Freezer Meals

MuchlyGen

So, I saw someone mention this in another thread... and I totally suck at this stuff. But money is tight and my husband has diabetes, so eating pizza and fast food the first couple of weeks after baby is born really isn't an option, and since I'm in crazy nesting mode I may as well try to do something productive right now before it inevitably wears off. 

Hoping some mums out there are more kitchen-savvy than I.

Ideas/fantastic recipes/links to marvelous freezable meals? Break out the casseroles and soups! Please share what you've got, and maybe those of us that are more inept in the kitchen won't starve when baby is born. 

PennyLane26

I go a bit overboard, but I like to be fully stocked! I didn't attach recipes, but all of them are pretty generic:

White Chicken Chili, Stuffed Shells, Chicken Enchiladas, Taco Soup, Butternut Squash Soup, Minestrone Soup, Mac & Cheese, Chicken Pot Pie

I also marinate and freeze chicken breasts and burger patties.

And don't forget breakfast! I freeze mini frittatas and all sorts of muffins - add oatmeal and flax to help with breast milk production!

I got almost 2 months worth of meals out of my freezer stash with DD and it was ahhhhmazing. So worth the effort and planning!

MuchlyGen

@PennyLane26 I love you!

rox825

I started on my freezer stash last weekend! I made 2 gallon bags full of crock pot ready veggie chili (I'm a vegetarian) and froze 3 balls of whole wheat pizza dough. For the veggie chili I chopped up green and red peppers and onions, threw in soaked kidney and black beans, frozen corn, a 15oz can of diced tomatoes and a 28oz can of crushed, some bbq sauce, and spices.

This weekend I'm planning on making 2 bags of crock pot veggie stew and am actually altering a recipe for beef stew that someone here posted a few months ago in a freezer meal post, maybe she'll share again, can't remember who it was! Just swapping out beef for extra veggies. Also planning on making and freezing a lot of lasagna, and some pumpkin muffins and individual crustless quiches. And my mom is making us veggie soup! We actually just ordered a deep freezer to accommodate everything, lol ">

howin23

I've done some but am also going to dedicate a weekend in October when my mother visits to cooking. She's a great cook and I think that's something that would be very helpful.

So far I've done:
-lasagna
-macaroni and cheese sauce
-waffles

I'm planning to do:
-shepherd's pie
-beef stew
-squash (precooked with brown sugar and spices)
-squash soup
-chimichangas
-pecan chicken
-pumpkin bread
-shredded chicken (lots...then I can just thaw it and add seasoning or bbq sauce or cilantro and lime juice)
-pulled pork
-chocolate chip cookie dough (don't judge...I survived salmonella at 10 months old, so yes, I eat raw cookie dough right out of the freezer...and add it to ice cream)
-molasses cookie dough

MrsTuna08

I'm glad you started this thread!  I found a bunch of ideas on Pinterest that I'll be throwing in the freezer. 

-Crock pot ready short ribs

-Marinated chicken

-Twice baked potatoes

-Turkey/cheddar/ranch and ham/swiss/mustard baked braids (these are already in the freezer and look DELICIOUS, DH asked if we could eat them now please)

-Chicken taquitos

-white and red chili

-black bean and corn enchiladas

-Swedish meatballs

cindyNmark2010

It might be helpful to double your batches when cooking in the next month or two....cook one batch for dinner that night and freeze one!!  I've done it with White Chicken Chili, Marinara, Bolognese, Creamy Tomato Tortellini soup, Chicken Enchilada filling....Freezer is getting pretty full but I'm sure I can get a few more in before LO comes.

snarkylibrarian

Loving this thread! I'm really impressed with y'all. I am planning on getting a compact fridge/freezer combo to store extra meals and later breastmilk, but I haven't gotten the gumption to start planning. Most nights after work, I am proud of myself if I make pasta.  

lincoln79

Before I can take advantage of this awesome thread, I need to clean out my freezer!

Planning on making a lot of freezer meals in October.

jac409

I just started making some things. Basically, whatever I am making for dinner, or if I am baking, I just make a double batch and freeze half. That way it isn't really any extra effort, because I know I will never otherwise have the time. I have made banana bread, blueberry muffins, white chicken enchiladas and chicken noodle soup so far. I plan to make a big batch of lactation cookies, stuffed shells, lasagna, chicken tortilla soup, egg, sausage, cheese and biscuit cups, and a few other things I can't remember. We also have chicken and steaks in the freezer that we can just pull out and throw on the grill. I didn't do any freezer meals the last time around and regretted it, so I am really trying to do better this time!

howin23

OLJ1010 said:

I envy all of you. This thread is amazing. I didn't make freezer meals with DS, and I want to this time around. How are you storing your freezer meals? Ready to cook in an aluminum type tray? If you freeze in a bag, do you have to thaw it first, or just cook it right from frozen? Does it stick to the inside of the freezer bag? lol I'm clueless. And I'm scared of freezer burn. Help this pathetic mama.

I've done some things in aluminum trays so they can go straight in the oven (e.g., lasagna), but am doing others in ziplock bags (e.g., pulled chicken) if they will need to be thawed first anyway, and others in tupperwares (e.g., macaroni and cheese sauce).

The key is not to let the food stay exposed to air, so try to make sure the containers or bags are completely full. If not, you can put a layer of wax paper or saran wrap on the top of the food and then put the container top on. Also, make sure whatever you cooked cools completely first. If you have to put something in the fridge to cool, cover it with a paper towel and saran wrap, so as the heat condenses it is caught in the paper towel, rather than collecting on top of the food.

Hope that helps!

wallygirl

@jac409 do you have a recipe for lactation cookies that you've tried?

freetobekristin

@cindyNmark2010  What recipe do you use for your Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup?  I had a favorite on pinterest, but it is no longer available.  

jac409

@wallygirl‌ , this is the one I use... https://www.food.com/recipe/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookies-by-noel-trujillo-192346. It makes a lot of cookies. I sometimes do butterscotch chips instead of chocolate to mix it up. Raisins would be good too. Also, make sure you use real rolled oats instead of instant oatmeal. I went through a lot of these the last time around!

freetobekristin

I asked my mom & MIL if we could get together & have a "pack my freezer day" in October.  I get sentimental with food (and everything else) so I asked my MIL to pull some of Andy's favorite recipes & asked my mom for some of my favorites, too.  I have some of my favorite recipes from my Gma & I'll add a couple.  My goal is to end up with 3-4 weeks worth of frozen dinners - I would love to have enough left to help out with the first week I go back to work!  

kfo22

@MrsTuna08 omg that baked braid!  Going to make two tonight and freeze one!  =P~

cindyNmark2010

@freetobekristin

I really sort of wing it from a recipe I had too.....and I add sausage to it. 

I brown some garlic in olive oil, add some italian seasoning and pepper...I don't add salt.

Cut up the sausage and put that in (it's a pre-cooked italian cheese one, I find it near the kielbasa.  I've also used chorizo.)

Add one large can of tomato soup concentrate and one box of chicken broth (low sodium)

Heat to boiling

Add one small bag of frozen tortellini and cook according to directions

Add enough cream to taste....the recipeI had called for waaaay too much. 

Add some grated parm (about a half cup) and serve

This recipe makes enough to feed me, a grown man and a pre-teen eating machine with enough leftovers for both of us for lunch. 

freetobekristin

cindyNmark2010 said:

@freetobekristin

I really sort of wing it from a recipe I had too.....and I add sausage to it. 

I brown some garlic in olive oil, add some italian seasoning and pepper...I don't add salt.

Cut up the sausage and put that in (it's a pre-cooked italian cheese one, I find it near the kielbasa.  I've also used chorizo.)

Add one large can of tomato soup concentrate and one box of chicken broth (low sodium)

Heat to boiling

Add one small bag of frozen tortellini and cook according to directions

Add enough cream to taste....the recipeI had called for waaaay too much. 

Add some grated parm (about a half cup) and serve

This recipe makes enough to feed me, a grown man and a pre-teen eating machine with enough leftovers for both of us for lunch. 

You're amazing.  Thank you!

moroccojade

For those who find this intimidating...

A good way to do it is just to double your recipe for dinner one or two nights a week and freeze the extra.  I find that a lot easier than to have a whole weekend or two of just preparing meals for the freezer.

jess123456

Hi ladies,

 

Just wanted to bump this thread up and see what freezer meals you have done so far so we can get some inspiration. Here is what I have frozen right now:

 

Spaghetti sauce with ground turkey (just add pasta later)  - 4 servings

White bean chicken chili - 4 servings

Cheesy chicken and broccoli (serve over rice later) - 4 servings

 

Thinking of doing a meatloaf and maybe some turkey burgers too but still looking for some ideas.

JFH2010

I have a related question - do you guys cook and then freeze, or freeze uncooked and then cook all the way through when you're ready to eat them?

jess123456

I have been freezing the leftovers of what I cook so it's less overwhelming. My goal is to get to 10 meals (2 servings each meal).

I am unsure about freezing pasta though but stuffed shells sound great. Has anyone done this without it getting soggy when re-heated?  

JFH2010

jess123456 said:

I have been freezing the leftovers of what I cook so it's less overwhelming. My goal is to get to 10 meals (2 servings each meal).

I am unsure about freezing pasta though but stuffed shells sound great. Has anyone done this without it getting soggy when re-heated?  

I've frozen cooked stuffed shells and they turned out great!

howin23

I just made butternut squash soup last night, and made a triple batch so I could freeze most of it. Loving my immersion blender, which made it super easy.

I'm going to make pulled chicken today. Or at least I hope to, if the plumber ever comes to fix our disposal and clogged drains.

k1911

You guys are amazing. Thanks for bumping @jess123456‌. So far, I have a store bought lasagna in the freezer....yup, that's about it. Shit...need to get on it!

librarygirl123

my mom and I made three recipes yesterday, and froze them in four-serving sized dishes: lasagna, stew, and turkey chili. I found them on the Pioneer Woman website under the freezer section. They smell great! 

I have bogo coupons to two places here in town that sell frozen casseroles, so will get four more. 

lizgrace03

How long do freezer meals keep? I made a pot pie Tuesday, yum! Tonight I'll make taco casserole... I found it works well to just make an extra of whatever you're having for dinner and throw that in the freezer.

MrsTuna08

JFH2010 said:

I have a related question - do you guys cook and then freeze, or freeze uncooked and then cook all the way through when you're ready to eat them?

I find that it really depends on the recipe.  Like freezer to crockpot ribs - just dump everything in a bag uncooked, freeze, then dump into the crockpot for the whole day to cook them.  Or I would cook the insides to enchiladas/taquitos so there isn't raw meat, but then would freeze before finishing; take out of freezer, top with sauce and cheese and bake when ready.  Soups and stews are usually completely cooked through and ready to go, they just need to be reheated.

If you find freezer specific recipes, they are usually pretty good at telling you which point to put them in the freezer at and how much work you need to do later.

JFH2010

MrsTuna08 said:

JFH2010 said:

I have a related question - do you guys cook and then freeze, or freeze uncooked and then cook all the way through when you're ready to eat them?

I find that it really depends on the recipe.  Like freezer to crockpot ribs - just dump everything in a bag uncooked, freeze, then dump into the crockpot for the whole day to cook them.  Or I would cook the insides to enchiladas/taquitos so there isn't raw meat, but then would freeze before finishing; take out of freezer, top with sauce and cheese and bake when ready.  Soups and stews are usually completely cooked through and ready to go, they just need to be reheated.

If you find freezer specific recipes, they are usually pretty good at telling you which point to put them in the freezer at and how much work you need to do later.

-----Whyyyyyy do quotes hate me??-----
This is really helpful, thanks. Last time I just cooked everything and then froze it, but I wondered if some things would have tasted better if I'd waited to cook them. This sounds like good guidance!

joshua+rebecca11

I haven't started yet, but I am planning on making some freezer meals! My list is:
Chili
Potato soup
Taco meat
Individual chicken pot pies
Pizza dough
Not sure what else. I'll probably do what @cindyNmark2010 suggested and double some of my meals when I cook them for dinner. I'm looking forward to having it all in the freezer and ready to roll!

pennyandandy

I also do roasted/stewed chicken like someone mentioned above, shred it and freeze, and ground beef with seasonings and onions and peppers mixed in, because you can pull them and add them to lots of stuff. Or even just have nacho night if the need calls for it, lol.

ETA: I also freeze the chicken stock from the stewed chicken to use in soups or recipes.

carafern

lizgrace03 said:

How long do freezer meals keep? I made a pot pie Tuesday, yum! Tonight I'll make taco casserole... I found it works well to just make an extra of whatever you're having for dinner and throw that in the freezer.

I've read they keep 2 - 4 months. I think they can keep even longer if you have a special freezer (that doesn't get opened and closed regularly). Mine is just a drawer in the fridge.

I so agree with PPs about making a double batch of dinners and then freezing. The idea of cooking just to freeze is hard for me, because I want to EAT ALL THE FOODS. What I've made so far:

Butternut squash and Pumpkin soup (Ina's recipe)

Lasagne (that I made for a dinner party and had froze the leftovers, basically 4 portions)

Bolognese (that I had leftover from the Lasagne)

Lentils Soup

Vegetarian Chili

Banana Bread

Mini Muffins

Beef Stew (this one DH made! from a Pioneer Woman recipe)

I plan to make some pizza dough and mac n cheese but I feel a little burned out on big batch cooking. I also have a strong urge (when tired in the evening) to start eating some of the things I made a few weeks ago. You all, however, are inspiring me. 

lizgrace03

@carafern I know, I keep thinking about that pot pie late at night and want to heat it up, haha! The squash and pumpkin soup sounds great. That may be my next one!

howin23

Has anyone found a way to get frozen homemade bread and muffins to keep? Mine always end up coming out with a weird spider web consistency if I leave them in the freezer longer than 3 weeks or so. I'd appreciate any suggestions!

pennyandandy

howin23 said:

Has anyone found a way to get frozen homemade bread and muffins to keep? Mine always end up coming out with a weird spider web consistency if I leave them in the freezer longer than 3 weeks or so. I'd appreciate any suggestions!

I have the same problem with breads, muffins have been fine for me, along with sweet breads like pumpkin, zucchini, etc., but normal bread is a no go. I have had luck with this roll recipe-we use it like bread, it's so easy to make! 

Hamburger buns

Curlyfries851

Hope this question wasn't already asked:

For you freezer cookin' veterans:

When making a chicken pot pie, should I completely cook/bake the thing before freezing, or just cook the inside and leave the pie crust raw and ready to bake for when I thaw?

Muchas gracias!

howin23

@Curlyfries851 I generally make the filling in a pot so it's all cooked, then freeze that. When I want to eat it, I precook the bottom crust (a normal pie crust), then add the filling and put puff pastry on top (I prefer it to regular pie crust), and cook it up. If you are using all regular pie crust, you will need to bake at least the bottom crust beforehand, then fill it and put the top crust on. In that case, I would probably pre-cook the whole thing.

howin23

@NinerGirl52 Yes, I'd love the pumpkin bread recipe you use! Pumpkin bread is my biggest challenge because it's great right out of the over and keeps in the fridge for a week, but I always get the spider webby texture when I freeze it.

BrittG13

I found this really extensive list of recipes complete with directions on when to freeze. Hope this helps ladies!

https://thrivinghomeblog.com/healthy-recipes-index/healthy-freezer-meals-recipes/#_a5y_p=989653