

[twinkiedooter]

I'm like you. I don't use all my veggies and wonder what to do with them instead of throw out.

I have successfully frozen celery in vacuum freezer bags. It lasts forever by the way. Or at least longer than 6 months. This way I don't have to run to the store just for chopped celery for a receipe I'm in the middle of. (did that too many times).

I also chop up and freeze green peppers and onions. They freeze well also.

Don't just wash, cut and put into regular Zip Lock freezer bags as the veggies will get freezer burn. Use a vacuum sealer machine to seal out all the air and the veggies don't get freezer burn. I also don't store the vacuumed veggies in my regular refrigerator freezer but use a deep freezer that has no defrost cycle. The defrost cycle in the refrigerator is what really causes the freezer burn as the food gets "warmed up" and then frozen again over and over again. The deep freezer does not do this. Also a deep freezer that has no defrost cycle costs less energy to run as well, probably at least 1/2 of the energy to run.

[justcurious55]

Thanks! I'll have to look into investing in getting a deep freezer. I have vacuum bags. I'll try my luck with that and my regular freezer.

[twinkiedooter]

The fact you have a vacuum sealer is very good. Yes, they can be successfully used in a regular refrigerator freezing compartment. Just be sure to reseal the bag each time something is taken out of it.

I bought a 5 ct freezer and it does just fine for my son and me. You don't really want to get a big freezer unless you have a big family to feed. The 5 cf is just right for 2 people. This way you don't have stuff in there for too long and forget what it is. They sell for less than $200 and are well worth the money spent. Don't get a self defrost model either. I bought a chest freezer and only defrost once a year or when it needs it. I put the frozen food in bags outside on my porch in say Jan or Feb while I defrost the freezer. The stand up freezers use too much energy. I had several different models years ago and like the chest best. And the freezers last a long, long time versus a refrigerator as they have less moving parts to go bad.

Right now I can't jam another thing into my freezer as it is chocked full of meat and frozen fruit all in vacuum sealed bags. The vacuum sealer system was the best investment I ever made.

[J_9]

I use the Debbie Myer Green bags. I've had my veggies last WEEKS longer. At first I thought it was just a scam, then decided to try them. They are worth every penny.

[justcurious55]

Wow. Less than $200? Maybe I will be able to get one sooner than later.

j_9, does it ever make your veggies taste different? My aunt used them for strawberries once and they stayed fresh looking but tasted weird to me. But maybe it was just the strawberries themselves not the bag?

[J_9]

I've only tried veggies, not fruit. No, it didn't make the veggies taste any different.