Freezer cooking is a great time and money saving way to prepare healthy meals for your family every day. If you’re new to freezer cooking you will probably have lots of questions, like what are the best family freezer meals or how you should even start the process? I have been freezer cooking for several years and it’s so easy now. I wanted to encourage anyone who may want to start freezer cooking. It gets easier over time and I think you’ll end up liking it. I’ve found that freezer cooking really helps save time throughout the week.
Here are 15 freezer cooking tips for beginners.
1. You can start small.
You don’t have to start with a plan to freeze 50 meals. You can start small by simply doubling a recipe you are making and freezing the extra portions.
2. Cook what you know in the beginning.
It’s easier to feel comfortable starting with what you know and like. If you like making spaghetti, double the spaghetti sauce and freeze some for later.
3. Buy in bulk.
This is one of the best things about freezer cooking; you can buy the ingredients you use the most in bulk. By freezing the food, you avoid leaving it for too long in the refrigerator and letting it get spoiled.
4. Look for sales.
If you find a great sale on a food you like to cook, and would be great to freeze, buy it then. You will save a lot of money, in the long run, if you buy items on sale.
5. Put sauces or soups in freezer zip lock bags.
If you put sauces or soups in a freezer zip lock bag you can take out the excess air, and freeze it flat. This saves a lot of room in the freezer because you can stack them on top of each other. Just be sure the bag is zip locked tightly, so to avoid a huge mess in the freezer.
6. Make a plan for each week.
You can make a plan for each week and choose one day to cook. That way you can have a weeks’ worth of meals frozen and ready to go.
7. Try different recipes.
Once you get the hang of freezer cooking, you can experiment with different recipes. You will be able to find new meals your family will enjoy.
Check out our 30 Freezer Meal Ideas for Busy Moms for Ideas!
8. Have the kids help.
Kids enjoy helping cook. They will have fun helping you wash veggies and mix ingredients together.
9. Store meals in disposable foil containers.
You don’t have to store your meals in your expensive Tupperware containers. You can buy disposable foil containers, which are inexpensive, and can be reused or thrown away.
10. Write food and date with apermanent marker.It is important to know the type of food that’s frozen, along with the date. A permanent marker will ensure it doesn’t smear off and will remain legible until you need it. It is also a good idea to write quick cooking instructions, for example, cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 375⁰.
11. It’s ok to freeze individual ingredients.
Cooking and freezing individual ingredients is an excellent time saver, as well. Grilled chicken breasts or browned ground beef are great frozen and are easy to add to many different recipes.
12. Avoid recipes with foods that don’t freeze well.
It is a good idea to steer clear from recipes that include foods that don’t freeze well, meaning that freezing changes the texture or taste. Examples of these foods are potatoes, celery, lettuce, or fried foods.
13. Pick recipes that are easy to multiply.
The easier it is to multiply a recipe, the more likely you are to have the time and patience to cook it, to freeze. You can set up your counter like an assembly line with your containers, and put the meals together, in an organized fashion.
14. You can prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals to freeze.
There are many different recipes for freezer cooking. If you are really pressed for time in the morning, freeze breakfast casseroles or other breakfast meals you family enjoys.
15. You can even prepare snacks and desserts to freeze.
You can even freeze snacks for the kids, or dessert for special meals, ahead of time. The options for freezer cooking are limitless.
Freezer cooking is all about preparation, using time wisely, and buying the food for the recipes in bulk, especially if they are on sale. You will appreciate the ease of freezer cooking for your family, once you have mastered this great way of cooking.
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