Raw feeders; help with organization!

[DJEtzel]

Where/how do you all keep your pre-weighed meals each week? Zip-lock bags? I'm drawing a blank on any other ideas, but Frag's meals are over a pound and I cannot fit them all into a quart-sized ziploc baggy. It's annoying to bag one meal in two different bags, as well.. and I can't afford to spend a fortune on these bags all the time OR larger gallon sized bags when I'm just going to throw them out!

I need something organizational and economical, that is relatively easy to access/use/pacakge. I weigh out meat about once a week and put all of their meals in the bottom drawer of my fridge for the rest of the week.

[onyx'girl]

I use 2# deli containers & the big 24 oz yogurt containers to store food. Because I feed the bulk yogurt, I save those containers. But they are big, not sure if they'll fit in a drawer.
For my dogs, I don't pre-portion food unless I'm going away.
So everything is in ice cream pails or whatever(I keep the proteins separate) and I scoop out what I need per meal. I thaw in a big tote, and then move things around as they are reduced.

[DJEtzel]

That's kind of a good idea, too.... just thawing a big bucket of it all and weighing it in the morning. I just want to make sure they're getting the right amount of bone/organ per week with their meat.

Hmm.

[onyx'girl]

I always thaw a pack of rmb's, a container of organ, and tripe and some mm in balance...so it all goes at the same time. Now and then I'm low on one or the other. I try to stay at least one or two meals ahead in the thawing(especially when it is so freaking cold out!)
One thing I got from the last MPC order was lamb hearts, they are really nice for the price, I chunked them up into ziplocks(2 hearts per bag) and refroze them. Those will be a regular on my monthly order!

[Lauri & The Gang]

I bag stuff in the large ziplock freezer bags. I can get 3-4 pounds of stuff in them. That's enough for a little over one days worth of food - be it RMBs or MM. The OM goes in small plastic containers.

I also use these: Commercial Coreless Roll Can Liners - 4 gal - 2000 ct. - Sam's Club

I end up using 2 - fill one, twist it closed then put it inside another one. Helps control leakage. And since they are SO cheap I don't mind using 2 at a time.

[Karma6577]

I portion my meat and organs in separate containers. I use the Reditainer extreme freeze containers in the 16 and 32 ounce size. I use my spare fridge as a thaw point because I switch proteins every meal. I feed twice a day. You can get 150 Reditainers on Amazon for $50 plus shopping.


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[Anitsisqua]

I use ziploc quart-sized bags for Gabe's breakfast meals, and those reusable/disposable plastic ziploc containers for dinners. Cheap and handy.

[Jax08]

i buy cheap sandwich bags and package a days worth of bone in one and a days worth of MM in another. She doesn't eat as much as Frag but you should still be able to fit that. Then I can mix and match as a I please.

[Wild Wolf]

I fill ziploc bags with MM, RMB, and OM and defrost bags at a time. Three bags in my big Tupperware container will last me several days at a time.

[lone Ranger]

I may be at an advantage, out on a property in Australia, slaughtering my own beef... But here is what I have worked out in a routine over the past five weeks:

I have packaged the beef and bone and small amount of organ meat in about two pound packages, and it is in freezers. I slaughter it and do it in bulk, but you could buy it in and segregate it in packets the same way. One chest freezer is meat alone, one is beef and bone. I take out what I want the day before and let it thaw. I learned the hard way to put it in plastic bags, but also wrap it in the butcher paper or the bags stick together in a lump...

I have one of the little esky type lunch boxes with the folding handle. I put the meat in there when thawed, and in the fridge. Usually I thaw two packs at a time as I feed two adult GSDs and the puppy. I alternate with lamb once a week and chicken once a week, which I buy in a half or dozen packs at a time and freeze. I also buy in brisket bones for the pup, chewy cartiledge. On the lamb I get like a boned cartiledge steak, so there is soft bone to chew on, and the raw chicken in carcasses, again for the bone...

I try to thaw a days worth ahead, and wash the lunch box every other day or two. It is a lot of hassle, but I think the raw diet has saved my 10 year old and have a Testimonial on it. Further, overall it HAS to be healthier.

I hope this helps you in some way to ease the pain of the raw diet...