Overdoing It Much?

When I was younger, my mother cooked for my family. She made wholesome, delicious meals, always used her chicken leftovers in three different ways, and had a bit of Shabbos soup left over for a Sunday night meal. Freezer space was used for vegetables, and maybe a bit of frozen soup or challah. Everything was made fresh, for that day, to be used that day.

When I moved to Israel, I found out that most people here subscribe to the same theory. Fresh is better, tastes better, and looks better. Freezers are used, but infrequently. Vegetables grace the table at every meal, and it looks all the better for it. Have you ever tasted a fresh salad made with Israeli vegetables? I'm telling you there is nothing like it. Nothing.

But, I came here with my American nonsense. Freezers are meant to be used, to the housewife's advantage. So I don't cook by singles and eat it fresh. I cook by quadruples, or quintuples for that matter. Freeze, pull out, serve. I'm telling you- there's enough soup and kugels in my freezer to last my family (with guests) for weeks.

Overdoing it? Nah. There is no such thing as having too full a freezer. I mean- come on! It's a freezer, a luxury not had in olden times. So, we don't have to cook like we did in the olden times as well! (Except for Pesach- since my freezer is full of chametz, we're selling it, and I have to make do with a tiny freezer and my fridge. Oh, and my good neighbor's freezer shelf space.)

So hurrah for the freezer- use it well.