You know, my to-do-before-Sam-gets-here-list is never going to get done if I don't stop adding things to it... story of my life! And one project I've added to the list is to get some freezer meals prepared and put away. I'm not making a big production of it... not like a full day of cooking up fabulous recipes or anything. Don't have the energy for that! Nor do I really care to do that at this point. But as I'm cooking our regular dinners here and there, I'm doubling or tripling what I usually make and freezing what we don't eat into several meals for later. Like the other night, the hub made a big double batch of turkey chili. We usually eat maybe 2/3 or so of one batch in a night. So I divided up what we didn't eat into two freezer meals for later. Easy!
Tonight I'll do the same with taco meat. I'm sure some of our friends and family will spoil us with food and whatnot when we first get home with Sam, but it will be nice to know we have a variety of backup meals on hand that are all but ready-to-eat when the last thing we'll want to do is cook! I have a short list of several meals I'm going to put together over the next couple of weeks - but I'm not going to stress over it. If I get to it, great! If not - no big. Others I plan to do are chicken pot pie (cook the chicken, mix in the pie "innards" so that all I need to do is add crust and bake), chicken taco stew (an easy crockpot recipe that will freeze well), and spaghetti (just the sauce). I may also mix up a turkey meatloaf and freeze that. Haven't made that in forever because it just sounded gross throughout most of my pregnancy. It still does not sound all that appealing, but maybe I'll feel differently afterward? I have a great chicken noodle soup recipe too... would that freeze well, minus the noodles? Hmmm...
So, any other easy ideas to consider for freezing? Emphasis on EASY. I'm not looking for some amazing new recipe to try. But you know... is there something you love that freezes really well and is easy to prepare ahead of time? We are not picky eaters. I just don't have a lot of energy to be super creative right now! So leave me your ideas if you have any I should try. That are easy. With few ingredients. That can be found at normal stores. THANKS!!!
10 comments:
I don't have a recipe but my go to for quick vegetables are the steamer pouches, LOVE them!!! They taste good and are easy!!
So excited for you, I always appreciate reading the updates!!!
Thanks, Charbelle. Yep that reminds me to add those to my grocery list! I also plan to get a few of those Bertolli (and the like) meals to have on hand. They have some good ones that are pretty low-cal and not TOO overloaded with sodium. We like to add in extra frozen veggies to make them a little more hearty. Good stuff!
That's smart. I wish I did that before Landon was born. We have family bring over plenty of meals, but it would have been nice to have freezer stuff once those ran out. We did a lot of takeout which isn't the healthiest
I LOVE enchiladas: http://www.copykat.com/2011/05/23/chicken-cream-cheese-enchiladas/
I use a recipe almost identical to this one and it usually fills 1-9x13 or 2-8x8 pans. I just put it all together, pour the sauce over the top and put 'em in the freezer for later. If you don't have chili powder or cumin, 1 tsp (or more!) of taco seasoning is perfect. You can also sub out the sour cream for non-fat plain yogurt and non-fat cream cheese holds up great, too!
Enchiladas/burritos- including breakfast. Sometimes I make breakfast burritos for dinner (tortilla, scrambled eggs, cheese, bacon or sasuage, chives - roll up and heat) and double to freeze them. Wrap indiv in plastic wrap and stick in a bag in the freezer. To heat, unwrap and cover with a just moist paper towel and microwave for a min. Easy to eat w one hand on the go or mid of night feedings. Also, if you have fav crockpot meals, make them but in zip baggies. Then freeze. They freeze flat so don't take up much space. The day before you want to use, defrost in fridge. The dump into your crockpot as normal. And just about every soup I make, I freeze in indiv servings. Make a great lunch or dinner when I am tired and lazy.
I clearly have a love affair going on w my freezer.
I promise to ship your stuff and Cmas gifts in the next day or two. I was waiting for the Cmas part to finally arrive so I could finish it.
KK
Oh but try not to eat much that is gassy like broccoli and cabbage. It's hard on baby tummies when you breast feed. Also, about half my momma friends have to cut out dairy the first four mos so just warning you that it might happen.
So nice to meet you just found your beautiful blog and so happy I did. I have enjoyed looking around and I'm now following you, if you find a spare minute hope you visit me sometime and follow back so nice to meet new friends. Sending you special wishes for a wonderful New Year I’m looking forward to keeping in touch in 2012.
Always Wendy
Stouffer's makes some great frozen entrees that are both convenient and reasonably-priced - and they stack well in the freezer!
Can't wait to see Sam when he makes his arrival!!!
Just read that Sam arrived. Congratulations and best wishes to the family!!
Read on PPC that Sam is here!!!! Congrats!!! Hope all is well for both of you and can't wait to hear the details. Saying a quick prayer of thanks to a wonderful God!!
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