Well this is weird... a woman from Wegmans said on tv that you should not

D

dawnnys

Well-known member
ever freeze leftover, cooked foods, especially meat. What? My freezer would be empty if that was the case. What's the reasoning behind this? I'm going to email her, so if no one knows why, I may have an answer for you in a few days!

It wasn't because of flavor issues, but rather safety problems. Hmmm... ?

 
Thanks for the PM, but I can't answer you with a PM. Didn't get all of your message either, but

'got the gist of it. (Do people still say "gist"? lol)

 
Where did you see/hear this? Don't freeze leftovers? Sounds like. . .

If you did not freeze any leftovers, cooked foods, meat, it would mean more money for Wegman's, no? One would need to buy more food from them?

Did this person actually work for Wegman's or did you meet her there and talk just happen to talk to her?

If I could not freeze my left overs of meat and such, we would be spending a whole LOT more then we are spending now on food!

 
Yes, I think I'd trust a PhD in Food Science. How have we all survived on our frozen leftovers!

This is a handy booklet.

 
Thanks Heather. But if you look at the section on freezing meats, they are

referring to raw meats, I think. Kinda vague the way it's written though, mainly talking about cooling and seasoning. Still, I think it would mention not to freeze leftovers with meat in them if it was not safe.

I'm anxious to see what the Wegmans' rep will say if she replies to my email.

 
Let us know if she responds. It's quite odd, considering Wegmans just put out this press release

The Secret to Saving Time, Money, and Resources?
Think Leftovers, Says Wegmans

For Release: 08/22/2013

Contact Information: Jo Natale, director of media relations, 585-429-3627

ROCHESTER, NY - In early fall, family budgets are often stretched by back-to-school expenses and it feels like
there’s not enough time to cook healthy meals. That’s why nutritionists at Wegmans Food Markets are talking with
fellow employees about one of the best ways to save money and time, while also doing the environment a favor.
Finding fresh, smart ways to “repurpose” leftover ingredients to make new meals can shave hundreds of dollars
annually off the family food bill, help families enjoy healthier meals, and reduce food waste that would otherwise go
down the drain or into the trash bin. Fewer food scraps going to landfills cuts emissions of methane, a powerful
greenhouse gas.

“We’re starting this discussion with our own employees, to show how making better use of leftovers is a win-win idea
from every angle,” says Wegmans Nutritionist Brian Lilly, RD. “When our people learn about some of the great
breakfasts and lunches they can make in a flash with the extra veggies or meat they saved from the night before, they’ll
want to share those ideas with customers, so everyone can join the conversation.”
How leftovers save time When you “repurpose” ingredients from last night’s dinner to make today’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, you’ve already done the cooking. If you have some leftover grilled vegetables and grilled meat, chicken, or sausages, you can combine them with other ingredients to have a new meal almost instantly. Here are some examples.

Breakfast: Make a breakfast omelet with eggs and the leftovers, or make a breakfast sandwich by filling an
English muffin with the leftovers and a fried egg.

Lunch: Make an entrée salad by using the leftover meat, beans or poultry as a “topper” for a salad made from a Wegmans SpecialBlend Chopped Salad (Asian, Southwest, BBQ Ranch, or Garden blends). Tip: Pack the
salad dressing separately, and toss just before eating, so the greens don’t wilt.

Dinner: For a busy weeknight when there’s no time to make dinner, make a sandwich/wrap by putting the
leftover veggies and meat, poultry or sausage into a whole-wheat tortilla and rolling them up. Tip: Warm the
leftovers in the microwave if you wish, and then microwave a tortilla for 15 seconds to make it easier to roll up,
and more delicious to eat!

Another way to save time is to plan for leftovers by cooking in bulk. “When you’re making soups, stews, casseroles, or
cooked grain dishes like pilaf or steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast, make a big batch on the weekend. Freeze what you
don’t need in the next couple of days in single-serving containers, reheat to 165 degrees in the microwave, and you
have a hot meal in no time,” Lilly says.

Saving serious money

One of the easiest ways to see how using up leftovers can save money, Lilly says, is to calculate what you’d spend for
lunch at work and how much you’d save if you brought your own lunch. If you buy a salad or sandwich with a
beverage, you’re probably spending $5 to $6. If you work 50 weeks of the year and eat lunch every weekday, the
cost of buying it adds up to between $1,250 and $1,500 in a year.

How throwing out less food helps the planet

Can the individual steps people take to use more of the food they buy make a difference? A few statistics can help
answer the question:

An estimated 25 percent of the food and beverages American families buy ends up in the trash – at an average
cost of $1,800 a year for a family of four, according to the NaturalResources Defense Council’s (NRDC) 2012
report; Wasted

This wastes water, energy and chemicals involved in the farm-to-fork journey

In landfills, food decomposes and releases methane, a heat-trapping, greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than
carbon dioxide, according to the NRDC website
By eliminating this waste, the nation could prevent 33 million tons of food scraps from going into landfills, and cut
greenhouse gas emissions, according to the NRDC website

Keeping leftovers safe to eat

“Making the most of leftovers is smart, from so many vantage points,” says Lilly. “The only caution is to remember
some basic rules for keeping leftovers safe to eat, to avoid foodborne illness.” He summarizes them with these
reminders:
1. Keep the refrigerator set to 40°F and the freezer at 0°F (Use a thermometer to check).
2. Put leftovers in shallow containers (about two inches) to cool quickly.
3. Label leftovers with the date you made the meal.
4. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours of cooking.
5. Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator or the microwave.
6. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
For more information on the safe handling of leftovers, visit www.foodsafety.gov.

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is an 81-store supermarket chain with stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. The family-owned company, founded in 1916, is recognized as an industry
leader and innovator. Wegmans has been named one of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ by FORTUNE
magazine for 16 consecutive years. In 2013, Wegmans ranked #5 on the list.

http://www.wegmans.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PressReleaseDetailView?productId=766077&storeId=10052&catalogId=10002&langId=-1

 
I think the segment that we saw on tv proably came from this article. She does

not talk (here) about freezing cooked/leftover meat. That seemed to be the problem discussed during to her interview. Yes. very strange though.

 
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