Has anyone started freezer meals yet?

mamabisme · December 2014

With February only 8 weeks away, I thought some of us may have started planning/prepping freezer meals. I just started getting a list of recipes together and cleaned out our deep freezer. I will buy ingredients as I see them on sale and plan to do 1-2 meals per week, so the cost is spread out.

I got an incredible deal on 10 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts yesterday and will make my first few freezer meals today. Since i am not due until the end of February, I will start with crock pot meals that are prepped and frozen raw. I probably wont start any cooked meals until mid-January, since they don't keep as long.

If you have any fabulous recipes or websites you'd like to share, post them here! Also, I'm curious how many meals everyone is planning for. I was thinking 15 meals. Each meal would be enough to feed our family for two nights. Does that sound right? I tend to over-do things. I definitely want to make enough but don't want to go too crazy with this. TIA for your input.

mahalo3 · December 2014

I haven't started doing this, but I plan to start maybe the 1st of the year. I am interested in recipes too.

mle106 · December 2014

I'm planning to do this over the Christmas break! Any good recipes to share?

t8keepr03 · December 2014

I didn't make any freezer meals and didn't really find myself wishing I had. We had so many friends and family wanting to help out we never went hungry. When I was feeling better I was able to cook crock pot meals or something easy when DD was a few weeks old. I don't plan on doing it now either. The only thing I might make ahead and freeze is a lasagna.

misshart00 · December 2014

I plan on doing some. I have a whole bunch of pins on pinterest with meals.

mamabisme · December 2014

I'm starting simple with the chicken breasts. Buffalo chicken and Mexican chicken are all I have planned. Some of the 10 lbs I got are being used for regular meals, this week.

The buffalo chicken is just a packet of ranch seasoning and a jar of buffalo sauce (I use franks red hot). I usually serve over brown rice with blue cheese crumbles or use to make buffalo chicken Alfredo and serve over pasta. I'm sure you can think of lots of different ways to serve it if neither of those sound good.

The Mexican chicken is salsa (I use green), black beans, diced jalapenos (or mild chiles if you don't like spicy), corn and taco seasoning (I use homemade). I usually serve this with tortillas and cheese or use to make taco salads.

I have been checking pinterest and have found a lot of sites but haven't had a chance to go through them all yet. DH and I are somewhat picky about freezer meals. Neither of us care for pastas or most casseroles that have been frozen so I'm avoiding those. I also plan to have a few super simple things like burger patties and meats that DH can just throw on the grill. We're in Florida so grilling season is all year, for us.

mamabisme · December 2014

krendel1990 said:
I've been planning to do this but haven't started. What is the best container to freeze them in? Just plastic tupperware?

For what I'm going now, I am using gallon size zip lock freezer bags. The recipes I am making now are just thawed and dumped in the crock pot so freezer bags are perfect. When I start doing cooked meals I was thinking of using disposable foil pans. I always use this when I bring a meal to a friend, after baby. They're so easy for clean up. I'm just not sure how to cover them to keep freezer burn off the food. Anyone know?

CatLadyTX · December 2014

I was hoping to start last month while my mom was here, but it didn't happen. Instead, I think I might start in a week or so.
I'll make lasagna and freeze half, do a double batch of meatloaf and freeze one, and maybe throw together a few crock pot freezer packs to just thaw and toss in.
As it gets closer, I will start hard core planning and hopefully have my mom help me because she will be here for 2 weeks when the baby comes.

nhamic · December 2014

Too early for me to start as I'm not due til feb.22. And I have a pullout lower freezer that is currently packed. There are definitely some things I'm going to make including loaves of banana bread, strata, veggie lasagna, ravioli, quinoa broccoli bake, etc. I'll probably also bake up a few loaves or regular bread, and bake up a large batch of multigrain waffles to have in the fridge too.

misshart00 · December 2014

krendel1990 said:

I've been planning to do this but haven't started. What is the best container to freeze them in? Just plastic tupperware?

The only thing I don't like about Tupperware is that it ties up your storage containers for how ever many months. As for the foil pans, if you go to sams club or Costco, they have the foil cutouts that go on top of the disposable pans. If you don't want to do that, use heavy duty foil.

mamabisme · December 2014

@CatLadyTX‌ meatloaf is a good one! I don't know why I hadn't thought of that yet.

@nhamic‌ I hadn't thought of breakfast either. I need to do some muffins and waffles or pancakes for my kids. Mornings are already the most chaotic part of our day (getting DD1 ready and to school on time). Thanks!

monbon11 · December 2014

I'm a big fan of freezing soups as well. I just made a double batch of butternut squash soup and froze half in the larger tupperware. Most soups freeze really well. If the soup includes a pasta (like minestrone), do not add the pasta before freezing.

Lasagna, as others have said, though I bake if off and portion it before freezing which makes reheating super easy (move it from freezer to fridge the night before you want to have it for dinner, then heat and enjoy).

Meatballs also freeze nicely and add something special to a dinner of boxed pasta and jar sauce, which is my go-to when feeling lazy.

wintersong139 · December 2014

I am starting these in January, but I would also love to see people's favorite recipes! We have friends and family who have offered to help, but very few of them are local or really have an understanding of what things would be helpful. (Not complaining, I get it--people want to do things like buy you presents and come to visit, but they rarely think to offer to do your laundry or bring you meals unless they have been through it, lol, and I don't want to ask unless I need it. ;-) )

mamabisme · December 2014

wintersong139 said:
I am starting these in January, but I would also love to see people's favorite recipes! We have friends and family who have offered to help, but very few of them are local or really have an understanding of what things would be helpful. (Not complaining, I get it--people want to do things like buy you presents and come to visit, but they rarely think to offer to do your laundry or bring you meals unless they have been through it, lol, and I don't want to ask unless I need it. ;-) )

We had a lot of help after DD1. We had people bringing meals for about 3 weeks after we came home! After DD2 we only had 1 meal brought. Lol. People just don't seem to think you need as much help after the first kid. In reality, although I felt better physically the second time around, the transition from 1-2 was so much harder than from 0-1! This time I am going to be prepared! My mom always offers to bring meals but she will be watching our girls while I am in the hospital and helping with getting them to school and activities while I can't drive for the first two weeks so there is no way I am asking her to bring me food too!

MapleMomma · December 2014

I got invited to a pampered chef freezer meal party for this Sunday. MIL will come stay with DH so that I can go and get a break. I'm excited because we'll be making 10 meals and most of the meat stuff I already had in my freezer. After that, I don't plan to do too much because I know my mom, aunt, and SIL's wanted to make some for me as well. So I anticipate my freezer being full of them!

mamabisme · December 2014

MapleMomma said:
I got invited to a pampered chef freezer meal party for this Sunday. MIL will come stay with DH so that I can go and get a break. I'm excited because we'll be making 10 meals and most of the meat stuff I already had in my freezer. After that, I don't plan to do too much because I know my mom, aunt, and SIL's wanted to make some for me as well. So I anticipate my freezer being full of them!

That sounds awesome! Have fun.

michelle142 · December 2014

https://melissafallistestkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/freezer-cooking-slow-cooker-meals.html

That link includes chicken, beef, soups and sauces PLUS grocery lists.

I used this a while back and it was super helpful.

CatLadyTX · December 2014

mamabisme said:

@CatLadyTX‌ meatloaf is a good one! I don't know why I hadn't thought of that yet. @nhamic‌ I hadn't thought of breakfast either. I need to do some muffins and waffles or pancakes for my kids. Mornings are already the most chaotic part of our day (getting DD1 ready and to school on time). Thanks!

It didn't even occur to me until I was making some last week! It is so easy to double and freeze!

Irishcurls · December 2014

CatLadyTX said:

mamabisme said:

@CatLadyTX‌ meatloaf is a good one! I don't know why I hadn't thought of that yet. @nhamic‌ I hadn't thought of breakfast either. I need to do some muffins and waffles or pancakes for my kids. Mornings are already the most chaotic part of our day (getting DD1 ready and to school on time). Thanks!

It didn't even occur to me until I was making some last week! It is so easy to double and freeze!

Oh so smart, I didn't think about muffins and pancakes! Sooo easy, especially since we usually make one on the weekend anyway.

I definitely need to make some room in our drawer freezer--that one sad bagel or the end of a bag of peas just need to go. I think I won't actually start freezing food for another month or so since I'm not due until 2/28.

I did test-drive a few recipes over the last few months and not all freeze as well as Pinterest led me to believe. I think I'll stick to my lasagna, a pasta e fagoli soup that was to die for, our favorite indian butter chicken recipe and some breakfasts. DH is actually a good cook so I think that should do us for awhile.

michelle142 · December 2014

I had a really great enchilada recipe that froze really well, but now for the life of me I can't find it :P

krysmill · December 2014

I plan on starting the first of the year with crock pot ideas! I found some great ideas on pintrest for freezer ones.

michelle142 · December 2014

gator26 said:

mamabisme said:

With February only 8 weeks away...

I haven't started yet. But just had to say- this first sentence just about gave me a heart attack. I literally got out the calendar and counted. Haha. I better get moving on my to-do list. Yikes!

Ok good, I wasn't the only one!

mamabisme · December 2014

dorothygale01 said:
I will hopefully start this over Christmas break.

We need to order a chest freezer - there's this one at Best Buy on sale for $170 that would go great in our basement and should work well for meals and pumping.

I love my chest freezer! I didn't ever think we needed one but we use it so much. The lady we bought our house from actually left it behind (empty and clean, thankfully). It has always come in handy for freezer packages from the meat market and large batches of stuff like marinara sauce and chili. Plus, it will be perfect for freezer meals!

nhamic · December 2014

We are huge fans of homemade freezer waffles here. They are my husbands guilty pleasure. I use the Bobs Red Mill Multigrain mix and just make up a huge batch. I will be making oatmeal muffins and freezing them too. I also make this yummy polenta, eggs, and beans "casserole" that freezes pretty well and makes yummy breakfasts just sliced off in 2" slices. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day right?!

mishka29 · December 2014

I've got my mil booked for 22dec!

Meals:
Butter chicken
Pasta sauce
Sheppards pie
Stuffed pasta shells
Chili
Lasagna
Enchiladas

I've tried some things from Pinterest and had some major fails so be careful!

mamabisme · December 2014

mishka29 said:
I've got my mil booked for 22dec!

Meals:
Butter chicken
Pasta sauce
Sheppards pie
Stuffed pasta shells
Chili
Lasagna
Enchiladas

I've tried some things from Pinterest and had some major fails so be careful!

Thank you for the pinterest warning. I feel like pinterest is great for ideas but always hit or miss in execution so I'm trying to use recipes from friends (or my own) first and maybe fill out the list with a few new ones from pinterest, just to make it exciting.

Chili and marinara sauce are definitely on my list (I actually have both in the freezer now but will re-make since they will be gone long before February). I think I'll do some meatballs and a meatloaf too (as a pps suggested) and a pork roast for pulled pork. I'll have to look in to butter chicken. I see people post it often in the menu Monday threads but I have no idea what it is.

reneamac313 · December 2014

I've got a couple in mind and I have to say Pinterest has been a wonderful resource for recipes. Most of the ones I have pinned have been slow cooker meals so all you have to do is thaw the day before and then put in the slow cooker that morning. We have also had some friends offer to make us some so I may only start out with a few. DH also loves to cook and considering it's what he does for a living that is how I would love for him to help out a lot after she is here.

psychobutthead · December 2014

I actually planned on starting freezing meals this weekend.

I'm also thinking 2 meals a week so its all a spread out cost.

I think I can get away with making soups and stews and freezing them and then just throwing them in the crock pot when needed.

dhorling · December 2014

Best way to freeze food is using the food saver. It keeps food fresh and freezer burn free for so much longer! I use mine religiously

IsabelC687 · December 2014

Halfway through this thread I got to looking for some slow cooker meals. I found this blog with several meals, I pinned some of them after reading the instructions and ingredients list. They looked pretty good. https://www.ringaroundtherosies.net/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html

Boehrig2 · December 2014

Oh I'm glad someone posted.
I also made some butternut/tomato soup. We actually added lentils for extra protein and it's creamy and delicious. Pulled a giant pumpkin from the garden. It made so much!
I think soups sound like great ideas. Except that it'll be about 105 degrees here when baby comes!
I also made some homemade pizza crusts and plan to make sauce. Easy meals later.

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