Freezer Prep Meals

Re: Freezer Prep Meals

• Bear14+ member

  February 2019

  I have such a hard time with this... I make spaghetti every month or two, so closer to delivery I'll make a little extra sauce/meatballs to freeze.
  
  We also have this amazing local Italian market close by and they make lasagnas that can go in the freezer. They were awesome for company and leftovers. 

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• strickland8052 member

  February 2019 edited February 2019

  Some of our favorites from our last go around:
  
  1. Smoothie bags! Individual bags of fruits/veggies, ready to drop in blender with some milk for smoothies.
  2. Beef Stroganoff (freezer to crockpot meal)
  3. Marinated salmon - We would just put it in a foil packet over some spinach or asparagus. Add a baked potato.
  4. Shredded Chicken - We like to add Frank's red hot buffalo sauce and eat it over nachos or in quesadillas
  5. Lasagna
  6. Chicken, Corn, Yellow Rice Casserole - https://www.southernplate.com/cheesy-chicken-and-corn-casserole/
  7. Frozen bell peppers and hash brown potatoes - These are really good mixed with sausage and taco seasoning for a pretty easy dinner.
  8. Bird's Eye Chicken Voila dinners - OK.. cheating, because it isn't homemade. But these are actually pretty good for a frozen meal!
  
  Things I think I'll add this time:
  1. Meatballs - Asian-style meatballs, spaghetti meatballs, and Swedish meatballs to pop in air fryer
  2. White Chicken Chili - (Tip: Sweet potatoes are really good added to this!)
  3. Soups. I made soup last time, but all of the recipes I made had not been tested before and ended up not being good. I've since discovered a lot of good recipes, so I hope they freeze well. Some of my favorites below:
  

  • https://ohsheglows.com/2016/04/03/glowing-spiced-lentil-soup/
  • https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/recipe/senegalese-peanut-stew-with-spinach-and-sweet-potatoes/5626a60b42366570049969b0
    
  • https://tastefulventure.com/greek-lemon-rice-chicken-soup/

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• tsa208 member

  February 2019

  I did this last pregnancy. My daughter came two weeks (!!) late so I had extra time since I took leave a few days before my due date. I made almost a month worth of dinners. Let me tell you, it made life so much easier! I will go dig up my recipes.

  

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• foodislove member

  February 2019

  I made a huge pot of chili, and the great thing about chili is how verstile it is for serving it up. You can just have chili, you can do chips, cornbread, pasta, you name it! I need to make a big batch before I get too big and sweaty and hot again.
  
  Other than that, I'll probably buy a lasagna or two (I effed up the last two times I made it, so just buying at this point), and pick up some yummy ravioli packages from Costco, along with a bag of our fave meatballs. 
  
  My sister makes a damn good Italian meatball soup. I may make the base for that to add meatballs and tortellini too, because the base freezes decently. 

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• cindler member

  February 2019

  I'm going to need to make a ton of freezer recipes because there is no delivery in the country.  If we can't make it, we can't eat it without a 30 minute trip into town.  Now, when DH starts going to work, he'll be able to bring home takeout and pizza, but while we're both home, we've got to be ready.

  
  

  My usual go-to for freezer meals is soup, BUT we'll be delivering in July and soup in July never sounds good when it's so hot.  I'm going to be looking for casseroles and stuff we can just thaw and cook.  I welcome any and all ideas!!!
  

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• ameliabedelia-2 member

  February 2019 edited February 2019

  I have had a lot of luck with Pioneer Woman recipes, everything I make of hers is good (not the lowest calorie!!). She has a section on her blog with freezer meal ideas:
  
  https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking_cat/freezer-food/
  
  On the lighter side, I like Skinnytaste, she has freezer meals also:
  
  https://www.skinnytaste.com/recipes/freezer-friendly/
  
  
  

  Momma to Amelia Marie (7/14) and Austin Samuel (11/17). Adding baby (girl) #3 on 7/21 

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• ketomommy member

  February 2019

  Is anyone else going to get a meal train?  It's common in my synagogue to have a meal train for pretty much anything.  I plan on doing meal prep because the two year old has celiac and the husband is on a strict keto diet.  But, it will be nice to have some food delivered.  

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• foodislove member

  February 2019

  @ketomommy No meal train here. Our area traffic makes it hard to just drop off meals and run. If anything, we give each other GrubHub or other meal delivery gift cards. 

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• ketomommy member

  February 2019

  @foodislove Most people sent gift cards.  It was nice with DD to have people drop off food and meet the baby.  I would keep a bottle of purell. 
  

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• runsoncoffee member

  February 2019

  I actually kind of want to start making things soon. I had about 10 meals plus some breakfast things last time and this time with 3 under 3 I want to be stocked up!!! 
  A huge suggestion is to have breakfast food!! Especially if breastfeeding you'll be ravenous in the morning but exhausted. Breakfast things that were a hit for us were quiche, baked oatmeal cups, egg cups. I'm planning to do some breakfast casseroles this time too.
  Dinner meals:
  enchiladas
  spaghetti pie
  tuna casserole
  homemade hamburger helper
  I think I made double of all of these. Maybe one other but  I can't remember!

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