I know this is early, but I'm a preparedness freak. Does anyone have a well-loved freezer meal or quick-to-put-together meal for when baby comes? I'd love to try them ahead of time and see what my family likes. Then, stock up this winter in time for baby (fx no big winter storms right?!) My family isn't picky, so send everything over!
I make a lot of freezer meals for when I travel. It makes life easier for DH when he can thaw stuff out and dinner is ready when I’m not home. I usually have a few different meals in the freezer, and those include vegetable soup, chili, meatballs, spaghetti sauce with ground sausage, ghoulash (minus the noodles), stew, lasagna, chicken or beef pot pies, stuffed pepper soup, etc.
ooooowwwwuuuhhhh I so want to get in on this when we get closer to our due dates. I made quite a few freezer meals before our daughter arrived. I cant quite think of them all right now but my grandmother makes a spanish chicken in orange sauce and she made me like 10 packs of that lol, I know I made quite a few lasagnas, and since it was just two of us I made them in those aluminum trays that are only like a 4x8. And enchiladas are usually really good reheated. I guess the good thing about a winter baby is soups and chilis are good for dinners and easy to make and freeze.
@livingoffpbjs So if we're voting, what are the odds that your grandma's Spanish chicken in orange sauce recipe will be posted? Nothing has sounded good in weeks, but if babies can perk up in utero, mine just did lol.
@makingbacon@lexilougolden unfortunately Im going to have to try and make it and tweak it, shes older, and its not quite the same, its lost some flavor recently so if I can figure it out just right Ill post it. Its nothing fancy, main ingredients are chicken, crushed tomato and sauce, peppers, onions, i think garlic..... gotta figure out the rest She also makes really good squash, zucchini, corn mush (i call it mush haha) and i dont think thats anything special in it but its just so good when she makes it, I try and make it and its not the same
Made this beef stroganoff and the whole family loved it! I'm going to try it as a freezer meal soon and I think it'll work great!
1 lb beef stew meat
2 10.75 oz cans of golden mushroom soup
1 small chopped onion
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 package onion soup mix
1 beef bouillon cube
8 oz cream cheese
egg noodles
Leave off the cream cheese till the meal is all cooked and then mix in. Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours. Serve over egg noodles.
@livingoffpbjs Will do! Bought all the ingredients from Costco to make a few of these and freeze them! The cream cheese and noodles are the only items I'll leave off and have ready the day of.
This is the base of what I’ve used, but you can tweak it with your own sauces. Etc.. I personally like to do half beef half Italian sausage in mine too.
These are a few more that I’ve tried recently that can either be frozen, or done easily.
This website is awesome for make-ahead freezer crockpot meals https://thefamilyfreezer.com/ She has a lot of plans where you can make like 30 days worth at once using overlapping ingredients so you get the best bang your buck (and prep time). Our freezer is somehow always busting at the seams with normal life stuff so I have a feeling we'll just be living off of Door Dash after baby.
@kaf1788 thank you so much for sharing that website! It looks awesome from my brief perusing.
What I normally do is choose a meal from our meal plan each week and double it up. Makes it easier for me then setting aside time to batch make. Last week it was veggie lasagna, this week it’s black bean enchiladas. I’ve got broccoli “chicken” cheddar rice casseroles, shepherds/cottage pies, baked cauliflower ziti, mushroom risotto and “chicken” pot pie already made. Chickens in quotes because I’m vegetarian and use the faux substitutes.
Our new favorite: Naan pizzas. Costco sells a big bag of frozen mini naan (other grocery stores have them too just not as good of a price). I put sauce, cheese, and whatever ingredients the family likes. Bake at 425 degrees for around 10 minutes. So easy and a quick individualized pizza for everyone!
Taco/Mexican soup 1 lb ground beef 1 can of tomatoes, corn, black beans 1 packet of taco seasoning 1 container of beef broth Brown the beef and put all together until heated up Top with sour cream, cilantro, and chips
Shepard’s Pie 1lb ground beef 1/2 yellow/white onion diced 1 bag frozen corn or 2 cans 5-6 big red potatoes Shredded cheddar cheese
Sauté onions and add ground beef Layer beef into an 8x8 pan Add corn Peel, boil and mash potatoes Layer on top of corn Added shredded cheese to potatoes and bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly
Re: Freezer Meals or Quick Dinner Ideas
Instant Pot Cauliflower and Butternut Thai Curry – Oh She Glows
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uncle bens rice (any favorite plain, so white, brown, while rice, jasmine, etc)
california blend birds of prey veggie blend
makes 2 servings
half rice, half veggies. Add teriyaki on top. I also add sriracha. Delish
She also makes really good squash, zucchini, corn mush (i call it mush haha) and i dont think thats anything special in it but its just so good when she makes it, I try and make it and its not the same
https://pin.it/6hch5df —sausage tortellini soup with spinach
https://pin.it/6JbWuiR—honey garlic chicken roast, I do this in my instant pot. It requires more prep, but it’s delicious.
https://pin.it/78t7fE4— instant pot homemade chicken noodle soup
https://pin.it/6aUcnyF— instant pot enchilada soup
most of the frozen meals I feel like are soup/stewish. But we love those!
What I normally do is choose a meal from our meal plan each week and double it up. Makes it easier for me then setting aside time to batch make. Last week it was veggie lasagna, this week it’s black bean enchiladas. I’ve got broccoli “chicken” cheddar rice casseroles, shepherds/cottage pies, baked cauliflower ziti, mushroom risotto and “chicken” pot pie already made. Chickens in quotes because I’m vegetarian and use the faux substitutes.
1 lb ground beef
1 can of tomatoes, corn, black beans
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 container of beef broth
Brown the beef and put all together until heated up
Top with sour cream, cilantro, and chips
Shepard’s Pie
1lb ground beef
1/2 yellow/white onion diced
1 bag frozen corn or 2 cans
5-6 big red potatoes
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sauté onions and add ground beef
Layer beef into an 8x8 pan
Add corn
Peel, boil and mash potatoes
Layer on top of corn
Added shredded cheese to potatoes and bake at 350 degrees until cheese is bubbly