Freezer... Fun (?)

Well hello! I cannot even believe how long it’s been since I wrote a blog post. Apparently, September got away from me. I’ve been spending most of my time working on my two upcoming, exciting writing projects, so it makes sense that my focus was elsewhere, but still…

I admit that I’m always brainstorming for new bloggy ideas, but for weeks now, nothing ever stuck… until this morning. This morning I had one of my everyday occurrences occur, (?) and it made me stop and wonder. Allow me to explain, and let me know if this has ever happened in your world.

The good news is that ever since Todd and I became empty-nesters, the amount of cooking I need to do has been cut in half. A pot of chili or spaghetti can stretch for at least two meals, and I’ve really enjoyed using up all of my leftovers. Figure in a pizza and maybe a meal or two out in a restaurant, and a week flies by in no time. So if that’s all true (and here comes the dilemma) if I’m using up all of my leftovers every week, and I’m able to shop and cook less food, then what in the world is taking up all of my freezer space? This morning I realized that nothing fits in there anymore. On the contrary, whenever I open the door, something always slides out and crashes to the floor or (worst-case scenario) onto my bare toe – pork chops, ice-cubes, ice-cream cartons, etc. What is causing all the over-crowding?

Cleaning out the refrigerator/freezer/pantry/etc. is never my favorite job, but I figured, Hey! Somebody’s gotta do it. It was time to put on my hazmat suit… and go in. My first find was two very old sherbet containers, both holding some form of ancient frozen meat. Beef? Pork? Chicken? I wasn’t completely sure, but by its color, I’ll call it beef. I wasn’t about to taste it to find out. How long had it been since I’d made crock-pot beef? I will not, at this time, make a guess. Do not fear, however. It’s gone.

The ice-cream cartons that had been sliding out of the freezer and falling to the floor were not even half full. Everybody, me included, loves a beautiful fresh dish of ice-cream – usually with fresh strawberries or chocolate/caramel topping. Mmmm. But shortly after that first serving, it becomes less and less appealing, doesn’t it? Apparently, it’s easier for us to just buy more ice-cream than use up what we started, or even get rid of what we started. Finally, on a day like today, several mostly-used cartons get shoved down into the kitchen sink’s dispose-all, as yellowing rubbery substance, unlike any form of the original creamy goodness it was ever meant to be.

Also shoved into the freezer were half-used baggies of ice. Why, you may ask, do you have half-used baggies of ice in your freezer? Well, the ice is from our occasional swollen knee or ankle injuries. Neither of us is big into sports or anything, but I guess we save the used ice because we don’t want to waste an ice-cube…? Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s why… (Rolling my eyes at myself)

One of my most disturbing finds (I’m ashamed to say) was a completely unopened box of macaroni and cheese. Since it was completely unopened, I was able to completely read the expiration date, and I completely decided it needed to go. A terrible waste – I KNOW! It was a mistake I do not plan to make again.

My reconnaissance efforts had proven effective. I finally knew why my freezer was so full. I wasn’t proud of myself, but admitting you have a problem is the first step to change, right? Since today is Thursday and Friday is our neighborhood’s garbage day, it was time for me to do the dirty work, and make the tough decisions. I got out the garbage bags and got busy.

What I’ve learned: If you’re hungry and searching for a snack in May, and you look at the ice-cream and it’s the consistency of paste, it will not, NOT look any better in October. In a case such as this, you may as well dump it in May. Better yet – eat what you buy!!!

Anyway, the project is done and it actually feels really good to know that a part of my life (a very small and frozen part, but a part nonetheless) is clean. It feels good – hopeful maybe – to have an area of my house in complete order.

Up next? The pantry - whether it needs it or not. After all, everything’s better when it sits on a Ritz – unless the cracker box expired in 2011 – then, not so much… (wink)

As always, thanks for reading. Until we blog again… 

Katie Kolberg Memmel is the author of “Five Fingers, Ten Toes – A Mother’s Story of Raising a Child Born with a Limb Difference.” For more information, visit her website at www.katiekolbergmemmel.com or visit her on Facebook and Twitter.