preparing meals ahead of time

   Last night, I prepared twenty something meals ahead of time.  One of my
friends gets these meals and after eating them, they clean the paper things
the meal came in out.  I have meant to reuse them for some time, so I had a
pile of them.  They are just compressed paper with 3 compartments for
different foods.

  I fixed a huge batch of mashed potatoes, and also had fish sticks, rice
with meatballs, turkey nuggets, and several miscellaneous vegetables which I
put in the packs.

  The only problem I have is sealing them.  One of my friends suggested
using plain old white glue, smearing it around the top, then laying reynolds
wrap on it.  That didn't work so great - the glue didn't set up or
something - evidently I was worried about the food spoiling, and put it in
the freezer before the glue could set up.  I allowed it an hour and a half,
but evidently that wasn't enough.

  My wife thinks we should just wrap the reynold's wrap around several
times, but I think there must be a better way.  Besides, I'd prefer to
minimize how much of the plastic wrap we have to use.

  Has anyone done this sort of thing before?  I'd like some suggestions.
Thanks!

  OhioGuy wrote:

Cheaper yet in the long run are Sterilite or Rubbermaid meal totes:
divided plates with plastic covers.  They're freezer-safe (and stack
nicely!), go into the microwave too if one remembers to crack the seal
first.  The initial cost looks steep but in the long run you'll save
money on paper plates, wrapping, etc.

IIRC Tupperware used to make a set of stacking meal totes: several
partitioned plates that sealed together, with a single lid for the one
on top of the stack.

 
I use plastic containers with snap on plastic lids. They last a lot
longer and the lids are much easier than what you are attempting.

I think the commercial ones you are trying to reuse are
heat sealed and that isnt that easy for you to replicate.

 

Using those paper trays again is not sanitary. I suggest you go with the
idea of using Tupperware or other plastic containers that are designed
for exactly what you want to do.

 

The plastic bags that overwrap produce can be reused.  So can plastic
containers from butter, cottage cheese, etc.

Use the bags to cover plates, bowls, etc for the freezer.  Suck as much air out
as you can with your mouth, then tie a knot to seal it.  Use the containers
with their own covers.



What information leads you to that conclusion?  What plastics are involved?

In any case, you can transfer frozen foods to a plate or bowl for reheating in
the microwave, after [partially] thawing on the counter or in water in the
sink.  Cover with a napkin or waxed paper as desired.