Meals That Freeze Well

To add to the list,
Meatloaf
Meatballs
Sloppy Joes
Breaded Chicken Strips, which you can cook from frozen 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees
Marinate chicken/beef and freeze it, then thaw the day before and cook.
Lasagna
Baked Ziti
Chili
Taco meat
Don't forget some cookie dough too!

Congrats on number two! Don't forget to make smaller serving sizes for lunches. I don't think I ate lunch for three months after my second one, unless cold oatmeal from breakfast counts! If you are really organized, try writing up a months menu for yourself/hubby that way you won't have to think about. I never did this, but I wish I had.

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You could try ordering the cook book "The Big Cook". All of the recipes are for freezing, and they are good.

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Also check out www.savingdinner.com. You have to buy the recipes in bundles, but they're not very expensive and the recipes that we tried were pretty good. Thanks for asking the question, I'm in the same situation and loved reading the responses. Good luck!

You could try www.savingdinner.com. They have freezer "meals" that you can make. It does cost to get the recipes, but it is really inexpensive and they give you a shopping list and everything. I have purchased several different ones. Really, it is just for the meat portion of your meal, but they are never too time consuming to cook or anything. I recommend at least checking it out. Plus, they may have a some recipes to try for free.

I found this site: http://www.momsbudget.com/freezercooking/index.html
It looks very helpful.

What a great idea and yay for you for being so prepared! Wish I could be as prepared for my every day life...LOL. Anyway, some things I like to freeze and that do well are lasagna, spaghetti sauce, soups, and taco or sloppy joe meat already prepared. Just thaw, warm up and serve! And for those requiring side dishes, usually a can or bag of veggies and a loaf of bread work well. And I'm sure hubby can handle boiling the noodles for spaghetti! Best of luck to you!

I did this when I was preparing for the birth of my first. I had a week to cook before she was born and I wasn't working. This time worked out ok cause I didn't have any other kids and I was nesting, LOL!!

I used once-a-month cooking cookbook that my mom had. It also gave tips for efficient cooking and shopping as well as a summary of the processes for each recipe. Most pastas freeze well, as do soups. Be careful of potatoes as they can turn black. They are still edible, but not very appetising. I also use www.allrecipies.com.

Some of our favorities are:
Chicken Packets
Hearty Hamburger Stew
Lemon Chicken
Turkey Vegetable Burgers
Chicken Tetrazzini

This was such a lifesaver as we lived where we didn't have anyone to help with meals, etc. If you want any specific recipies, feel free to message me and I can quickly send them. Good luck with number 2!

H. L.

Check out www.homemadegourmet.com We are all about prepping meals for the freezer ready to go into the slow cooker!!! And it is MUCH cheaper than Dinner by Design etc.

You could try Dinner by Design (www.dinnerbydesignkitchen.com) or Dream Dinners. No, I do not work for either company *chuckle*, but I have been going to Dinner by Design for over a year now and it has made my life so much easier. Typically you assemble the meals yourself but I know Dinner by Design also has a 'take and bake' freezer so you could just go there and pick up a bunch of easy-to-prepare items to put in the freezer. Good luck!

And yes, it does cost more to use a program but you do nothing but pick it up and put it in the freezer. Kind of a nice benefit when you're 8-9 months pregnant and busy worrying about other things.

I did just that before the birth of my son because I am a single mom and was worried about having time to cook with a infant at home all by myself -- I made lasagna, a couple of soups, chili, and spaghetti sauce. I actually even froze it into 1 or 2 portions in ziploc freezer bags. Any casserole would probably work well too.

lasagna, also spagetti sauce, chilli, make some hamburger patties ahead and freeze them up, cook up a roast and put it in several packages, makes good b.b.q, or open fgace sandwiches, meatloaf, just a few things.

Congrats on #2!
I am a Pampered Chef consultant, and offer "Power Cooking" shows - teaching how to make multiple meals to freeze. I have posted some of the recipes on my website (these use a pound of cooked chicken each. They make a lot of food, so you will probably have leftovers when you heat one up.
go to www.pamperedchef.biz/jennifergfisher
then go to News and Power Cooking
Another great recipe in our "29 Minutes to Dinner" cookbook is Enchilada Casserole
Brown a pound of ground beef or turkey (we prefer turkey), add 1/2 c. chunky salsa, a can of enchilada sauce and 1/2 c. water (recipe also calls for P.C's Southwest Seasoning" but turns out well without it).
Cook mix for a few minutes and layer it with strips of corn tortillas and cheese. Micro for about 3 minutes (until cheese is melted). I made this the day I came home with my 2nd Daughter. It is so easy and yummy.
Good Luck!

Lasagna
Stuffed shells
Homemade pizzas (or just the crust w/sauce)
Soups
Casseroles
Chili
Pinto beans
Homemade pasta sauces
Stir-fry w/noodles
Muffins/Breads- sweet and savory

Prepped veggies and fruits (strawberries, peaches, squash, etc. Blanch veggies first though.)

You check the library for books on this. I did find this link

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections...

M.

I make huge amounts of chili when I make it, and freeze half for later. I do the same whenever I make soup. I also sometimes freeze Mostaccoli Bake for later. It's easier to make than lasagna, just boil the noodles, put in a 9+13 pan with sauce, add cooked meat and/or vegetables if you choose, then top with mozzarella cheese. It can now go straight to the oven OR freezer, and you can use disposeable pans to make clean-up easier.

I don't eat red meat, so I actually make all these recipies using the soy crumbles by MorningStar or Boca. These don't need to be cooked first, so I can just dump them in when making spaghetti, mostaccoli, tacos, etc... they heat right up and I can skip the "browning" step.

Any meat will freeze fine too, so if you make turkey, ham or roast beef, and have enough left over for a second meal, these can go right into the freezer as well.

Enjoy that new baby!

There's a great book you might check out at the library called "Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer" and in addition to recipes it has tips on the best way to freeze things to save space and food quality. I've been freezing meals for a little bit now as we're expecting our third any day now! Best wishes.

The book "Frozen Assets" had some good meal plans and recipes for freezing. I use several of their recipes quite frequently.