Agonizing Over Possible "Seal-A-Meal" Gizmo - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

K8-EEE · 08-31-2007, 04:00 PM

Does anybody have one of these things??

I'm thinking it will solve a dilemma for me, namely, my freadazoid skinny family's unfortunate aversion to whole wheat pasta, brown rice, etc. I'm following the Sonoma diet guidelines which doesn't allow for the white stuff and the truth is I prefer the healthier versions, but nobody else in the house does!

This is constantly coming up, for instance tonight they requested that I make chicken parmesan and spaghetti for dinner, well easy enough to bake a plain chicken breast for myself on the oven rack under the scandalously cheesy family style version.

But making two different pastas to go with seems annoying especially when I'm only having half a cup of it! So I'm thinking I could make big batches of whole grain stuff and seal it is little packages that would fit in my freezer....

Anybody have one of these? Is it easy to use/store? Is it a hassle buying the special bags? Do you find yourself using it on a regular basis or does it end up just taking up space and sort of laughing at you for buying it?

dixied · 08-31-2007, 04:09 PM

I loved mine and used it all the time until we moved it got broken during the move. You could always use regular freezer bags until you figure out if this way of cooking works for you. I put sauce in a freezer bag, leaving plenty of room at the top and kinda of flatten it to get the extra air out. You can put a freezer bag into boiling water to thaw it when you're ready to use it again.

FrouFrou · 08-31-2007, 04:14 PM

I don't have one but what I do because my family doesn't like brown rice or whole wheat pasta either, is I mix it. I usually slip in more than half of the 'good' stuff and they don't notice a difference in the look or the taste. The first time I did it I asked them if they noticed a change and the answer was no. It's a lot better than having to cook two different meals for sure.

alinnell · 08-31-2007, 04:27 PM

Thank goodness my family embraces brown rice and ww pasta! I'd never go to lengths to make two dishes, or two sides! Either they eat what I fix, or they don't eat. Period! But, I don't have freakishly skinny kids--we're all pretty much in healthy ranges weight-wise (except DH and DD could both afford to lose 10-20 pounds).

I agree-buy freezer zip lock bags to see if it works for you. If it does, THEN you can invest in the gizmo. If not, you're not out the $$ or the cupboard space. (Which reminds me, my Mom bought one YEARS ago and used it maybe once or twice. She hated it.)

K8-EEE · 08-31-2007, 04:52 PM

That's a good idea.....or I can swap your mom's for my George Forman grill (hate hate HATE CLEANING IT!)

Nah, they're not freaky-skinny, I just consider anybody not consumed by dieting/weight issues to be a FREAK! In the same way Marilyn is the freak in the Munsters.....LOL!

I wish I would have gotten them used to the good kind when they were younger, ah coulda/shoulda/woulda......

Quote:

Originally Posted by alinnell

Thank goodness my family embraces brown rice and ww pasta! I'd never go to lengths to make two dishes, or two sides! Either they eat what I fix, or they don't eat. Period! But, I don't have freakishly skinny kids--we're all pretty much in healthy ranges weight-wise (except DH and DD could both afford to lose 10-20 pounds).

I agree-buy freezer zip lock bags to see if it works for you. If it does, THEN you can invest in the gizmo. If not, you're not out the $$ or the cupboard space. (Which reminds me, my Mom bought one YEARS ago and used it maybe once or twice. She hated it.)

lizziness · 08-31-2007, 05:15 PM

We got one and used it when I was doing once a month cooking... it honestly didn't work out for us and as a result we don't use it. My main problem was I was kinda grossed out by the food sitting in the freezer all month & worried I'd poison myself or something (totally irrational I know)... also the godawful noise the thing made when it was running!

Try the freezer bags first, or some good freezable tupperware containers.

ennay · 08-31-2007, 08:41 PM

Barilla Plus Pasta....it is high enough in fiber and protein for sonoma and they will not notice the difference.

Spinymouse · 08-31-2007, 08:50 PM

I got a Food Saver Professional. I reasoned that "you get what you pay for" so got one a bit more than basic. I have been disappointed. I never use it now. Most of the time it doesn't work. Meaning, it doesn't suck, which sucks!
Sometimes it starts to suck (literally) but then it keeps going, and going, and it never gets the process completed.
It is more of a hassle to deal with the gizmo than it would be to cook little separate servings of whole grain pasta.
just my experience.
jo

Lafayette · 08-31-2007, 10:05 PM

SC Johnson Wax just started an advertising campaign about how Ziploc freezer bags are just as good or better than sealers. I believe them... I always use freezer bags and have had great success. I make lots of pasta, brown rice and especially wild rice (because it takes so long to cook) and freeze it for future meals. It works best if you use water only to prepare your rice and pasta, not chicken broth, olive oil or butter.

lizziness · 08-31-2007, 11:59 PM

on a side note- I just watched a re-run of America's Test Kitchen and they tested all the ziploc type bags and deemed the Glad Freezer bags the winner. Sturdiest and best of the bunch.

Luminous · 09-01-2007, 12:12 AM

My mom has the gizmo and swears by it for freezing meat. The vacuum-sealing keeps frozen food good longer than freezer bags will. I borrow hers to freeze my homemade black bean burgers.

Freezer bags will probably do the job, though.