Wondering if getting one of these is a good idea, considering I will soon be eating much much smaller portions and will have more leftovers from restaurants?

Anyone find this useful post-op?

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I make a lot of chili, so I use a lot of hamburger meat. I buy it sometimes in 10 pound packages. I break it up into packages of around 3 pounds each using the foodsaver package sealer and throw them into the freezer. They will store 2 to 3 times longer in my opinion if sealed in this manner, than just wrapping them in plastic wrap.

I am 3 years post-op RNY. My mindset pre-surgery was always on food. That changed after the operation. Depending on your type of surgery, your meal volume might become significantly smaller. Normally now when I go to Texas Roadhouse and order a steak, I take home most of the meal and it feeds me for 3 or 4 meals. So normally it sits in the refrigerator for less than a week and the carry-out box at the restaurant stores this just fine.

So generally if your are focused on storage of meats in the freezer I think it is a good idea. Otherwise not so much so.

Yes. Get it. SO worth the investment.

I posted in another thread yesterday about how the charcoal grill was one of the items I miss most that was left behind in my recent move. As true as that is, the vacuum sealer EASILY tops that list. It will be replaced the precise moment that I have the extra money to do so.

When I would get home from the grocery store with all of my Proteins, I would take the time to portion them off into individual 'me'-sized servings and vacuum seal each one. This not only made sure that food prep was quick and easy, but ensured that nothing went to waste. One serving of each would go into the fridge (and last way longer there than they would have had they been packaged any other way), and the rest went into the freezer. As I used a serving of something from the fridge, I would replace it with a serving from the freezer, so I always had options ready to go.

Proteins aside, it is also obviously useful for saving things that would have otherwise been tossed, such as the other half of an avocado. I also used it regularly to freeze half of my egg muffin batches, as I couldn't eat 24 of them before they started to dry out.

Seriously. VERY highly recommended.

I had and used one for years and years when my kids were little and living at home.

they can be very handy if you want to freeze things for more than a couple of months, or marinating meat.

if you think you'll get use out of it, I highly recommend. passed mine on to a grown up child of mine when I remodeled the kitchen.

I'm pre-op, but I use mine all the time. We are a family of 4 and buy lots of Proteins at costco -- everything gets split up and vac sealed and put in the freezer - then I can plan 2 weeks of menus at a time and not sweat about what Protein to cook when I come home from work. It works great to marinate things quickly or to use in the sous vide method of cooking (vac seal and gently poach at a very low temp.) I use it to seal and portion nuts, meats, and some veggies for freezing. Also, I can portion fresh fruits into packets that I later use for smoothies -- then I know I have 1/4 cup of blueberries and 1/4 cup of strawberries, etc.

I LOVE mine. I'm single and it takes me so long to eat anything that without the vacuum sealer my frozen leftovers would always get freezer burn. But now I can even buy in bulk at SAMs. And I was eating Granma's thanksgiving leftovers in April!

One tip for sealing soft or juicy stuff.... Freeze it first, then vacuum seal it. That way it keeps its shape and all the liquid doesn't get sucked out.

I shop at big warehouse stores like costco and restaurant depot, i buy meats once a month and split it in bags. I use the mason jar attachment for leftovers. I love it. Def saves us money.

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