Freezer Meals

apegg23 · September 2012

Any of you preparing freezer meals for the first week or two post partum? Know of any good recipes or websites? Thanks!

Sprite2012 · September 2012

I'm glad you posted this, because I was just thinking about it. My MIL will be staying with us after the baby arrives, but I'd like to plan ahead by making freezer crockpot meals. I hope some ladies have good websites. I'll check out Pinterest right now.

apegg23 · September 2012

I'm on pinterest too! I'm really just looking for soups. I think I'll make two or three big batches of soups and freeze them in smaller containers (1-2 serving sizes). I'm getting so anxious since we are getting so close to the due dates!

Sprite2012 · September 2012

I just found these sites and bookmarked them: (lots of chicken, but I can get creative)

https://kojo-designs.com/2012/04/getting-organized-a-whole-months-worth-of-meals-via-crockpot-freezer-cooking/

https://kojo-designs.com/2012/08/freezer-crockpot-cooking-round-2-more-recipes-more-organization/#

https://www.sidetrackedsarah.com/freezer-to-slow-cooker/

starfish717 · September 2012

For the past month+ we've been making extra servings of some meals with the sole purpose of freezing them.

So far we have frozen:
* 3 soups (Giada's Italian wedding soup; sausage kale and white bean soup; white chicken chili)
* butternut squash and mushroom lasagna
* meatballs and marinara sauce

I also plan on making chicken enchiladas, chicken pot pie, and chicken parm meatloaf. As you can tell, we like chicken! We also have homemade pizza dough in the freezer at all times, so we can always take that out and make a quick pizza for a meal, too.

I also have large ziploc bags filled with banana muffins, blueberry muffins, and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for breakfasts or snacks. Microwave for 30 seconds from frozen and you're good to go (easy to eat with one hand, too).

Most of the meals are in 2 portion sizes, except lasagna which is in an 8x8 foil pan for a couple of meals or if we have family over. For soups: I lined a serving bowl with plastic wrap, portioned out the soup, and froze it in the bowl. Once it was frozen solid I removed the frozen soup and stored it in a ziploc bag. That way, you can still use bowls and you have easy individual servings ready to reheat.

I'm interested to see what other people plan on making... I could use some new ideas )

starfish717 · September 2012

MandJS:
starfish717:
For soups: I lined a serving bowl with plastic wrap, portioned out the soup, and froze it in the bowl. Once it was frozen solid I removed the frozen soup and stored it in a ziploc bag. That way, you can still use bowls and you have easy individual servings ready to reheat.
This may be the most genius idea I have ever encountered. Seriously. Brilliant!

Thanks! )

apegg23 · September 2012

starfish717:
For the past month+ we've been making extra servings of some meals with the sole purpose of freezing them.
So far we have frozen:
* 3 soups (Giada's Italian wedding soup; sausage kale and white bean soup; white chicken chili)
* butternut squash and mushroom lasagna
* meatballs and marinara sauce
I also plan on making chicken enchiladas, chicken pot pie, and chicken parm meatloaf. As you can tell, we like chicken! We also have homemade pizza dough in the freezer at all times, so we can always take that out and make a quick pizza for a meal, too.
I also have large ziploc bags filled with banana muffins, blueberry muffins, and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for breakfasts or snacks. Microwave for 30 seconds from frozen and you're good to go (easy to eat with one hand, too).
Most of the meals are in 2 portion sizes, except lasagna which is in an 8x8 foil pan for a couple of meals or if we have family over. For soups: I lined a serving bowl with plastic wrap, portioned out the soup, and froze it in the bowl. Once it was frozen solid I removed the frozen soup and stored it in a ziploc bag. That way, you can still use bowls and you have easy individual servings ready to reheat.
I'm interested to see what other people plan on making... I could use some new ideas )

These are great ideas! Thanks

sarah0925 · September 2012

I really like this site for freezer meal ideas. She has a different menu for each month using seasonal fruits and vegetables. She also has different menus for specialty diets (gf, vegetarian, even a baby food menu). The recipes are free, but if you want extras like shopping lists and stuff, there's a monthly fee. I have never paid for it though.

This and that · September 2012

sarah0925:
I really like this site for freezer meal ideas. She has a different menu for each month using seasonal fruits and vegetables. She also has different menus for specialty diets gf, vegetarian, even a baby food menu. The recipes are free, but if you want extras like shopping lists and stuff, there's a monthly fee. I have never paid for it though.

What's the site?

Jena503 · September 2012

starfish717:
MandJS:

starfish717:
For soups: I lined a serving bowl with plastic wrap, portioned out the soup, and froze it in the bowl. Once it was frozen solid I removed the frozen soup and stored it in a ziploc bag. That way, you can still use bowls and you have easy individual servings ready to reheat.

This may be the most genius idea I have ever encountered. Seriously. Brilliant!

Thanks! )

You can do the same with a 9x13 pyrex. Either line it with foil or with parchment going in 2 directions and sticking out to make a sling. Freeze and then wrap well in saran wrap and foil.

Also, if you have anything with tomato sauce, do NOT use foil. The acidity in the tomato sauce will eat the foil. It ruins the food, makes it metallic. I cried over a lasagna last time. I don't know how long it takes to do this, I probably had it in the freezer too long, but it was very sad.

I like to make "dump chicken" recipes. Basically you're making a marinade in a gallon ziploc, dump in frozen chicken and put it in the freezer. Then when you thaw it, the chicken has marinaded and you can grill/bake/crockpot depending on the specific recipe. I like food.com for their OAMC recipes (OAMC = once a month cooking).

DHelenL9 · September 2012

Honestly, I made a couple frozen meals with my first DD, and didn't use them forever, until I thought they were going to get freezer burn. Maybe it was just me, but I felt like making something just to get back into the swing of being normal! Plus if you have visitors, sometimes they bring goodies too.

sarah0925 · September 2012

This and that:
sarah0925:
I really like this site for freezer meal ideas. She has a different menu for each month using seasonal fruits and vegetables. She also has different menus for specialty diets gf, vegetarian, even a baby food menu. The recipes are free, but if you want extras like shopping lists and stuff, there's a monthly fee. I have never paid for it though.
What's the site?

https://onceamonthmom.com/

sara785 · September 2012

DHelenL9:
Honestly, I made a couple frozen meals with my first DD, and didn't use them forever, until I thought they were going to get freezer burn. nbsp;Maybe it was just me, but I felt like making something just to get back into the swing of being normal! nbsp;Plus if you have visitors, sometimes they bring goodies too. :

Same here. Plus, I had zero appetite for a good week or so PP, so no food even looked remotely interesting. My mom gave us lasagna and I don't think I reheated it for months.
Fortunately, DH does most of the cooking anyway, so we aren't too worried about being prepared before DD arrived.

JulieN0704 · September 2012

I started three weeks ago, and I freeze two meals per week. So far I've frozen the following: Mac and cheese, baked ziti, meatloaf, chili, squash soup, and eggplant parm. This weekend I'll be making chicken pot pie and a chunky vegetable soup, similar to a minestrone.

I should mention that everything I've frozen have been large portions, so they'll last quite awhile. Typically in the half-sized foil pans.

Jena503 · September 2012

Oh, another thing I've done before (but not this time so far), is to have onions and bell peppers chopped and frozen. And ground beef browned and frozen to add to spaghetti sauce or a casserole or turn into tacos.

That way I can just cut down on prep time for regular meals (whether it's me or DH that ends up cooking).

auburnbride2be · September 2012

I want to, but not sure if I really will. I have saved tons of stuff on Pinterest. Since we are all due in the Fall/Winter, I've found lots of stuff you prep, freeze and then just throw in the crockpot. Plan to do some soups/stews and stuff that way. I love using my crockpot when it is cold.

brooke&ryan&baby · September 2012

I made stuffed peppers the other night and ended up having wayyy too much filling. I decided to freeze it and use it in a few weeks probably via crock pot!

I don't really have a "recipe" just kinda thrown together ...
1 lb ground beef
2 cups cooked rice
1 chopped onion
4 stalks chopped celery
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup shredded cheese
1 egg
Random spices to taste
I also like to add chopped bacon, the diced pepper tops, and any other veggies I have on hand as well.

mopsie · September 2012

From a fellow bumpie! https://joelens.blogspot.com/2007/01/freezer-friendlymake-ahead.html

meganthechef · September 2012

I like to freeze everything. Enchilada filling, leftover beans, cornbread muffins, chili, soups, potpie filling. It makes dinner prep quicker and easier when you are short on time.

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