Freezing Tips

Compiled by Crystal Howarth, Some ideas taken from Girlfriends on the Go Cookbook by Suzie Roberts.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information, see Girlfriends on the Go Cookbook by Suzie Roberts, some of the following are from that book, along with my own ideas.

How long does it take to prepare 10 meals?
Anywhere from 1-2 hours, it really depends on the meal! If you don't have that time in a run, do it in shifts! For example, one day cook all the meat, the next, assemble all the rest. It sounds like alot of time - but really you have 6 days off of cooking and the mess of preparing!

How does it save you money?
1) Plan your meals around sales (check out Grocery Smarts for sales).
2)Your shopping list is simple, you don't need a bunch of stuff for 6 different meals, instead you buy 6 of the same thing.
3) You'll eat out less. It's hard for me to cook on Fridays and Saturdays, so we usually end up grabbing take out, this way I can have a Make-Ahead Meal.
4) You have less waste. I always end up buying something, using a little bit for a meal, and then wasting the rest (like cilantro, green onions, basil, etc).
5)You can get ingredients in bulk.

What are the benefits besides saving time and money?
Add variety. It's someone else's cooking - which sometimes tastes better when you don't have to prepare it. when sick days come - we don't get the day off, we still have to get dinner ready. Also it can help serve others by taking a meal to them  like sickness, just had a baby, etc.

What is the best way to thaw the Make-Ahead Meals since the directions are for when it's thawed?
For best results, let frozen meals thaw in the fridge for 24 hours, but I never think that far ahead! According to Suzie Roberts, "If [you're] cooking directly from frozen, bump up the temperature 50 degrees higher than the recipe states, and double the time. Check it periodically to make sure you are on target." Also you can use a crock-pot for some meals to let it cook all day.

What about picky eaters?
Let us know if there are any allergies so we can let the rest of the group know. Also if you have any preferences (ex: boneless chicken) we'll let everyone know. Sometimes kids like other's cooking because it's different (sometimes they don't!) This will introduce your kids to new foods you may not have cooked otherwise. It's important for people to try new things, an acceptance for food comes from having a variety of meals at a young age.