I am starting a little something new here. Every Tuesday I hope to leave you with a quick tip to help simplify your busy life.
Today I am going to share one of my favorite ways to have “emergency” freezer food on hand.
We try, emphasis on the try 🙂 to eat healthy. And I think we all know that pre-made foods are not very healthy. So that leaves me making dinner or heating up leftovers most evenings for dinner.
The fastest way to have healthy meals on short notice is to think ahead. Are you making meat-balls or meat-loaf for dinner? Double, or triple the recipe and freeze. I don’t even cook them a lot of times, I just form the meat into balls or a loaf, quick freeze on a cookies sheet and then pop the frozen meat-balls or meat-loaves into a zip-lock bag and into the freezer. Tada! Now when I get home late or don’t have much time to cook I can have these out thawing ahead of time, pop them in the oven and dinner is served!
Another thing to think about, soups and casseroles are easy to make in large quantities and freeze very nicely as well.
Also, if there is that new mother in your church, or you know some one who could use a helping hand. Having food pre-made in your freezer makes it super-dooper, easy-peasy to lend a helping hand.
Want the recipe for the meat-loaf pictured above? Here you go; Fluffy Meat Loaf.
I definitely need to work on planning ahead! I’m sure it would save SO much trouble during the week!
That works great until you have fridge/freezer problems like we are having. Still waiting on the building owner to give the OK to fix/replace the fridge. Glad it wasn’t too full of stuff. LOL!
Hey, do you know hurricane season just started for the Pacific region, I’m not sure if it’s the same for the Atlantic, but this is a perfect way to start stocking up. Of course it won’t last forever but hopefully, by the time one works through a freezer full of food Hurricane relief has come along and made everything all better. Or you one can just hunker down and start in on the canned goods. =)
Aloha,
Loving the new layout. And the quick tips too.
xoxo,
Nicole
localsugarhawaii.com
In a hurricane I think the canned goods would be the better option 🙂
The fall we got married there was one crazy enough to blow storms clear to Ohio, most lost their electricity for at least a day.
You have SUCH helpful things on this blog of yours girl!! I love coming and visiting every day!!! Can’t wait to try your meatloaf!
We sometimes freeze finished meals, but what I really find convenient is freezing ingredients in handy amounts for recipes. It allows us to stock up when those ingredients are in season or on sale, and then they are ready to use (some don’t even need to be thawed before cooking) weeks or months later.
We do usually make “planned leftovers” which I take for my lunches at work. Since we have only the freezer above the refrigerator (not a deep freeze) we usually refrigerate rather than freeze these and eat them within a few days. Sometimes I will plan a meal with one component whose leftovers can be used in another meal–like we have rice as a side dish, and then the next day I make a casserole that calls for cooked rice.
That’s awesome! Sounds like you are very organized.
I freeze cooked rice, marinated meat, breads and muffins. I love my freezer.
Freezers are awesome! Until the electric goes off that is.
My best tips are partial final products. For instance I’ll freeze cooked ground beef or grilled chicken when I have a good deal then that much of the work is done towards tacos, etc.
I will have to keep that in mind. I can think of a number of times that having browned hamburger would be a wonderful time saver!
When you make meatloaf freezer meal, once you form the loaf what are the steps from there to freeze, thaw, & cook.
If I freeze meat loaf or meatballs, the process is basically the same. I freeze on cookie trays first, then seal in freezer bags. To thaw, I place in the fridge or on the counter and thaw just like I would plain hamburger. Then I bake according to the recipe instructions. Hopefully that helps 🙂