craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,633
Jul 31, 2014 5:23:25 GMT
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Post by craftymom101 on Sept 8, 2019 23:11:34 GMT
Now that I’m working full time (yay!) I’m finding it more difficult to fit in cooking during the week. By the time I get home from work, change, get the kids started with their homework, it’s already dinner time. In the past I’ve done a lot of freezer cooking but I no longer have an extra freezer. I’m looking for a few meals to prep ahead of time that don’t take up a ton of space in the freezer. Does anyone have a few tried-and-true freezer recipes they are willing to share?
I’m not picky and my oldest will eat almost anything. My youngest is super picky but he either chooses to eat what I make or he is responsible for making something else.
I’m also looking for an easy freezer breakfast recipe for my kiddo. He loves breakfast and prefers a hot breakfast but I don’t always have the time to make something for him (and he has cereal).
Any suggestions are appreciated!
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Sept 8, 2019 23:24:15 GMT
I don't enjoy cooking, for me it's a chore. When I cook, I make a lot so can freeze individual portions that only need to be heated up.
Food I make then portion individually: Big batch of roasted vegetables. Bake boneless skinless chicken breast, then chop and shred. I like to mix it with hickory bbq sauce or honey-pineapple teriyake sauce I freeze hamburger patties, move to fridge in the morning, then they are ready for the George Foreman grill when I get home. Soup. Swedish Meatballs.
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basketdiva
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,619
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:09 GMT
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Post by basketdiva on Sept 8, 2019 23:30:34 GMT
I pre-cook ground beef and then package in small zip lock bags (take up less freezer and refrigerator room). Easy to make tacos, sloppy joes or spaghetti once you get home. I do the same with dice chicken so I can make a quick stir fry. I buy the tubs of chopped veggies , stir fry them, add the chicken and then any sauce I have on hand -teriyaki, sweet and sour, etc.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 0:25:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2019 23:30:42 GMT
I don't cook meals so much as meal prep on the week ends. Plain meats can be cooked ahead then divided and seasoned when you are ready to use them. Veggies can be sliced, diced or otherwise prepped ahead. So it is more assembling than outright cooking.
I like to scramble eggs, vegs, put in a tortilla, roll up and freeze. Then the day you want one pop in the micowave for 30 seconds and a hot breakfast is ready. Quick cook oats in the microwave are also good. You can make your own frozen pancakes/waffles.
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Post by lisae on Sept 8, 2019 23:45:48 GMT
I make meatballs and freeze. We used some today when DH's plans cancelled and suddenly I had to prepare a meal . Any recipe for meatballs works. I freeze them in batches using my Foodsaver. I use the meatballs with spaghetti or make gravy to go with them and serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. Sometimes I make extra chili and freeze that also.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 0:25:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2019 23:53:15 GMT
Prep on the weekend. Clean and cut vegetables, clean fruitss, and clean and store lettuce.
Oh and shred cheese.
I only freeze meatballs. So I do a double batch, cook, and freeze half after they have cooled.
I also keep homemade stock (chicken and vegetable) in the freezer. I can quickly make soup or use it for rice.
Other ideas are to roast a while chicken, have it that night and second the next night.
Vegetable stir fry with steamed rice is a quick filling meal.
Of course pasta with salad is a good quick meal.
You could also utilise a crock pot to cook meat while at work or an IP.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 19, 2024 0:25:10 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2019 23:54:43 GMT
I do a double batch of waffles and pancakes when I cook them on the weekend.
I also save and freeze muffins.
A waffle, pancake, or muffin with scrambled eggs and fruit is an easy breakfast.
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Post by lucyg on Sept 9, 2019 0:03:05 GMT
I cook a couple of lbs of ground beef with onion and garlic, then use half for dinner and freeze the other half. There is literally nothing I make with browned ground beef that doesn’t benefit from adding onions and garlic. So it’s safe for spaghetti, tacos, chili, soup, etc. as needed, and saves me a couple of steps on a weeknight. P.S. Just remembered ... Korean beef. I start with fresh beef for that one since the seasoning is a little different. I also buy a rotisserie chicken at Costco (they’re big and cheap, if you have a Costco nearby) or else roast one on my own almost every week. We can graze off the whole chicken, and when we get tired of it, I pull off the rest of the meat and freeze it in a ziplock bag (dated, because I always have several). So there’s always easy, already-cooked chicken available. It defrosts fast, too. It can go into soups, casseroles, chicken salad, etc. Plus I always keep a few boxes or pouches of rice mixes around. My brand/flavor change from time to time, but it’s currently Knorr’s broccoli cheese and Trader Joe’s something ... I think they’re both actually rice/noodle mixes. They cook in just a few minutes. On a bad night, I can pull out one of those, start it cooking, then add fresh veggies such as broccoli or zucchini or frozen peas while it cooks, and the cut-up chicken from my freezer at the end, since it just needs to heat through. I usually add some kind of cheese to the bowls, too ... Parmesan, cheddar, whatever works. Meal in a bowl, quick and easy, and the 10yo and I both like it.
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Post by lucyg on Sept 9, 2019 0:08:07 GMT
For breakfast, Pinterest is full of breakfast egg muffin things. It’s like a mini frittata with sausage, veggies ... recipes vary ... baked in muffin pans. You can freeze them for breakfasts all week. I keep pinning recipes but I’ve never actually made any.
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Post by Basket1lady on Sept 9, 2019 1:39:50 GMT
I’ve never had a separate chest freezer, so I plan my freezer space with precision! I always have browned ground beef in there, as well as baked, shredded chicken. I’ll roast chicken breasts on a sheet pan or I’ll put them in a crock pot with 1/2 cup of white wine and 1/2 cup of broth. When I make Burning Feather’s Italian Beef or pulled pork, I’ll make enough to freeze leftovers.
I’m allergic to onions and dairy, so I make almost everything from scratch, including broth. I’ll simmer it down until it’s super concentrated and then I’ll freeze it in ice cube trays. I’ll also freeze it flat in ziplock bags in 1 cup portions.
I don’t add any sauces to the meats that I premise because I use them for a variety of recipes. I do add broth to the zip bags to keep the meat moist.
When I make chili, jambalaya, soups, etc I also freeze those flat in zip bags in individual servings. We call them bag meals and that’s our version of take away, since I can’t eat most fast food or take out foods.
Be sure to remove all the air from the zip bags and use actually freezer bags. They are thicker and will withstand banging into other frozen foods. But I still thaw the bags in a bowl or on a plate—leaks can get messy!
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craftymom101
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,633
Jul 31, 2014 5:23:25 GMT
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Post by craftymom101 on Sept 10, 2019 3:47:38 GMT
Thanks everyone! You’ve given me some awesome ideas. I’m going to cook/bake/freeze a bunch this weekend for the following week.
My youngest is on a hot dog and macaroni kick lately and I’m sick of it... time to freeze a few meals for variety!
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Post by Linda on Sept 10, 2019 12:59:12 GMT
breakfast burritos are easy to make on a weekend, freeze, and microwave - eggs with your choice of cheese, ham, sausage, bacon - you can add hash browns/tater tots also No good ideas on freezer meals - although ground beef is easy to cook up in bulk and freeze in batches - I cook 5lbs in my crockpot. How important are traditional dinners to you? Because on busy nights we have 'easy' dinners here and some have become fast favourites. Salad - I buy the bags and add cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, cheese, hardboiled eggs and sometimes ham or cooked chicken or leftover chicken tenders and serve as a main dish we have what we call ploughmans almost every week - a loaf of italian or cuban or some other bakery rustic bread with butter, a couple of cheeses (lately we've been enjoying edam, a sharp cheddar, and whatever else looked good at the store), I slice up a tomato and a cucumber, toss some fruit on the table (fresh or tinned in juice or applesauce) and call it dinner. tonight we're having hot ham and swiss croissants www.tastesoflizzyt.com/hot-ham-and-swiss-croissants/ - and they are easy to make with a different meat or cheese
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Post by teacherlisa on Sept 10, 2019 14:01:54 GMT
I don't enjoy cooking, for me it's a chore. When I cook, I make a lot so can freeze individual portions that only need to be heated up. Food I make then portion individually: Big batch of roasted vegetables. Bake boneless skinless chicken breast, then chop and shred. I like to mix it with hickory bbq sauce or honey-pineapple teriyake sauce I freeze hamburger patties, move to fridge in the morning, then they are ready for the George Foreman grill when I get home. Soup. Swedish Meatballs. i love roasted veggies but have not had luck freezing them. What type of veggies do you roast/freeze? Any tips for cooking or freezing that you follow? Thanks!
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Sept 10, 2019 15:34:53 GMT
I have a recipe for a crustless quiche that freezes pretty good. I like to make a double batch of it in a 9x13 pan and freeze individual portions to re-heat later. It makes for a quick dinner / brunch, with fresh fruit and some toast.
(the recipe includes ham, red peppers, red onion, spinach, cheese, a bit of plain greek yogurt, and only enough eggs + egg whites to hold it all together.)
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