Make ahead ideas for the freezer - Page 2

deb5555 · ‎03-21-2010

@MyShadowLove wrote:
I always make more than enough of mostly everything I cook so that I can freeze for future meals....I'm not crazy about being in the kitchen to begin with...lol...so this makes it so much easier for me...I'm a good basic cook though as I like to eat healthy...Rainy weekend here, so I'm going to make a bunch of turkey meatballs and beef meatballs today...I made a great Mexican Chicken meal in the crockpot this week and froze half of it...I'm such a happy woman when I can just reach in the freezer for a healthy home-made meal and my husband is happy too, as I tend to get grouchy if I have to spend lots of time in the kitchen!...lol...My husband has his specialties that he likes to make also.

I use freezer bags for mostly everything, as I have yet to find a good container where freezer burn doesn't develop....any suggestions?

I use old glass jelly jars with lids to freeze soups, works great but be very care full not to heat up when they are frozen, let them thaw in the frig overnight. Fill them up 3/4 full so they have room to freeze and expand.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

My mom used to make her weeknight meals as much as possible on Sundays and either freeze or put them in the fridge. When I was single she would send my Dad over once a week with a load of packaged food for me for the week. Those were the days! I'd come home from work and there would be a fresh new load of food in my freezer.

MyShadowLove · ‎01-05-2015

@deb5555....Thanks for the suggestion about using glass jars to freeze food...I would never think to freeze anything in glass canning jars...As you mentioned, there are definitely precautions to take so that the glass doesn't break...I will google "glass freezing jars" and see what I come up with.

~~Formerly known as "WildFlowers"~~

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

I make three varieties of soup within several days, several types of pasta sauce, meatballs, etc., and when I buy steak at Costco, I cook and freeze the extra(s) to use in tacos at another time. I also puree basil and add extra virgin olive oil, then freeze in small containers or baggies to add to soups and sauces. If there is a lot of pasta left over from a meal, I may freeze for use later on, but usually, there isn't enough left.

Last year, I made several pasta dishes and froze them as we were to undergo remodeling of the kitchen, now finished, and they certainly were appreciated during that turmoil.

I have made pulled pork and froze a lot in separate baggies for us in tacos, burritos, etc., so I think most things can be frozen, others cannot as they lose integrity.

mousiegirl · ‎03-09-2010

@MyShadowLove wrote:
I always make more than enough of mostly everything I cook so that I can freeze for future meals....I'm not crazy about being in the kitchen to begin with...lol...so this makes it so much easier for me...I'm a good basic cook though as I like to eat healthy...Rainy weekend here, so I'm going to make a bunch of turkey meatballs and beef meatballs today...I made a great Mexican Chicken meal in the crockpot this week and froze half of it...I'm such a happy woman when I can just reach in the freezer for a healthy home-made meal and my husband is happy too, as I tend to get grouchy if I have to spend lots of time in the kitchen!...lol...My husband has his specialties that he likes to make also.

I use freezer bags for mostly everything, as I have yet to find a good container where freezer burn doesn't develop....any suggestions?

@MyShadowLove I use Lock & Lock to freeze soups and sauces.