Catch me tomorrow morning on WTHR Weekend Sunrise at 7:45 AM! Here’s a sneak peek of some of the money saving tips I’ll share.
Your time is SO valuable. As we barrel into the spring, it’s a great idea to think ahead about busy nights where your ability to prepare meals becomes a matter of seconds rather than minutes. I’ve said it before, more people struggle financially when it comes to eating than any other area. So to keep you out of the drive thru and the looney bin, here are some of my favorite tips for freezing meals ahead of time.
1) Think Outside of the Casserole. I love a good Frozen Mexican Lasagna or Pasta Dish any day of the week {Spoiler: I’ll have recipes up for both this week on Queen of Free}, however, some of my greatest success in freezer cooking comes from grilling and then freezing. Especially in the spring and summer months, I love to take a bag of frozen boneless skinless chicken, let it dethaw in marinade all day {you can even do that right in the bag it comes in and salad dressing makes great easy marinade mmm Honey Italian or Poppy Seed}. The grill the chicken, use part of it for dinner and chop the rest up in strips and freeze in individual bags or containers. You will then have great protein for fajitas, salads, pasta, or even sandwiches.
2) Double Up. If you have the time and ingredients to make a dish for dinner, consider making double the amount so that you can feed your family and freeze a meal for the weeks to come. You’ll already be in cooking mode and it will take less brain power that cooking several meals at once.
3) Find a Friend & a Resource. Don’t make the experience of freezer cooking pure drudgery. Plan a day to cook with a friend or a group of friends. The time will fly and you can share resources, too. You can bring your own recipes and ingredients or divide the expense. And there are plenty of great books, websites, and recipes floating around the internet. Check out some of my favorites on my Pinterest Board: brrr . . . it’s cold in here: freezer meals.
4) Think Side Dishes, Not Full Meals. You can easily make a potato side dish that will save you a bundle over a pre-packaged one. Here’s a simple recipe I use – 3 potatoes, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 1 T of Olive Oil, 4 pieces of whole garlic, 1-2 t of seasoning. It’s not fancy, only takes a matter of minutes and you’ll have a side dish lickety split. {We’ll demo this}. You do an even easier Roasted Sweet Potato Dish with 3-4 chopped Sweet Potatoes, 1 T of Olive or Canola Oil, & salt to taste. Shake it up in the bag, lay flat in the freezer {don’t forget to write what it is on the bag}. Bake at 375 for ~30 minutes or until browned and smelling yummy.
What are some of your favorite ways to freeze and plan for meals ahead of time?
[…] be sure to check out the written tips, too! I rarely squeeze in all I have to share. And yesterday morning was no exception. You can […]