Freeze Meals? Yes, please!

by Stacey Casey


I tried my first batch of freezer meals with my friend, Wendy. I was pregnant with my daughter and as we later found out, she was pregnant with their son! It was an exhausting but such a fun day.

Wendy and I, with our husbands hanging out watching football, spent an entire day chopping veggies, cooking meat, simmering soups, writing labels and putting meals in the freezer. All the meals involved cooking ahead of time and then freezing. In the end, after a full 8+ hours in the
kitchen, we each went home with 10 meals - pretty good deal!

I would have done it again in a heartbeat prior to motherhood. But realistically, I didn’t have 8+ hours to spend in the kitchen anymore, especially for only 10 meals. And what exactly my daughter
would do during this process, I wasn’t quite sure.

Fast forward 2 years and my family and I arrive at Trinity. Ten months in, we decide I need
to take a different job and go back to teaching full-time. Freezing meals ahead of time became a must for our family’s survival, at least one that involved a somewhat balanced home-cooked meal before 10 p.m. each night.

Source

 So, I began my next freezer meal journey. And in that, I’ve  learned a few things. My husband, Josh, said, “wherever we end up next, I’ll give you a couple days a year to freeze meals, if you want.” He’s a big fan.

I’ll share what my process looks like. It will totally depend on personality, what you eat, how big your family is, how many meals you’d like to freeze but hopefully, it’ll help somebody get started.


My Freezer Meal Process:

1. Make a goal and a plan

Maybe your goal is to put 3 meals in the freezer for finals week or one  meal a week for the winter. Maybe it’s 20. For me, I’ve had to be ambitious. I do meals for a semester at a time now. Last go around, my goal was 50, but I only made 46 before school started. I’m hopeful it will last us until Christmas break, though.

Choose your recipes and make a shopping list. I like to double or triple (or half, depending on the recipe) almost everything. So I really only chose about 25 different dishes.
2. Schedule a time to shop, a time to prep, and a time to cook

I like to shop in the morning, with my daughter if I’m real organized (or alone, if possible), do some prep the night before and make meals like crazy the next day. I write or type all my labels for meals, write on freezer bags, etc the night before. My preference is then to organize by proteins. So I’ll cook all the chicken and get those in freezer, then move onto beef, etc.

3. Organize your freezer

I know a concern might be not having enough room to freeze meals but really you can fit more than you think. Organize your freezer and think about what you really use and need in there. Freeze gallon-sized bags flat and then stand up once they are frozen to make more room.

4. Enjoy!

During an unexpected crazy week or for a break once in a while, pull that meal out of your freezer and be grateful for your previous efforts. :) I like to meal plan once a week and pull everything out that I plan to use that week. Then I don’t think about what we’re having for dinner every day. It’s so nice to know the plan so whoever gets home first can turn the oven on and our meal is on its way!


Here are our family’s top 3 favorite freezer meals:


Ham, Broccoli, & Rice Casserole
(from the kitchen of my mother)
2 cups cooked rice
20 oz chopped broccoli (about 3 cups)
2 cups cheddar cheese (more or less, depending on taste)
½ lb sliced mushroom (optional)
1 can cream of celery or mushroom
1 cup mayo (more or less, depending on taste)
¼ tsp mustard
¼ tsp curry powder
¼-½ cup parmesan cheese
2 cups cubed ham

Mix and put into a 9x13 glass or aluminium foil container (divide into 2 or 3 meals, if desire). Sprinkle parmesan on top. Cover & freeze. To bake, thaw in fridge overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.


Sweet & Tangy Meatballs
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/02/10-slow-cooker-freezer-meals-in-less.html
1 (12 oz) jar chili sauce (homemade or store bought)
1 (16-18 oz) jar grape jelly
1 (2lb) package frozen meatballs.

Combine chili sauce and grape jelly until smooth. Place meatballs in a gallon-sized freezer bag with sauce mixture. Mix to coat meatballs. Zip closed.

When ready to eat, thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH 1-2 hours or LOW 3-4 hours in crock pot. Serve over rice.


Black Bean & Corn Salsa Chicken
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/02/10-slow-cooker-freezer-meals-in-less.html

2 (14 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14 oz) cans corn, drained (or frozen)
1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning
1 lb chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 cup water

Place all ingredients into re-sealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together in bag and zip closed. When ready to eat, thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or LOW 7-8 hours. When finished cooking, shred chicken. Serve over rice, with tortilla chips, over a salad, or wrapped
in tortillas. So many possibilities. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocado, tomatoes, etc.


My biggest piece of advice is don’t do the first batch alone. Find a friend, give me a call, have a small group cooking party - you get the idea. It’ll be a lot more fun, you can learn together and then with the first one under your belt, the next go around is much less intimidating.



Happy freezing and much love,

Stacey