Freezer Meals/Food Prep

sarah0985 · April 2020

I’ve seen it brought up a few times here and there so I figure here’s a place to drop tried and true tips, recipes, and sites.

sarah0985 · April 2020

This is my favorite site. I made them all when I was pregnant with my first. Bought everything 1 day, cooked everything the next.

I personally found them more helpful when I went back to work and I was so tired. I rarely used it when I was home on maternity leave but STILL SO GRATEFUL I had those made. No way I could make all that with a newborn.

https://diaryofafitmommy.com/15-freezer-meals-before-your-baby-arrives/

I remake them at the start of every school year so I have some ready to go throughout the school year. I did it this past August and actually just finished my stash last week when we were too lazy and needed a change during this quarantine. They hold up well and have no issues freezing that long.

I really love the Tuscan chicken pasta and the frozen egg burritos.

I have tried other sites frozen instapot meals and am not a fan personally. It gets funky and separates in the pot and the texture is not for us.

If it’s a bag, double bag the ziplocks. And freeze them on cookie pans so they’re flat. If you’re using foil pans, find ones with a flat top, and not raised up. Write the name and all directions in permanent marker.

I also split the casserole dishes in half. For us the full dish was too many leftovers and we got sick of it.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/3b/ykc5cmw3us1d.jpeg

mrswheeler812 · April 2020

I think virus pending I'm going to have a freezer meal party since we wont be doing a baby shower. Just invite the girls over and make a bunch of freezer dinners. If this one is anything like his brother I wont be cooking for a long while afterwords.

charhar0820 · April 2020

@mrswheeler812 that actually sounds like an awesome idea! I’m a weirdo in the kitchen tho and love my space so I can get a system going. I wouldn’t be shy asking for freezer meals en-lieu of gifts. Hmm.

roo_baby · April 2020

@mrswheeler812 that's such a nice idea! sounds like a lot of fun.

mrswheeler812 · April 2020

@charhar0820 I will def be doing that too but my SIL is a meal prepping expert so I want to take advantage of it XD
@roo_baby I think it will be and it will be a very relaxed day for everyone. No stressing over decorations and party themes. Plus since this is another boy the only new things we need is diapers which I know will be tossed at us from all sides

cornichonmam · April 2020

I made a few batches of these lactation cookies with DS, the dough freezes well and you can cook them from frozen. I liked them with dark chocolate chips, dried apricots and dried sour cherries. I’m definitely going to be making more this time.

I couldn’t say if they work or not, it was nice to have treats that my husband wouldn’t eat. My opinion on lactation supplements etc. is that, I think you need to eat enough of the nutrients used up by breastfeeding and it doesn’t matter where they come from but I had an over supply so I wasn’t really the best guinea pig.

https://www.howsweeteats.com/2015/02/lactation-cookies/

rivercitynik · April 2020

@cornichonmam ooo I've been wanting to make lactation cookies...thanks for sharing your recipe!

Anyone have a favorite 3-5 ingredient meal from trader Joe's? I don't love eating the same thing for multiple meals, so I was thinking that having some easy TJs frozen items/meals on hand might be a good option for me. One of my favorites is their chana masala with brown rice (both from the freezer section) then topping with sauteed greens, a fried egg and some of their frozen naan on the side.

ziggymama06 · April 2020

@rivercitynik I made their cauliflower gnocchi last week. I pan fried them in butter and garlic and added sauteed spinach. Served with grated parmesan over the top. It was really simple, quick and tasty. Tip: don't bother boiling them first as it makes them mushy, just throw them in the pan frozen.

tara4910 · April 2020

@ziggymama06 @rivercitynik I love the cauliflower gnocchi! I pan fry them too and serve with their fresh bruschetta from the refrigerated section, grated Parmesan, fresh basil.

Other good TJs items: the quinoa cowboy burgers (I eat a patty over a salad), the frozen Belgian waffles, some of their frozen Asian veggie mixes are good for a quick stir fry, definitely the frozen rice and the frozen quinoa, the Israeli cous cous is very versatile (I make it as a pasta salad or a Greek salad or use as rice), their frozen mini tacos are pretty good too. I’m a huge TJs fan 😂

roo_baby · April 2020

Rack of lamb from TJs is super easy. Just pop in the oven at 400-425 for 18-20 min (use a meat thermometer to confirm its your desired temp). Can serve with potatoes, roasted carrots, or whatever in the same over just a bit longer.

sarah0985 · April 2020

Now you guys have me wanting to check out Trader Joe’s. I grew up by quite a few and worked next door to one in my teens but the closest one is 24 miles now. I may need to make a special trip

ziggymama06 · April 2020

@tara4910 Serving the gnocchi with bruschetta sounds amazing. I'm eating my yogurt now and totally want that. lol. I haven't been in an actual grocery store in months now but would love to wander TJ and buy all these things.

barbsaj · May 2020

Not tried and true yet...but I'm going to try a bunch of these starting in June maybe to have a good stash on hand! We don't eat a lot of meat so I might skip some and look for more veggie options, but quite a few sound good: https://thefamilyfreezer.com/2016/01/31/40-pre-baby-freezer-meals/

[Deleted User] · May 2020

@cornichonmam thanks for sharing your recipe! I had one that I made last time, that I'll look forward to comparing and see if there's anything extra I can incorporate. I definitely did <i>not</i> have an oversupply, so I I'm happy to try to throw the kitchen sink at it this time LOL

I have seen that link before, but I can't say that I really tried any of the recipes last time. @barbsaj I will have to pull that one up on my computer and take a closer look... I think even if a person did a <i>fraction</i> of those recipes you'd probably be in good shape!

maelove · May 2020

OHHHH TJs is my all time fav. They really have their sh*t together too right now in terms of stocking up and keeping things safe! I love the Israeli cous cous as mentioned above as it can go with so much- stir fry, as a side, etc. I also like th orange chicken in the freezer aisle over rice with some green onions and the veggie rolls (also freezer section). Love the pre cut up stir fry stuff too- asparagus, onion and mushroom one is good with chicken. And their pre made salads (quinoa mexican salad, harvest chicken with cous cous particularly).

ziggymama06 · May 2020

@maelove Damn girl you're making me hungry 🤤 And also wanting to go to TJs lol

samsonator · June 2020

When are you guys starting to prep? I thought it was maybe too early (due end of August) but maybe not? I didn't prep for my last baby and regretted it

RedBaramid · June 2020

@BusinessWife As my supply bottomed out with DD, it was a constant stream of oatmeal for breakfast, lactation cookies and muffins as snacks, and a good dark beer during her longest sleep period a night that kept me hobbling through after getting the shot completely tanked my supply. I ended up stopping BFing shortly after I returned to work simply because I was having to basically eat a very pro lactation diet and eat and drink constantly to keep up supply. Basically my last month of BFing was so many lactation cookies and so much oatmeal that for a year after I couldn't stand either... but it DID work. I got through her first 3 months completely on the boob and a fourth month of hybrid before having to turn to formula completely. The recipe I used for cookies was very similar to the one @cornichonmam shared. I was an over supplier until I got the birth control shot and then it just started tanking. I plan on picking up some brewers yeast in addition to the flax-seed I keep on hand (I put it in my yogurt to help with cholesterol) and starting to incorporate it into my diet as soon as I notice any slipping this time. I worry that maybe if I would have caught the supply drop earlier/faster I maybe could have recovered.

strawberryfields82 · June 2020

Meal prep sounds like such a daunting task but I have to get started and make some plans. I am not sure if that is a local/regional thing, but we are right around the corner of a chicken shortage. So I need to get some chicken in my freezer - since that is pretty much the only meat we are eating here at my house. Thank you so much for everyone to post recipes. Very helpful!!!

RedBaramid · June 2020

@strawberryfields82 If you can get your hands on some canned chicken for your pantry, that stuff goes great into crock pot soups and various salads. I make a mean chicken tortilla soup that mostly comes out of cans and I while I love having leftover chicken to throw in it the canned stuff works pretty great too.

charhar0820 · June 2020

@strawberryfields82 the great chicken shortage, such crazy times. I have access to a couple local chicken farmers, needless to say my freezer is stashed with a few whole chickens.
lately when I’m planning dinner I try to make something once a week that will freeze well. So I’ll double the recipe, eat half and freeze half. The latest I made was a baked ziti, without ziti. I used penne because it’s all I had. Oh my was it ever good! One half lasted 3 days. 2 dinners for me and 2 for MH with some still leftover.

cornichonmam · June 2020

@strawberryfields82 @charhar0820Why is there a chicken shortage? We’ve had a big flour shortage here in the UK but I’ve not heard anything about chicken. There is actually plenty of flour but in catering sized bags, the shortage is actually the bags. My supermarket has started weighing out their flour from their bakers into paper bags to sell to customers.

[Deleted User] · June 2020

@cornichonmam I think it has something to do with sending workers home so they don't have the processing facilities over crowded, closing extra time to clean etc.

RedBaramid · June 2020

@cornichonmam We are looking at potential pork and chicken shortages (at least from what I am aware of) due to the closings of meat processing plants because of the C-19 outbreak. The meat processing plants are really big hot spots due to how close people work together in them, also because they are typically staffed by a lot of low income and often minority people that ride buses and often carpool to get to and from work. These close quarters along with the need to go to work to to survive and the lack of sufficient health care opportunities means that these places are big breeding grounds for the virus. This is my understanding, based on the fact that my mother works in a hospital that runs a C-19 testing site that has an open contract with a MAJOR meat processing plant in the area and they are getting car loads of minority workers sent from that plant all to be tested together and MOST of the counties positive cases are coming out of this meat processing plant.

But I could be wrong completely.

strawberryfields82 · June 2020

@RedBaramid I think you are right. I heard very similar things

cornichonmam · June 2020

@BusinessWife @RedBaramid Now you’ve said that it’s obvious. There was a similar issue a few weeks ago in another country in Europe but I can’t remember which, I think either Germany or France. I haven’t heard that it is an issue here but I know they have had problems recruiting the seasonal fruit pickers that usually come from eastern Europe. Generally there has been less of an issue because there are fewer unregistered migrants and EU workers are entitled to medical care and sick pay. Well for the time being at least. Brexit is so stupid, I don’t think I’ll ever get over how angry I am about it!

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