OT- FoodSaver Vac Freezer Cooking Question

[sweetbasil]

Okay, so Tuesday morning is rolling out FoodSaver Vac Systems on Thursday morning, and I've been eyeing them for a while...actually, since Joanne's post months ago about HSN addiction issues. :)

They're regularly $90-125 for the lower end models and will be $70 at Tuesday morning. Here's a link to the actual product: http://www.tilia.com/

I've been freezer cooking (after learning about it from wise women here!) for a few months now, and wonder if this would be useful. Does anyone have any experiences with the FoodSaver Vac system? Could I use it for casseroles, quiches, and prepared meals, or is it more for keeping things like cheeses, chicken, nuts, etc. fresh longer?

As always, thanks, everybody! :)

[Meatball Mommie]

I have a Food Saver too, although it's not the same model as the one you are looking at buying. I got mine as a gift from my parents a year or two ago (I love kitchen gadgets!). While I have never used it to freeze a casserole, it works great for freezing meat, etc. Everything lasts sooo much longer in the freezer if it's vaccuum sealed. I have watched the infomercials a bunch of times (I have a 4 week old so I spend a lot of time watching tv at 3 in the morning!) and I have always wanted to try the casseroles and also the marinating trick. If you plan on buying one (which I recommend BTW) make sure that it has two things: the ability to store the roll of bag material inside the sealer and the ability to connect the hose thing to vaccuum seal jars. The less expensive models don't have these two features and I think you might regret it if you don't have them. Also, if you belong to Costco, their prices for bags/rolls are great. I don't know if Sams or BJ's carries them. Hope this helps! I am living in a temporary apt and mine is in storage and I miss it! Good luck!

[MelissaTC]

My MIL lives for this thing. She uses it EVERYDAY and honestly, it does keep food well. My MIL is the Queen of these kinds of gadgets and she can't live without it...HTH :)

[twins r fun]

Hi Julie,

I bought one about 3 weeks ago and am loving it, though still learning what to use (and not use) it on. I think you would definitely find it useful if you are freezer cooking. It also is great for buying meat in bulk at a wholesale club and keeping it fresh. I got one so I could freeze dinners in individual portions so DH can eat them on the nights he has to work. I think the most important feature is the manual seal, which the low end models don't have. This lets you stop vaccuming and start sealing before all the air is sucked out of the bag. With meats and things that freeze really solid this won't matter, but if you want to seal something kind of soft (like bread) you need this feature. We don't go through bread, bagels, rolls, etc very fast so I've always frozen them. Even with prefrozen bagels when I didn't use the manual seal they looked more like pancakes! You could get away without this feature if you prefreeze your casseroles, etc. (which you would do anyway) but to me it's worth the extra money for the versatility. So I say, buy one, but you may want to look into skipping the ones at Tuesday morning and getting a higher end model. Mine is a 1050, which I got a t BJs for $130. Also keep in mind that the bags are expensive, but reusable (and as someone else mentioned available at the wholesale clubs).

Let me know if you have questions!

[sweetbasil]

Hmmmm...thanks for your help, everybody. Now I've just gotta find out what model is being sold at Tuesday Morning! :)

Edited to add: Found it...it's the Vac 550. Maybe I should wait and buy a newer model, like you suggested, Nicole.

Thanks again!

[luvbeinmama]

I agree that it would be GREAT for freezer cooking. I use it primarily for meat and cheese. Be aware that you need to freeze prior to sealing (just long enough so it is solid, not liquid) so that the food doesn't go into the sealing machine from the bag. I LOVE this machine! I have an early model, and have been using it for years.

[sweetbasil]

What model is yours?

[KMommie]

Hee Hee! My friend gave one to her mom for Christmas last year, and they decided to try it out for the first time on the left over Christmas waffles! You can just imagine how flat they got! I've been wanting one of these for years... SIGH!

Jeannie
mommy to Kiki 4/18/03