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Is it so bad to offer food from the freezer?
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cbsp




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 3:10 pm
FWIW the Bikur Cholim in Passaic-Clifton often puts out requests for people to cook extra of certain foods to stock their freezer for meals.

Seems to be standard hot Bikur Cholim meals...
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Chana Miriam S




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 3:33 pm
It’s not bad unless it’s old and freezer burned.
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little neshamala




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 4:02 pm
Some people dont know how to properly rewarm frozen food, so they think that all frozen food tastes "freezerish" or soggy, etc

Ive learned how to rewarm everything, frm potato kugel to lasagna to meat, rice etc, so that it tastes 100% fresh-but ive definitely eaten other peoples frozen food and didnt like it.

So it could be shes one of those people who thinks all freezer food tastes gross...
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daagahminayin




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 4:09 pm
Please share your tips for freezing and reheating well!

I let the food cool down, wrap well and when possible put in a ziplock bag before freezing. What am I missing?
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little neshamala




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 4:21 pm
daagahminayin wrote:
Please share your tips for freezing and reheating well!

I let the food cool down, wrap well and when possible put in a ziplock bag before freezing. What am I missing?


It depends what the food is. For something like soup or meat, that easily defrosts in the fridge/room temp, and then whenever you want to heat it up just heat as usual.

But side dishes like vegetable kugels absolutely can not defrost slowly like that, because all the liquid slowly melting makes the whole thing soggy, even if you reheat it after. For vegetable kugels you need to blast all the juice out of it on high heat. UNCOVER, put it straight from the freezer into the oven on a high temp like 400/450 and watch it. Potato kugels need higher/longer. Important-even once you see that its hot and soft, it doesnt mean its done. Press down with your fingers-you shouldnt see any liquid ooze out. If you do, keep it in and keep checking every 10 minutes, until its totally hot and dry but not burning. U can cut a piece to check. The biggest mistake people make is taking it out as soon as its hot and soft, but when not all liquid has been cooked out-thats where the freezery soggy taste comes in.

Mashed potatos can easily be frozen and reheated so they taste totally fresh. (It passed my husbands test-and he likes everything totally fresh) Put straight from freezer into oven, but keep covered. Rewarm at 400/450 but keep checking every 20 minutes and mixing it up/breaking the chunks. Again, do not remove as soon as it looks cooked. Keep it in until theres no more moisture.
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amother
Mistyrose


 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 4:34 pm
This reminds me of the time I offered to send someone dinner postpartum. She called me with a list of what they like and that they eat alot so I should send double portions.... needless to say that when she had her next baby and asked for a meal, I declined.
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seeker




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 4:38 pm
I think having extra kugels in the freezer is brilliant, and I'd be happy to take a frozen kugel - then they even have the option of keeping it frozen if they end up having more food than they need and can enjoy it after the favors end.
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Raisin




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 6:17 pm
My potato kugel seems to taste better when frozen and reheated.

The only issue with sending previously frozen food to someone is that they can't really safely refreeze any leftovers.

If I was the recepient, I would probably prefer to receive it frozen. (with clearly written reheating instructions.) That way, if it is superflous to my needs that shabbos, I can stick it back in the freezer for the next week.
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Cheiny




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 6:32 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
So someone called me to ask if I can make supper for her sister who had a baby over two weeks ago. This is for someone who comes from a large family so I'm sure she has had plenty help already. I told her that I'm going away for a few days so it won't work this week, though I will call her next week if it works for me.
She told me that next week is sorted since people are back from vacation and will be happy to make though can I make anything for Shabbos this week? I told her that I have lots of kugels in my freezer and I would be happy to send some. She wasn't happy with the idea of frozen food and she said that perhaps if she doesn't have from anyone else then she'll get back to me.

Is it so bad to get frozen food? I always cook in big batches, I don't have time to make a completely fresh Shabbos every week, and especially not during vacation time when I'm juggling working from home and looking after the kids. I'm considered a good cook (if I may say so myself) and no one at my table has ever been bothered that it comes from the freezer. As long is it's wrapped up well in freezer and reheated properly before serving, you really can't tell much of a difference.

I was left with a bad taste after this call. Is it so bad to offer such food to someone who had a baby? Why do I need to give better than I would serve my own guests?


No it was not a bad thing to offer frozen foods, it was very generous of you, and the person who turned it down because it’s not good enough is wrong. It’s actually ungrateful and insulting.
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daagahminayin




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 7:21 pm
little neshamala wrote:
It depends what the food is. For something like soup or meat, that easily defrosts in the fridge/room temp, and then whenever you want to heat it up just heat as usual.

But side dishes like vegetable kugels absolutely can not defrost slowly like that, because all the liquid slowly melting makes the whole thing soggy, even if you reheat it after. For vegetable kugels you need to blast all the juice out of it on high heat. UNCOVER, put it straight from the freezer into the oven on a high temp like 400/450 and watch it. Potato kugels need higher/longer. Important-even once you see that its hot and soft, it doesnt mean its done. Press down with your fingers-you shouldnt see any liquid ooze out. If you do, keep it in and keep checking every 10 minutes, until its totally hot and dry but not burning. U can cut a piece to check. The biggest mistake people make is taking it out as soon as its hot and soft, but when not all liquid has been cooked out-thats where the freezery soggy taste comes in.

Mashed potatos can easily be frozen and reheated so they taste totally fresh. (It passed my husbands test-and he likes everything totally fresh) Put straight from freezer into oven, but keep covered. Rewarm at 400/450 but keep checking every 20 minutes and mixing it up/breaking the chunks. Again, do not remove as soon as it looks cooked. Keep it in until theres no more moisture.


Great advice, thanks!
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amother
Burlywood


 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 9:02 pm
My only concern would be if the recipient does not know it was frozen and she has extra and decides to freeze it for another time. Then it would be twice frozen. So do you tell the person getting the meal that it was once frozen so don't refreeze????
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little neshamala




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 9:18 pm
daagahminayin wrote:
Great advice, thanks!


No problem Thumbs Up
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amother
Mistyrose


 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 9:24 pm
Amother burlywood, what's so bad with refreezing food?
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amother
Lime


 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 9:33 pm
It was totally fine to offer food from the freezer. I'm guessing that the caller felt like she was imposing on you, since you had said you would be away. Don't even think about it.
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spikta




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 9:34 pm
I kind of understand where the person was coming from. If I asked you to make something, and you responded with - I can give something from the freezer - I would interpret that as a signal that this doesn't really work for you, but you're trying not to say no outright.

Maybe we just plan differently, but I'd feel very uncomfortable asking someone to give from her freezer stash. I don't have random extra kugels lying around. If there's prepared for frozen in my freezer I'm usually counting on it for something. I'd feel like I'm strong arming you into giving away tomorrow's supper...
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out-of-towner




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 9:39 pm
spikta wrote:
I kind of understand where the person was coming from. If I asked you to make something, and you responded with - I can give something from the freezer - I would interpret that as a signal that this doesn't really work for you, but you're trying not to say no outright.

Maybe we just plan differently, but I'd feel very uncomfortable asking someone to give from her freezer stash. I don't have random extra kugels lying around. If there's prepared for frozen in my freezer I'm usually counting on it for something. I'd feel like I'm strong arming you into giving away tomorrow's supper...


I guess it depends on the person. I wouldn't offer something if I needed it for something else. And I often cook double and freeze for a later date, not necessarily for something specific but just to know that it's there if I need it. I have helped someone with food for a 3 day YT the week that they made a Bris, and while some of the food that I gave them was fresh, some of it came straight out of my freezer, just the same that I was going to serve to my own family for YT, as I was working Erev YT and didn't have time to make fresh side dishes.
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Boobasheli




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Aug 25 2019, 11:44 pm
I recently received meals postpartum and quite a few were obviously from the freezer. I had no problem with that. I was so grateful to have meals sent to me.
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amother
Mauve


 

Post Mon, Aug 26 2019, 6:42 am
I'm expecting and I know how hard it can be later with kids around and a newborn and I would very much appreciate any frozen dish. So you are absolutely right.

I know of a Kehilla where there is a freezer full with meals ready to be taken out.
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southernbubby




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Aug 26 2019, 7:39 am
If you are being asked to donate something then you offer what you can give and it is up to them whether or not to accept it.
There have been very long threads on here about the mitzvah of providing meals to the families of new mothers and few people really have the time and money anymore to make more than a simple meal or to make part of the meal. Many women work full time and can only give from the freezer so whoever is asking for fresh needs a reality check.
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amother
Navy


 

Post Mon, Aug 26 2019, 7:48 am
I probably wouldn’t have said that it’s a kugel from the freezer. I would have just said that I can send over a kugel.

Also, if her baby is 2 weeks old and she has meals lined up for next week, how much longer will she be getting meals for?
I put up a Chulent the day I came home from the hospital once. Wasn’t such a big deal... I wasn’t an invalid.
Now if someone would have offered to come over and serve all the food and then clean up, that would have been appreciated!
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