- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- recipes today articles
- recipes today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
Expert Q&A
 |  |  |
| By Dawn Wise Dawn Wise Chef Author: The Online Cookbook, Wise Publications | ||
 |
I like the idea of buying meat in bulk but I'm not sure of the best way to divide or store it. What can you suggest?
Buying in bulk is a great idea and a real money saver. Just be sure to check the price per pound. When I buy ground beef in bulk, I try to determine what I will be using the meat for. If I have no plans for meatloaf or hamburgers that month then I just go ahead and brown all my meat and either use in freezer meals or place in freezer bags in 2 1/2 cup portions – 2 1/2 cups equals 1 pound of meat. This makes it very easy to pull a bag of hamburger out of the freezer and use in any recipe as called for.
For buying chicken in bulk there are a couple of options. You can buy whole chickens and either freeze whole for baking or roasting later or take a few minutes and cut the chickens apart and the freeze in bags for dishes such as fried chicken, bar-be-que or many others. But if cutting up or dealing with whole chickens is not for you then either look to buy already cut up chickens or bags of chicken parts. Cooking should be fun – not a headache.
Finally, if you plan to use all or some of the chickens in recipes calling for cooked cubed chicken, then it is much easier to cook the chickens and cut up the meat before you put it in the freezer. A four-pound chicken will yield about 4-1/2 cups of meat.
Related Expert Q&A
- How should I wrap/pack foods to avoid freezer burn?
- I have a lot of frozen pie shells. Do you have any ideas for fillings, especially for dinners?
- My daughter hates spicy foods. Any suggestions?
- I've heard that cut fruit, like melons, are one of the leading causes of foodborne illness, especially in Colorado where I live. Is this true?
- How can I make sure that I get the proper meals during my pregnancy if I'm a student living in college dorms where I can't cook my own food?