What you need

There are really only 2 things you need if you want to start getting the most out of your freezer:

1 Freezer Bags

and

2 Freezer Paper

That's it!

Ok. I guess you need 3 things, 'cause you'll actually need a freezer, but we're just going to assume that if you're reading this, you've got that part covered.

Just about everything you want to freeze can be put in one or both of these things and tossed into the freezer to begin its metamorphosis into an ice cube.

I told you last time I'd share my secret for keeping your pans handy, and guess what? I already did. It's freezer paper. Line your pan with freezer paper, and then assemble your dish. Fold it all up nice and tight and secure with some tape. Stick the whole thing in the freezer and wait like 24 hours.

Once your dish is nice and frozen, just slide it out of your pan and your frozen lasagna stays wrapped up in the freezer while your nice clean pan is ready for action. When you're ready to cook your lasagna, just peel the paper off and sick it back in the pan. Thaw, bake, eat! Easy, right?

Freezer bags are great for everything from soups to sauces to cheese to anything. If you lay it flat it'll freeze and thaw faster.And it'll be easier to store.

Now there are a few other things that, while not essential, can help make things easier. Some baking sheets like these are great for when you want to freeze or flash freeze something you don't want to be all stuck together like berries, pre-formed cookies (dough), or some yummy Pioneer Woman chicken strips. You can freeze them individually on a sheet, and then transfer them to a bag. You could also line one of your freezer shelves with freezer paper instead of a baking sheet, but you can imagine the greater mess potential there.

You might also want some stack-able shelves or baskets or bins to help organize everything. You can organize by meal, food type, date, or whatever makes sense to you. You can check out some neat-o freezer type stuff from Container Store here.

You might be wondering how long you can really freeze all this stuff. There is a great resource here you can check out for lengths, but I really try to freeze things with the plan that I'm going to use it in the next month or so. With the exception of uncooked meats, things generally start to loose a little bit of quality by 4 months, so it's best to go ahead an plan to use them. This way your freezer doesn't get totally stuffed, and you can really feel the benefits of the "extra" labor.

So that's it. All my secrets are laid bare before you. So what's your favorite thing to freeze?