TTMA Meal planning and freezer meals

[ceejay]

Now that we are fostering 2 little boys, our time for meal preparation in the evenings is pretty much non-existant. We have had frozen pizza, pasta and sauce, and frozen chicken tenders one too many times. I need some real food!!!

H and I would like to start doing some type of meal planning and preparing freezer meals ahead of time that we can cook in the crockpot or warm up in the oven. But we have no idea where to start. Can you guys recommend some meal planning / crockpot meal websites, recipes, blogs, etc?

Thanks!


ETA - We are lazy. So the easier the prep the better. I don't want to spend hours and hours of my weekends preparing stuff. I just want yummy meals that are relatively healthy.

[joy]

I can only give you the most amazing crockpot recipe books ever.

There are crockpot recipes and then there are these books. Just stop using other recipes now. These books blow all those out of the water.

Volume I: www.amazon.com/Slow-Cooker-Revolution-Americas-Kitchen/dp/1933615699/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1446585593&sr=8-1&keywords=slow+cooker+revolution

Volume 2: www.amazon.com/Slow-Cooker-Revolution-2-Easy-Prep/dp/1936493578/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1446585593&sr=8-2&keywords=slow+cooker+revolution

Volume 2 is the "easy prep" edition. No browning of meat or excessive set up at all.

[SheilaTheTank]

<--- stalking this thread.

Meal suggestions that aren't tex mex or chicken based would also be great!

[rablissful]

So I don't do freezer meals yet because I don't have the freezer space.

That doesn't stop me from stalking freezer meal prep suggestions on Pinterest though.

17 freezer meal prep sessions that will change your life
This site has several different recipe batches with grocery lists and directions etc.

freezer cook
This one shows how a woman did practically two months of meals, with her lists and recipes. She also gives tips on how to do freezer meals in general. Not just crock pot meals either. Trigger warning, she was doing this to get ready for a baby.

And my favorite crockpot recipe site in general is Get Crocked. Many of the recipes could be prepped ahead of time and frozen.

[Deleted]

I have a great recipe for an adobo spice that I use for slow cooking whole chickens. You can just put the whole chicken in the slowcooker from frozen, so it's super easy. Just serve with some starch and veg, or use the chicken however you would use a store bought rotisserie chicken.

Adobo spice:
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp paprika
1.5 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried minced onion (or 1.5 tsp powdered)
1.5 tsp minced dried garlic (or 1 tsp powdered)
1.5 tsp oregano
1.5 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder

Mix all spices in a small jar.

To prepare the whole chicken: place chicken in slowcooker with 1/2 cup water. Sprinkle 1 to 2 Tbsp of seasoning blend over chicken. Cook for approximately 8 hrs on low for a frozen chicken. (it is closer to 6hrs for a fresh chicken)

[Deleted]

You can also prep meatloaf the night before and put it in the fridge. If you cook it in a muffin tin it takes a lot less time. A regular muffin tin is around 15-20 minutes, and a jumbo one (on mini loaf pan) is 30 mins.
I add a small zuchini or carrot grated to this recipe, and cook it divided into 6 jumbo muffins (4oz portions): recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=245756

[wannabmama]

rablissful that freezer cook link is crazy! I wish I could a) be that organized and b) had any freezer space!

[jubilantsquirrel]

www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/08/50-easy-freezer-meals.html

I've made several of these meals before and enjoyed them.

I also like to meal prep. So if you have two meals that require ground beef you can brown the meat all at once and just portion it out. Same with veggies, you can cut everything you need for the week and then store it all in the fridge until it's needed. It does take a little bit of time to do it all at once, but it's so much easier during the week when you don't have to do any of the prep work.

[pismoduo]

I've started cooking double of whatever protein we're having that night, then freezing it or putting it in the fridge. Makes it so much easier on nights that I'm just not into cooking or I'm crunched for time between work and HOA crap.

Easy enough to take last night's protein, throw it on the grill for a few minutes (or in a hot pan, whatevs). Add a bagged salad mix and you're good to go. OR dice it up small with some onions and bell peppers, throw it in a hot pan and then scramble some eggs with it.

For quick and easy meals with no prep, Trader Joe's has some great pre-made soups, like their roasted red pepper and tomato bisque. I add some chicken sausage and whole wheat pasta to make it a little more filling.

Re-reading this, I realize that it's not quite what you asked for... Oops.

[TheEleventhHour]

My entire Pinterest is devoted to recipes with boards broken down into really specific categories so I can save and find recipes easily. I pick 3 or 4 things to make every week. There are 4 of us but so many recipes I find/like make anywhere from 6-10 servings. Usually I will cook one night, then do leftovers the next night, cook, leftovers, etc so that we are only cooking every other day. If something makes more than we can eat in 2 days the rest goes in the freezer and we will eat it the next week which helps cut out another cooking day.

Also on nights I do not really want to cook but also do not want something from the freezer I live by burrito bowls - rice, beans, veggies of your choice, toppings (sour cream, cheese, salsa, avocado). I use my rice cooker, use canned beans, and then just quickly sautee or grill the veggies. It comes together quickly and is filling and delicious!

And thank you to everyone suggesting crockpot recipes and cookbooks. I need to use mine more!!!

[rablissful]

Nov 3, 2015 17:37:31 GMT -5 wannabmama said:

rablissful that freezer cook link is crazy! I wish I could a) be that organized and b) had any freezer space!

After a bed, our next big purchase will be a chest freezer.

You can find them on CL pretty cheap too. As soon as we get it I'll be making aaaaallll the freezer meals, especially prep before the summer so I have reduced grocery bills when I'm not working.

[TheEleventhHour]

Nov 3, 2015 18:30:43 GMT -5 rablissful said:

Nov 3, 2015 17:37:31 GMT -5 wannabmama said:

rablissful that freezer cook link is crazy! I wish I could a) be that organized and b) had any freezer space!

After a bed, our next big purchase will be a chest freezer.

You can find them on CL pretty cheap too. As soon as we get it I'll be making aaaaallll the freezer meals, especially prep before the summer so I have reduced grocery bills when I'm not working.

I want a chest freezer so badly! Definitely on my next to buy list. After a damn car so other big purchases will not be happening for a bit ... sigh. 

[rablissful]

Nov 3, 2015 18:44:16 GMT -5 TheEleventhHour said:

Nov 3, 2015 18:30:43 GMT -5 rablissful said:

After a bed, our next big purchase will be a chest freezer.

You can find them on CL pretty cheap too. As soon as we get it I'll be making aaaaallll the freezer meals, especially prep before the summer so I have reduced grocery bills when I'm not working.

I want a chest freezer so badly! Definitely on my next to buy list. After a damn car so other big purchases will not be happening for a bit ... sigh. 

I've seen them on CL for $150 before. Just troll it and you might get lucky!

Good luck with the car buying!

[akraus2015]

We only do freezer meals every so often, but one thing that I have found that saves time is to prep parts of you meal ahead of time. I go to the grocery store on Sundays and buy for what I have planned that we will eat for the week, then I do all of the little things that I can ahead of time:
- chop and pre-measure onions, peppers, etc. into labeled ziplock bags
- cook and freeze ground beef for chili, spaghetti, etc.
- measure and mix dry ingredients for recipes and label them in tupperware (flour, salt, pepper, etc.)

It's super Type A, but it works for me, and always saves me 15-20 minutes of meal prep during the week.

[rooskie]

I'm pretty sure our amazing mod Naria (not tagging because she's Wonderwoman) has a ton of freezer meals on the TCF Pinterest.

Here's her personal Pinterest

+1 to having a deep freeze. We're getting close to finishing Bessie, the cow, so soon I'm going to start doubling meals and putting half out there. We got ours from a single friend for cheap because he never used it. Its a smaller one but for 2 people it works and it doesn't take up as much space.

[spaceapple]

I currently use www.thefresh20.com and I love it! They give you a list of 20 whole food ingredients (plus some pantry staples) each week to make 5 meals. We've used it for about a year and it saves me so much time (and money, because there aren't any leftover ingredients at the end of the week). There have been very few recipes that we haven't liked.

Also, if you're into cooking vegetarian, Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker is delicious! It was a lifesaver this summer when MH and I were both working nights and I didn't have time to cook. Slow cooker lasagna - OMG.

I tried a freezer meal planning thing for a little while, but the marathon day of cooking food for an entire month wasn't for me. Plus I have an irrational fear of freezer burn. But if you're undaunted by the possibility of an entire month's worth of food succumbing to ice crystals, go check out Once a Month Meals. It really is a well designed service.

[spicysalmonroll]

We don't do a whole lot of freezer meals just because we do have the time to cook each night. But this recipe is one of our favorites and freezes really well.

6 boneless pork chops
2 packets ranch seasoning
2 cans cream of chicken
1 can chicken broth
combine all in crockpot- high for 2- 2.5 hours.

boil 1 bag egg noodles. Serve over the noodles with a few scoops of the sauce.
This would be pretty effortless to make on a Sunday and freeze, or even just store tupperwares in the fridge & eat that week.

[kellybenelly83]

I'm lurking...I actually make lasagnas in those little $store containers enough for however many and freeze those. Take them out the night before and then cook.
Also I make 2 pot pies at a time and freeze those for rough weeknights when I know I wont have time.
I crockpot stew 1-2 times a month too.

[ohinvrtedworld]

I am a huge prepper of meals on Sundays, but I do think cooking is fun -- other might find it overwhelming. I like having marinara & bolognese sauces in the freezer at all times, as well as chicken and veggie stocks for soup.

Soups generally freeze well unless there is dairy, in which case, the texture might be funny until you adjust with more milk. We've had beef stew, chili, and chicken soup in the freezer (add noodles when you reheat). Taco meat and rotisserie chicken bits also freeze well and would be easy to get out and add to salads or wraps.

kellybenelly83, my friend introduced me to those dollar store containers! They're perfect because you can write the instructions on the paper lid in case someone else needs to heat it up Lasagna and enchiladas might be perfect for the freezer too.

[ceejay]

Thanks everyone! I'm excited to prepare my first round of freezer meals this weekend!

[ceejay]

We did it! H and I worked together to prepare 8 huge freezer meals today. It took about an hour and a half, and it was actually kind of fun! Thanks again for all of the tips and recipes!!!




ETA - I'm ridiculously proud of us for doing this. I know a lot of people do freezer meals and meal planning all the time, but we've never tried it before and I'm so glad that we did!