Freezer Meals.

[Martivir]

I need some ideas and tips for some freezer meals. All I know is that cheese sauce and lasagna freeze well. DH offered to grab anything I need on his lunch break. I'm hoping to get a few weeks worth of meals. 

[MarleyKeezy78]

Chili freezes well and you could make home made chicken pot pies, taco meat freezes well too!

[NancysSummerSip]

Beef stew freezes well, with or without veggies. I use decent stew beef, carrots, onions and potatoes.

[chiver78]

soups and stews freeze pretty well too. potatoes don't tend to survive the process intact, but you can still taste them just fine.

tonight I'm portioning out most of a batch of gazpacho I made over the weekend for the freezer. I didn't get through hardly any of it the past couple days. soup doesn't always have to be hot

pulled pork or chicken, tomato sauces, baked macaroni and cheese. those all freeze well too.

[Deleted]

I've kind of got out of the swing of it lately, but I used to cook all day on Sunday, freeze it, then be done for the week.

Chili, enchiladas, meatloaf, lasagna, browned hamburger (or taco meat), pretty much any kind of casserole, dairy bake potatoes, tater tot hot dish, shredded pork or chicken...

[muttleynfelix]

Meals I've made and froze in the last 6 months:
Lasagna
Baked Penne with Sausage (I was not impressed, either the first time or second time )
Chicken Rotel (actually gave that to a friend who had surgery because it is too spicy for DS)
Taco Lasagna
Mexican Chicken Pasta (suppose to be Mexican chicken manicotti, but stuffing shells isn't my idea of a good time)
Meatloaf
Ham Balls
Chicken Cordon Bleau Casserole
Baked Linguini with Meat Sauce

The thing I do is on a Saturday if I'm making a meal that freezes well, I make 2 of them. It adds anywhere less than 15 minutes of work to double up the recipes. I've also divide them in half and freeze half. 

Other things to do - I'll get a big package of Ground Chuck and brown it and then freeze the browned ground beef in 1lb packages.  It saves time doing tacos or even the dreaded Hamburger helper.   I'll also freezer some raw patties - just thaw and place on the George Forman.  

[muttleynfelix]

Oh, if someone is going to be home at lunch, it opens up a whole new list of things you can cook in the crockpot that only take 4 hrs to cook - like tater tot casserole, Lasagna ... it has been a while, so I'm not remember what else only took 4 hrs to cook in the crockpot, but you can make a lot of things in it.  Prep them the night before and put it all prepped in the fridge. Then take it out and plug it in when you are ready to go.

[Tiny]

I freeze things like pesto in an icecube tray. I also roast up to 10 heads of garlic at a time and use the ice cube tray again.

I do different kinds of pesto - kale, garlic scape, regular basil pesto.

The cubes are very versitile. I'll cook up some pasta on one night and then use that pasta for several different meals prepared from stuff in the freezer - pasta, chicken broth, some fresh or frozen veggies = soup, pasta and a pesto cube (or roasted garlic cube mixed with softened butter or EVOO) = main course.
Use a pesto cube or roasted garlic cube and some crusty bread to make "garlic bread".
Mix a pesto cube or roasted garlic cube with some fresh chopped roma tomatos, onion, cuke and you've got a side dish (or add some cubed chicken and you've got a main course 'salad').

Basically, you plan your weekly meals about the bits and peices you have in the freezer and then add some 'fresh' ingredients to them to create different meals.

[Tiny]

Tips for freezer storage: some masking tape and sharpie pen make it easy to label each and every thing you put in the freezer.

I also found aluminum pans with 'waxed cardboard' lids (like the fast food places use) at stores like Deals or Family Dollar or a Party Store. I've found these convenient - but then I don't use alot of them - maybe 6 to 8 each year. I'm single so 4 servings in one of those containers is a 'week of dinners' for me.

I like the higher quality zippy bags - ie ZipLoc or Glad versus the dollar store or aldi brand. The zipper isn't the problem - the thickness of the plastic is the issue. Air is the enemy when it comes to keeping frozen foods "good". Most plastic storage bags are air permiable.

I also save up the plastic liners from cereals and boxed crackers - those bad boys are made to be air tight to keep the contents fresh! I either slip containers into the bags and seal with some masking tape or I cut open the bags and use them like I would wax paper or aluminum foil. Everything also gets put into a Zippy Bag and then into the freezer. Air is the Enemy!

The plastic liner bags keep my homemade hamburgers and meatloaf in tip top condition in the freezer. I swear by them.

[Deleted]

You might want to google freezer slow cooker meals.  You freeze all the ingredients in a ziploc and then it in your slow cooker.  The veggie colors are going to be blah but it's easier. 

[chiver78]

Tiny - re: freezer bags and air - 

one of the things I've found success with is spending a little more for very good freezer bags in the gallon size. I will then portion out servings of whatever I'm freezing into whatever smaller bags I have on hand. I get as much air out of the little bag as possible, write the date on the portion, and load up the gallon bag. I write the contents on the gallon bag, and just keep re-using it as long as possible. it seems to work pretty well for me, maybe give that a shot?

[toomuchreality]

Jun 5, 2013 11:17:27 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Tiny - re: freezer bags and air - 

one of the things I've found success with is spending a little more for very good freezer bags in the gallon size. I will then portion out servings of whatever I'm freezing into whatever smaller bags I have on hand. I get as much air out of the little bag as possible, write the date on the portion, and load up the gallon bag. I write the contents on the gallon bag, and just keep re-using it as long as possible. it seems to work pretty well for me, maybe give that a shot?

  I do this too. ↑ ↑ ↑

I have a seal a meal type thing, that removes the air from bags and seals them too, but don't always use it. I have found that I'm much more likely to use it  however, if I don't have to dig it out of the cupboard every time I want to use it. So now it lives on top of my microwave.

If it's the premade stuff you're looking for, Stouffer's are my favorite TV dinner/prepared meal. Marie Calander's are a close second. I was very disappointed in Boston Market meals. Hormel makes a good meatloaf, I think.


Good luck!

[thyme4change]

I make a turkey meatball that has mozzarella cheese in the middle, and then is rolled in Panko and baked.  (Like chicken parmigiana, but not.)  It is awesome.  I could see how you could bake them for a bit, then freeze them, and then take them out and bake them.  I serve the meatballs with jarred spaghetti sauce, bread, a salad and a vege, so you would still need to cook, but the main dish would be done.  Cooking a vege and throwing together a salad takes no time.  Jarred sauce can be microwaved - but make sure you cover the bowl.  

[Tiny]

Jun 5, 2013 11:17:27 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

Tiny - re: freezer bags and air - 

one of the things I've found success with is spending a little more for very good freezer bags in the gallon size. I will then portion out servings of whatever I'm freezing into whatever smaller bags I have on hand. I get as much air out of the little bag as possible, write the date on the portion, and load up the gallon bag. I write the contents on the gallon bag, and just keep re-using it as long as possible. it seems to work pretty well for me, maybe give that a shot?

I already do this andI too have had good luck with it!  My 'frozen cubes' go into sandwich zippy bags from the $1.00 store and then a bunch of them go into a gallon ZipLoc freezer bag.   I do the same thing with peppers (green, yellow, red, orange) - one cut up pepper per sandwich zippy then a bunch of the them into a ZipLoc freezer bag.    Works great!   I reuse the gallon ZipLoc bag in the freezer - the sandwich bags get re-cycled for kitty litter.  

[Sam_2.0]

I second the freezer crockpot prep. all raw ingredients into a bag & freeze. The day of cooking just cut the bag open, put the frozen hunk in the crockpot, and turn it on. I used the list of recipes from here: www.mamaandbabylove.com/2011/04/05/freezer-cooking-with-slow-cooker-recipes/. There are a ton of others out there as well. I need to get some things together and do another big batch for the freezer.

[deantrip]

Most meat and rice casseroles seem to freeze pretty well, quick and easy and very filling.

[busymom]

Meatloaf is a favorite at our house.  Other things that freeze well (I just did this today!) is bake up a chicken or turkey.  Once the meat is cooked & frozen, it thaws easily & is ready to serve. 

[tcu2003]

I've done lasagna, enchiladas, meatloaf, porcupine meatballs, spaghetti casserole, tator tot casserole and a turkey rice dish. Also, soups and stews and chili (those I tend to freeze in individual portion containers).

[chiver78]

Jun 5, 2013 21:00:50 GMT -5 busymom said:

Meatloaf is a favorite at our house.  Other things that freeze well (I just did this today!) is bake up a chicken or turkey.  Once the meat is cooked & frozen, it thaws easily & is ready to serve. 

I freeze a lot of cooked poultry (leftover roast turkey, rotisserie chicken, etc) in the form of the small pieces you get toward the end of disassembling the carcass. I find I can throw the big chunk of pieces into whatever frozen - usually a Bertolli, sometimes my own - meal I'm quick-cooking in the skillet, or I can thaw it out to be already cut up for any other recipes.

I've never frozen larger pieces, like a whole turkey breast. have you? how does that come out on the other side of thawing?

[busymom]

If larger pieces are wrapped well, they seem to thaw out just fine.  (Of course, I don't leave them in the freezer too long, like a year.) 


You are correct that I tend to take the carcass apart before freezing.  It's just easier to cook up & serve smaller pieces.

[marvholly]

I am single, HATE to cook 3x/day, 7 days/week, cannot afford too many meals out so I batch cook & freeze a LOT!!

All soups-clam chowder, chicken, beef/veg/barley are in my freezer right now.
Lentil dishes (stew & lentils w/kale in freezer)
Ground meat dishes freeze well - salsbury steak, meat loaf (do mine in muffin tins), meat balls
LARGE batches of chicken - either whole & pkg in portions or quarters. Plan to do mesquite BBQ legs this weekend since legs are on sale.

[wvugurl26]

I use Glad's Press n Seal wrap and then put them item in a freezer Ziploc. They make a freezer version of the wrap but I can't find it anywhere. I buy big packs of chicken breast and I'll grill some and slice them up for quick meals later. I've also frozen homemade burritos and calzones.

[Martivir]

I made macaroni and cheese to start. I'll make more meals this weekend. The frozen slow cooker meals sound good but I'm making them for my grandmother so everything will be in individual portions. I should also check some of my cookbooks now that I think about it. DH is always commenting on how I own no less than a dozen and make the same 7 or 8 meals all the time. 

[marvholly]

mativir

Another site to check is once a month cooking. Since she does MAJOR cooking only 1x/month all her stuff freezes well.

[raeoflyte]

These threads remind me that I am picky. There are very few meals that I like after they've been frozen. It becomes a texture issue.

I have my best luck with freezing meal starters. Browned ground beef, cooked chicken, spaghetti sauce, hamburger pattys, etc. It makes prep time a lot faster, but I still end up liking dinner.

For actual meals potato burritos are still good after being frozen.

How often do you see your mom, and what foods does she like? Does she have a toaster oven?

[Deleted]

I freeze a lot of cooked poultry (leftover roast turkey, rotisserie chicken, etc) in the form of the small pieces you get toward the end of disassembling the carcass. I find I can throw the big chunk of pieces into whatever frozen - usually a Bertolli, sometimes my own - meal I'm quick-cooking in the skillet, or I can thaw it out to be already cut up for any other recipes.

I've cooked up a large pork butt or roast - 3 to 5 lbs - in the oven.  Basic seasoning like garlic, salt & pepper, maybe a little wine or lemon.  Cook until tender, shred, and freeze in 1 lb bags.  Then I can make pulled pork, chilaquiles, tacos, etc. really easily.