We all lead hectic lives. We all need an easy and quick way to fix meals. Sometimes we don't have the time to cook. Here are some easy meal ideas using leftovers from your freezer
With careful planning, you don't always have to fix a meal from scratch. Your freezer can be a great source of meals - from breakfast, lunch, or dinner - all can be frozen to be used at a later date. Again, the key is PLANNING - planning your weekly meals, and planning what you'll freeze ahead of time.
If you're thinking "TV dinners," those dinners in a box you buy at the grocery store, your thinking is going in the wrong direction. I'm talking about freezing your own home-made leftovers.
Why would you want to freeze your own leftovers instead of buying TV dinners? The number one reason is for your own health. If you fix healthy home cooked meals, they'll always be better than pre-packaged meals purchased at the supermarket.
The key to making your dinners easier using this method is planning ahead. When planning a meal, determine if the recipe will freeze well. If so, double or triple it and freeze the leftovers. Mostly, I use plastic Tupperware containers but you could also use TV dinner trays, if you're freezing for one or two people.
The main question you'll need to answer is: "will this dish freeze well?" Sometimes, there is no way to answer this question except to test it. Try it. If it doesn't freeze well, you'll know for the future.
Here is a list of foods I routinely freeze, and others I've tried but just didn't freeze well.
- Soups: Freeze in plastic containers in serving sizes you'll need for one meal. Broth and cream based soups both freeze well, as do vegetable and noodle soups. Rice does NOT freeze well, so do not freeze rice soups. Cream based soups will need milk or water added during the re-heating process.
- Casseroles: Freeze in plastic containers in serving sizes you'll need for one meal. All casseroles should freeze well with any type of meat, from chicken to beef to pork. Rice casseroles do not freeze well.
- Stews: Beef stews freeze well in plastic containers.
- Chicken: I routinely freeze chicken pieces raw to be used in future recipes. However you could also cook chicken pieces in advance and freeze them in freezer bags. This way, they'll be ready for a quick meal in no time.
- Beef: Steaks, roasts, and ground beef all can be frozen raw with great results. Wrap roasts and steaks in freezer paper. For ground beef, just freeze in plastic freezer bags. Meats can also be frozen if they're mixed within a dish. I've never frozen cooked meat plain, although I'm sure it can be done.
- Pork: As for steaks, pork can be frozen in the same way, in freezer paper or plastic freezer bags.
- Lunch meats: Freeze lunch meats by wrapping in plastic wrap and placing in freezer bags. After thawing, you may need to use a napkin to soak up excess juice from the meat. Don't let this deter you. Lunch meats taste great out of the freezer. Do not freeze pre-made sandwiches though.
- Cakes: Cake freezes well. I freeze cake in serving sized pieces by wrapping in waxed paper (this prevents the icing from sticking to the wrapping), then, wrapping tightly in foil.
- Pies: Pie also freezes well. Again, I freeze in serving sized pieces by wrapping in foil and placing in freezer bags. Whole pies can also be frozen. It's best to freeze whole pies before they're baked though.
- Cookies: Homemade cookies freeze great. Just take out and thaw completely before eating. This is a great way to make a batch of cookies last. I've never frozen store-bought cookies, so I don't know how they'd come out.
Yes, you can make you dinners easier by eating leftovers from the freezer. It's an excellent way to eat healthier without a lot of time in the kitchen.
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