10 Vegetable Vacuum-Sealed Packs That Will Save You Time

Preparation method

• What Can You Prepare, Vacuum-Seal, and Freeze?
  In general, many ingredients can be prepared ahead and stored in the freezer, but it’s also important to think about how their texture will change after thawing.
  Some vegetables may change texture after freezing, especially those with a high water content. That’s why it’s worth thinking ahead about how you plan to use them.
  Tomatoes, for example, change texture after freezing, but they can be great in sauces or cooked dishes.
  Zucchini can release quite a bit of water, so I prefer to grate it, squeeze it well, and only then portion it out.
  Lettuce and other delicate leafy greens are generally not the best choice for freezing if you plan to eat them raw later.
  The trick is simple: don’t prepare an ingredient just for freezing. Prepare it in the form you know you’ll need when you cook with it later.
• How I Use the Vacuum Sealer
  For these packs, I use the Heinner vacuum sealer. I like being able to portion the ingredients exactly as needed and organize them more easily in the freezer. Instead of opening a large bag and trying to separate just part of the contents, I simply take out the prepared pack for the recipe I want to make.
  For me, the vacuum sealer is especially useful when I’m preparing several packs at once.
  And they don’t all have to be the same. Using the same vegetables, I can prepare several different combinations depending on the recipes I have in mind.
• 10 Make-Ahead Vegetable Packs
  Soup Pack– Onion, carrot, bell pepper, celeriac, and fresh herbs. Simply take the pack out, add it as the base of your soup, and then add the remaining ingredients.
  
  Creamy Soup Pack– Vegetables cut into larger pieces, in whatever combinations your family enjoys. You can prepare a vegetable base for a creamy soup and add your preferred seasonings and other ingredients later.
  
  Stew Pack– Onion, bell pepper, carrot, and any other vegetables you use regularly. This is the kind of pack that can make a huge difference on a day when you want to cook something delicious but skip the time-consuming prep work.
• Vegetable Fritter Pack– Grated and well-drained carrot and zucchini. When you’re ready to cook, combine them with the meat, egg, and remaining ingredients.
  
  Vegetable-Crust Pizza Pack– Vegetables prepared and portioned for your favorite vegetable-based pizza crust recipe. This way, an important part of the preparation is already done.
  
  Quick Sauce Pack– You can prepare ahead the ingredients you use most often for sauces: onion, bell pepper, and other vegetables that work well with your recipe.
  
  Omelet or Breakfast Pack– Vegetables chopped and portioned into small amounts. Take out a pack, cook the vegetables, and you already have the base for a quick breakfast.
• Side Dish Pack– Your favorite vegetables, cut into the right size and shape for cooking later. A great idea for those days when you just need a quick side dish to serve with meat or fish.
  
  Pasta Pack– A combination of vegetables that you can quickly turn into a sauce or a simple pasta dish.
  
  The “Lifesaver” Pack– There’s no fixed recipe for this one. It’s the pack you prepare with the vegetables you love and use most often. For me, this is probably the most useful one, because no matter what I’m cooking, I know I already have a base to start with.
• A Few Tips That Help Me
  Don’t make the packs too large. Think in terms of one meal or one recipe, rather than the entire amount of vegetables you’ll need for the week.
  It’s much more practical to have several smaller portions that you can use exactly when you need them.
  Prepare combinations, not just individual ingredients. Sometimes it’s useful to keep ingredients separate. Other times, having a combination ready for a specific recipe can save you even more time. I prefer to do a bit of both.
  And that’s about it from me. What do you like to prepare ahead for busy days? Which packs do you always keep in your freezer?