How to Start Freezer Prepping/Cooking

Starting to freezer prep/cook can seem like an overwhelming task, so here are some tips for getting started without going insane.

#1 - Buy chicken/pork chops in bulk/on sale, cut off the fat, and portion it into freezer bags. Then you can just pull out the amount you need for a recipe instead of a whole pack of frozen chicken.

#2 - Buy ground beef in bulk/on sale and portion into freezer bags and flatten. Then you can just pull out the amount you need for a recipe instead of a whole pack of beef. Plus the thinner the bag, the quicker they thaw out.

#3 - Cook a bunch of chicken in the crockpot, cool, shred, and portion into freezer bags. Then you can just pull out the amount you need for a recipe and quickly assemble. I like to use this in casseroles, chicken pastry, chicken salad, chicken tacos, soups, etc. My way of doing it is for each pound of chicken, I put in salt, pepper, a bouillon cube, and a cup of water. I cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours.

#4 - Cook a bunch of homemade spaghetti sauce, cool, and portion into freezer bags. I flatten them out so they thaw quickly. Then you just pull out what you want, cook up some pasta, and you have a yummy homemade dinner. You can do spaghetti, baked ziti, lasagna, etc with the sauce. I like to make my sauce with olive oil, garlic, ground beef, onions, bell peppers, carrots, zucchini, spinach, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce. Then you have a very nutritious, filling, homemade sauce that only required thawing and heating.

#5 - Prep meatloaves, burgers, Salisbury steak, etc before you freeze into freezer bags (again, very thin). Then you just have to thaw, cook, and eat. No prep mess. :) And you have all the heavy lifting done. Just make some sides and you are good to go.

#6 - Marinate meats and freeze. Then you just have to thaw and cook. It gets double marinated in the freezing and thawing process as well. 

#7 - Throw all of the ingredients for a crockpot recipe into a freezer bag. Then you just thaw and put in the crockpot and you have dinner with no prep and one pot to clean up.

#8 - When you are making a recipe that can easily freeze, make a couple of extras and freeze for later. One mess to clean up.

I hope these tips have been helpful to you. :) Happy freezer prepping/cooking! :)

Freezer Prepping/Cooking for 7 Weeks

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love freezer prepping/cooking. For years I struggled to get dinner on the table each night in an effective, efficient, economical way. When I came across the concept of freezer prepping/cooking I was intrigued because I thought, "Wow! Do a majority of prepping and cooking in a short period of time and then just throw a few things together each night? Sounds great!"

So, I began freezer prepping/cooking. When I was pregnant, I did a 6 month prep so I would get through the last trimester and first few months without having to do much each night for dinner. I have also done one month at a time.

This year, I am doing something different to match our school calendar. I am planning to do 6 weeks of school and 1 week breaks throughout the year (more at Christmas/Easter/summer). During that week off, we will take some little trips and have time to prep for the next round of school. That being said, I will do my freezer prep during that week and prep enough for 7 weeks to get us to the next break. I plan to cook 4 meals a week, have one leftovers night, eat at church on Wednesdays, and have one dinner out each week. Thus, I am making 28 meals.

Here is the list:

Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Stuffing Pie
Chicken Pastry
Chicken Noodle Delight
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Barley
Chicken Potato Stew
Chinese Brown Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Catalina Cranberry Chicken
Maple Glazed Chicken
Buffalo Chicken Tenders
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Chicken with Skillet Gravy
Spaghetti
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Meatball Subs
Baked Ziti
Goulash
Chicken Parmesan
Lasagna
Meatloaf
Salisbury Steak
Steaks
Pot Roast
Burgers
Sloppy Joes
Pork Chops