Saving store bought tomato products

[navajo001]

Good evening once again from Northern VA.

Seems like I am just all over the place doing nothing but asking questions, huh!? Sorry but there is just so much to learn/re-learn.

I am attempting my first ever Once a Month Cooking since I am getting really burned out of getting off work, driving 1.5 - 2 hrs to get home, washing dishes, cooking dinner from scratch, doing more dishes and usually a load of laundry etc...

So, thus my foray into the unknown yet once again!

Anyway, when I was shopping for all the ingredients I needed for this, I bought (1) 6 lb can of tomato sauce, (1) 6 lb can of tomato paste, and (1) 6 lb can of diced tomatoes because it was just such a good deal. My original plan was to just use what was needed and freeze the rest to be used next month or so. But I got to wondering if this is OK.

Any input? I seem to remember somewhere reading about someone that said it needed to be pressure canned to save but I do not have a pressure OR WB canner (and no funds to get one for now).

Anyway, I have used what I needed for now and covered and put the rest (still in the cans) into the fridge until I figure out what to do with it. As always, I found a good deal that requires another step in order to stay a good deal without thinking it through!

Thanks for all the help and have a great weekend!

Tom

 

[dacjohns]

Freezing is OK. Repackage it in amounts you would usually use like one cup.

 

[ORChick]

Go ahead and freeze them. You can divide the sauce and diced tomatoes up into small freezer bags, and freeze them flat - that way you can break/cut off an appropriate chunk when you need it. If you are avoiding plastic then use small (useful amount size) glass jars. For the tomato paste you might want to spoon it into ice cube trays, and then re-bag the cubes once they are frozen. I don't remember if you said you have a food dehydrator; if you do you can tape some parchment paper onto some of the trays, and smear the tomato paste over that - making a tomato "leather". This is a great way to preserve the paste; just tear up a couple of strips and add them to your cooking.

 

[navajo001]

EXCELLENT! You people are just the most helpful folks I have ever had the pleasure of knowing!

Good tips about breaking down to serving size FIRST!

I don't have a dehydrator (it's on my wish list) but never even thought about dehydrating tomato paste. That is brilliant!

TYhanks again and wish me luck with the FULL day of cooking tomorrow!

Tom

 

[Denim Deb]

So, what are we having for dinner tomorrow?

 

[navajo001]

So, what are we having for dinner tomorrow?

Come on over! I am PLANNING on having home made pizza with sourdough crust, hamburger, sausage, ham, mushroom and cheese. MAYBE some breadsticks if I get finished with other stuff in time.

What time should I expect you?

Tom

 

[TanksHill]

All of the above is great advice, but get it out of the cans asap.

g

 

[AnnaRaven]

I freeze tomato products all the time. Another idea, if you use small amounts, is to freeze it in ice cube trays. (This works really well for pesto too.) Then the cubes go in a bag and you don't even have to break off pieces.

Another thing I did recently was to chop up onions, celery, carrots and peppers in one big round of chopping when I was up for it. Those all went into freezer bags as well.

 

[navajo001]

Well, I got it out of the cans today and into freezer bags, flattened and in the freezer.

I did portion it out into the bags to make using it easier. Thanks for the tips!

I never even thought about pre chopping veggies! GREAT tip!

Oh, and I also now know the REAL reason for calling it Once a Month Cooking...

Yes, you wind up with enough entrees for the month (or if you're like me and always overdo things, 6 - 7 weeks!), but the real reason is it's going to take me at LEAST a month to forget how much my feet and back hurt and how much the day kind of sucked before I'll even consider doing it again!

Just kidding (sort of)! It was a LOT of work but just knowing that I don't have to cook much in the way for dinners for the next month and a half and the fact that it cut my grocery bill about in half due to buying and cooking in bulk, makes it more than worth it!

Anyway, thank you all for your time and drop on by and we'll have some precooked food!

Tom

 

[Denim Deb]

If you just weren't so far away.....