What to freeze your meals in:
- Freezer Bags: when possible i.e. for Soups, Sauces, and non-layered casseroles. Squeeze as much air out, label it, then lay the bag flat in the freezer to provide quick freezing and take up less room.
Disposable Pans: Make sure to cover dish tightly with foil (if there's tomato sauce, cover in plastic wrap and then foil). These can be bought for about 25 cents each at dollar stores or in bulk.
Cooking Meat in Bulk
- Ground Beef: Crumble 3-4 lbs on large cookie sheet with sides. Preheat oven to 425 and bake for 20 min or no longer pink. Put meat in colander under hot water to rinse of extra grease. Another way is to place ground beef in boiling water and boil until no longer pink, then rinse in a colander as well.
- Chicken: A large slow cooker will do 10-12 breasts at a time. Put them in with 1 cup of water and cook on medium for 2-3 hours.
- Roasts: Use a large slowcooker for 1-2 roasts. Cook on medium overnight.
Flash Freezing:
Sometimes you need to flash freeze items such as meatballs or chicken - anything where you don't want the individual items to stick together. To Flash freese - place items spread out on a cookie sheet, put in freezer. As soon as they are no longer soft, they can be placed in a bag together to go into the freezer.Foods that May Not Freeze Well:
- If making enchiladas, freeze them seperate from the top sauce or else they will get mushy. Put the sauce that tops the enchiladas in a small freezer bag and freeze along with the meal.
- Need cooked rice or pasta for your recipe? undercook it or else it will get mushy from freezing then thawing.
- Use frozen hashbrowns instead of fresh potatoes.
- Sauces with sour cream, cream cheese, and cream will freeze fine but you will need to whisk sauce when it is thawed because it might separate.
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