Gutload going to waste.

[Tyaeda]

So I've been thinking, so tell me if this would be a good idea.

I want to take all of the fruit veg and greens I use in my wet gutload and blend them up into a paste that I can freeze in an ice cube tray, and defrost the cubes as needed. Even though I buy crickets in bulk, a lot of the food I purchase just for them goes to waste. I'm lucky to get through half a small squash before it goes bad. Same with oranges, and especially apples. If I blend it up really well, I might be able to get them to eat some of everything opposed to them being picky over the smogishborge I offer.

Would this be a good idea?

 

[Ksauber]

I have heard if people doing this, but I would be concerned about the freezing process zapping the nutrient away. Would love to hear other opinions

 

[Tyaeda]

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition...ozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo


I read this, and apparently there is no loss of nutrients from freezing. The loss occurs when veggies are picked before they are ripe, or from blanching them before frozen. If I freeze fresh produce, it should be ok

 

[Ksauber]

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition...ozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo


I read this, and apparently there is no loss of nutrients from freezing. The loss occurs when veggies are picked before they are ripe, or from blanching them before frozen. If I freeze fresh produce, it should be ok

Interesting! That sounds like a great idea then! I luckily have a few animals that eat the same stuff as the guy load so I don't waste too much, but freezing would be great for buying in bulk

 

[MelissaB]

I chop mine up in the food processor. It makes it into little bits, and as it's freezing in the gallon freezer bag, I keep smacking it around to keep the bits apart. The bok choi and greens end up limp and mushy when thawed, but they still eat it. The carrots, squash and other harder stuff stays firm. I think that's why it's able to be kept from becoming a solid block. So far, it's been working well, but I'm not sure what disadvantages there are, as far as nutritional value.

 

[Tyaeda]

I would imagine that the freezing will physically break down some food items, but I don't think the actual nutrients vanish into thin air. I'd like to make a well mixed paste of all the wet gutload I offer where you can't distinguish one veggy from another. It would be oranges, carrots, apples, butternut squash, collard greens, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, etc. I'll be able to control the ratio of each item, so they get more of the good stuff than the not so good stuff.

 

[azgnoinc]

I chop up & freeze a variety of veggies/fruits then put that mix into ice cibe trays & freeze it then put those in a ziplock bag - makes using them very convenient & easy, I place them on a small plastic lid to prevent any liquids from escaping as they thaw & making my feeder bins nasty- works great.

 

[Tyaeda]

Awesome! Now I just gotta get me a blender!

 

[Lathis]

I was doing this for awhile and need to get back into it. It is super easy to make a ton of gutload. I was portioning it into an icecube tray for easy feeding. Squash, apples, carrots, and greens do great. Peppers, bananas, and any type of berries start to mildew quickly. Oranges made the mix too soupy.

 

[Tyaeda]

I was doing this for awhile and need to get back into it. It is super easy to make a ton of gutload. I was portioning it into an icecube tray for easy feeding. Squash, apples, carrots, and greens do great. Peppers, bananas, and any type of berries start to mildew quickly. Oranges made the mix too soupy.

I already grind my dry gutload into a flour, and it got me thinking about prepping my wet stuff too.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[pigglett79]

I blend my wet guload in a food processor and then put it in mini ice cube trays like these.
http://www.amazon.com/Cubette-Mini-Ice-Cube-Trays/dp/B000I1ZXIK