# Prep Time



## doxsee (Jun 14, 2007)

Hey everyone,

What is prep time like for everyone? Yesterday, I got my 1st bulk order in. It took me about 3 hours to make 2 months worth of meal bags and then I stored the rest.

The order came in and I picked it up at lunch time. everything was frozen in giant cubes. I put the boxes in garbage bags and floated them in my bathtub to dethaw, that took all afternoon and some things were still partially frozen at 6:30pm.

What is prep time like for everyone else? Have you learned any tricks to make life easier? Also, how do you deal with the dethawing process. Is it ok to just leave it in the garage for a day to dethaw.

Thoughts, opinions, tips are appreciated.









Thanks!


----------



## Tbarrios333 (May 31, 2009)

I leave the my stuff in the garage to thaw. It does leak and leave a bit of a funky smell, but it goes away. Just rinse with the hose.

I've cut my processing time in half by putting everything in quality Tupperware containers that are about 2 quarts in size. I stuff as much as I can in there and when I need one, I let it thaw slowly in the garage. I measure the amount I need for the day of the RMB or whatever, then back in the fridge the rest of it goes.

Lauri mentioned that these plastic containers tend to crack. Thankfully, that hasn't happened to mine and I'm trying to be very careful in how I thaw and handle the containers when they're frozen. 

No leaks, no garbage bags, no time consuming process of pre measuring, no sticky/greasy ziplocks bags that are yucky on the outside, reusing is easy.

I've found that the right pieces of meat can also make life easier. For ex. Turkey wings usually need to be cut in order to get the right weight. With something like Turkey necks, it's a lot easier to get to the right amount with minimal cutting. 
Same with chicken backs and chicken necks. 
It might cost a little more but it makes it easier for me. 

Hope this helps


----------



## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

I don't really keep track of my prep time, but for feeding 4 dogs I'd say it's an hour or two a week? I do use a wide variety of meats though so that's probably more than it would take if I just used a few things...
I have used both the Gladware-type stuff and plastic bags...I do like how the Gladware doesn't leak like the bags do, but they take up more room in my freezer (which is packed atm!).

My dogs are fed at dinnertime, and each night I take out the next evening's meal to thaw. I have a plastic tray that I put the food in so it doesn't leak blood everywhere. I thaw my stuff on top of my freezer in the garage, although that may not work so well in the wintertime.


----------



## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

I get anywhere from a couple to a dozen cases of stuff - frozen solid. I let them sit outside (in our lawn) until they are thawed enough to work with. Depending on the weather this could be a day (high summer) to several days (fall). During the winter months I bring one or two cases inside - into our basement (cement floor) and put them on towels to defrost.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I usually get a mixture of both fresh and frozen cases of stuff.

It can take anywhere from 3 hours to a few days (with thawing time of course) to thaw and package everything.

I usually spend about 3-4 hours weighing and packaging everything into meals that will last me about 2-3 months at a time.

My prep time per day is only about a few minutes. I take out my meat that is prepackaged the day before and let it thaw in the fridge in a special conatiner I have set to the side, and when Stark is ready for his meals, I pull the bag out and throw it in his crate.

The more work I do on my 'packaging days' the less work I will have later on.


----------



## Stephanie17s (Jun 16, 2009)

Elisabeth, do you find you are having to make changes to his portions a lot, because he is still growing? I feel like everytime I package Alexa's meals (can only do about 3 weeks worth because of limited freezer space), by the same I'm halfway through she's needing an increase in food!


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I tend to increase his food more during really active days, other days I leave it alone.

Right now I am feeding about 2lbs per day, and increase that to about 2.5lbs when he is really active.

I do a lot of "eye balling" now that I am comfortable with feeding raw, my parents have helped a lot since they fed my 12 year old Shepherd raw (has been for about 11ish years now).


----------



## natalie559 (Feb 4, 2005)

I think you did great on time!!! 3 hrs for 2 months of food is great!

I think where to thaw will depend on what time of year and where you live. Being in FL in the summer I would not advise thawing the meat outdoors- too hot. I thaw the cases inside either on the tile kitchen floor with a vinyl tablecloth underneath or in the tub. Leaking isn't usually an issue as I don't like it to get that thawed- makes processing it harder. 

I order 8 weeks worth of food for the 2 dogs and it takes BF and I about 2 hours, but without his great help it would take me a lot longer by myself. 

We pack 1 days worth of food in a gallon size freezer bag so when we feed we just take out 1 bag per day per dog. The bags go back into the freezer until the next time we pack them, this keeps them from getting stinky and after a few times we replace them. I found the food fit better this way vs containers which I tried in the beginning.


----------



## TANDB (Dec 12, 2005)

I get enough for 2 months/2dogs and thaw the cases in large rubbermaid containers and plastic mason's trough in my basement. It usually takes me several days to repackage. I don't repackage by meal but instead do several meals of one protein - RMB/MM - in a ziplock bag. Essentially Il get 2 days per dog out of one package so have 2 bags in a small rubbermaid container in the bottom of my fridge at a time.


----------



## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

If I pick up a lot at the store, it might take me an hour to bag it all up. Of course, I'm not buying in bulk like these lucky guys and I only have the one dog. Ris eats about 1 lb-1.5 lbs a day. So everything is bagged up in half-pound packages (except OM which is bagged in 4 oz packages and chicken quarters which are bagged individually). I just grab an RMB and a MM bag and toss it in the fridge to thaw. I keep 2 days' worth of food in a rubbermaid container (to prevent messes) so it's thawed by the time she is ready to eat it.


----------



## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I have a habit lately of not taking it out to thaw, so I usually leave the bag in the sink in hot water, then give it to him half frozen..









He eats it all the same.. haha..


----------



## TANDB (Dec 12, 2005)

I forgot to add that for OM, I individually freeze ~2.5oz portions on cookie sheets and then bag and toss in the freezer. For ground OM it's usually a heaping shot glass







. I pluck them out of the bag and give frozen.


----------

