Plan out the menu, shop and cook for a day? I'd like to stock my freezer full of good ready to bake meals for fall/winter. It is in an attempt to save money at the store and on pizza. We are so BAD about going down to get a hot $5 pizza for dinner and we usually buy 3 So If we go twice ( and believe me some weeks it is so many more times than that) It's in the $30-$45 range here. DONE.
30 day gourmet, it rocks! Welcome to 30 Day Gourmet's Freezer Cooking Online Manual. . . It is so helpful and lots of tips and tricks. It is really worth the money. But they also have lots of recipes on their website. Look it over if you have any questions pm me. I've done this before. I need to walk out the door right now but I'll have time later to tell you more.
30 day gourmet, it rocks! Welcome to 30 Day Gourmet's Freezer Cooking Online Manual. . . It is so helpful and lots of tips and tricks. It is really worth the money. But they also have lots of recipes on their website. Look it over if you have any questions pm me. I've done this before. I need to walk out the door right now but I'll have time later to tell you more.
I second the recommendation for 30daygourmet.com....I have a friend who's been doing OAMC for over 10 years and she thinks that site is the best....they even have a software for sale that will help you organize the ingredients, grocery lists, etc.
I'm hoping to do this the first week in September (dh gets a larger than usual check at the end of August). I'd love any advice from those that have been there and done this!
__________________
Jenn
homeschooling mama to my little brood...
~L (1997), M (2001), N (2004) and M (April 2007)~
Check your library for the book familymama suggested, I think it's fairly common. Instead of a whole month's worthy of meals, I have done just one type of meat, like chicken, and did 10 meals in a few hours. It was a lot less complicated than lots of different meats in one day but still gave me something to fill the freezer. Freezer meals almost felt too "heavy" to eat every day in the summer so it just worked for us.
I used to do once a month cooking, then I switched to once a month meat cooking. I found that if the meat was cooked, burger already browned, etc, cooking was a breeze. I try to keep a freezer full of cubed chicken, browned burger and pork/beef strips for stir fry.
In the summer months, I cook several days worth of meat on the grill. Like Sunday night I'll put on 2 packs of brats, 6 chicken breasts and a dozen meat kabobs or burgers. All warm up great and are ready to go for lunch or dinner.
If you do this, freeze cooked meat, it's important to give the containers a shake once in a while so they don't freeze into one big chunk.
I have been doing freezer cooking for the past 6 years or so. I would also highly recommend getting the 30daygourmet cookbook (or see if your library has a copy) as it is great. My other favorite for freezer cooking is Holly Clegg's cookbook for freezing meals. I have cooked from this alot and it is great. Healthy Recipe Cookbooks Television Cooks & Chefs Healthy Cooking Healthy Easy to Cook Recipes Trim & Terrific Healthy Cookbooks from HollyClegg.com When I started out I tried many times doing 30 days worth of meals at a time and honestyl would not go that route. I would either do a freezer cookign day geared towards a particular meat, like doing 10-12 beef meals or chicken meals or start on making 2 weeks worth of meals at a time instead of 30. I found that after doing 30 meals (many of them were duplicates) I honestly did not want to eat the food I cooked as I was a little tired of it, lol. I would also recommend getting a freezer cooking buddy and either cooking together or have one do the chicken meals and one do the beef meals and then get together and swap. I also am part of a cookbook on recipezaar where we have a cookbook full of freezer friendly meals Peoria Meal Deal Cookbook | Recipezaar
This was part of a meal swap group I participated in where each person would cook 7 of the same meal and then once a month we would swap them. This worked really well and some members doubled theirs and swaped doubles so they coudl fill their freezer faster.
One more thing...I have found that you should take a day to plan your meals, and write out your list. Then take a day to shop and prep your ingredintes (chopping veggies and stuff) and then the third day is for cooking and or assembling your meals. Do not try to rush it all and do it in the same day, lol, trust me!
__________________
(¨`v´¨) -;-
`v´ *¤·¸.·´¨¨) .· ´¨)
-;- ¸.·´ ¸.·´ ¸.·´
(_¸.·´ (_¸.·´`·.»
Blessings,
Amy
Mama to a great bunch of girls and one little prince!
I checked out that 30daygourmet site, and ordered the book.
I used one of the recipes they have listed as a sample recipe, and made the mashed potatoes... I took out 1.5cups and mixed it with chorizo for quesadillas tonight, and put the rest in the freezer for next week.
They came out great.
I have never been able to fully get into the oamc. I do however in the fall/winter do about 1-2 weeks worth in the freezer.It is really helpful during soccer season when we have practices all the time.
If I am making enchiladas for dinner I will double the recipe and make one for dinner and freeze another I do the same for lasagna as well. I also do the same with meat. I will double what I am cooking and use some for dinner and then freeze another portion. I have also learned to always have frozen pizza in the freezer.
__________________
Kelly Proud mommy and wife.
9-13-97
michael 1-95
samantha 10-99
nicholas 10-00
sunset in cancun (2006)
I couldn't find that book at the library so I'll order it. Thanks for mentioning shaking the container of meat while it's being frozen. this is why i don't precook and freeze meat, cause it takes just as long to thaw the big blob,as cooking it fresh
So If we go twice ( and believe me some weeks it is so many more times than that) It's in the $30-$45 range here. DONE.
So lets both try to win 
Linear Mode
