I’ve been thinking through my freezer cooking plan. I used to try those all day cooking days to cover almost an entire month’s worth of meals. I just can’t swing that anymore with 4 little ones under foot. Then I read some other folks talking about batch cooking for the freezer which fits with my style and availability more. Basically you just make double, triple, or quadruple batches of a recipe to put the extra in the freezer. The last few weeks I’ve just been looking at my menu and what extra ingredients I have and deciding to double or triple a few that week. But now I’m switching gears a little to be more intentional to meet my cooking needs more. I’m pretty much in the groove of freezer cooking breakfast and dinner meals, but lately lunch ideas are harder for me to come up with and have on hand. And I cannot believe how much these kids can eat!
So, my new freezer cooking plan is to make one breakfast recipe, one lunch recipe, and one dinner recipe each week to put in the freezer. I’m going to try and just work it into my regular plan with we’re already eating. We’ll see how it goes.
Monday
Breakfast: cereal, fruit
Lunch: PB&J;, apples, cheese
Dinner: Creole black beans, rice, cornbread
Tuesday
Breakfast: Baked egg cups, toast, bananas
Lunch: PB&J;, apples, cheese
Dinner: Crock pot Hawaiian BBQ chicken, roasted carrots with thyme (*Dinner freezer meal)
Wednesday
Breakfast: cereal, bananas
Lunch: pumpkin pancakes, boiled eggs (*Breakfast freezer meal)
Dinner: Twice baked taco potatoes, peas
Thursday
Breakfast: waffles (from the freezer), fruit
Lunch: pizza pockets (modified), peas (*Lunch freezer meal)
Dinner: roast with carrots & potatoes, green beans, rolls
Friday
Breakfast: waffles (from the freezer), fruit
Lunch: bean & cheese quesadillas, broccoli
Dinner: pizza (with dough from the freezer)
Saturday
Breakfast: cereal, fruit
Lunch: tuna pea pasta
Dinner: leftover pizza
Sunday
Breakfast: cereal, fruit
Lunch: soup & sandwiches
Dinner: Popcorn Fiesta
Check out orgjunkie.com for more meal plans!
I have started adding a bit more freezer cooking to my weekly plan, but it usually happens by chance rather than intentionally. Need to make it more planned for sure.
Thanks for stopping in today!
I’ve done some batch cooking for the freezer before, but haven’t been very intentional or consistent about it. Since you’re still doing it 7 months later, I guess your method is working. I may have to give it a try this summer. Thanks for sharing!!!
Try it, Kate!
I go in phases of how much I’m putting in the freezer and how much I’m taking out. But for the most part I’ve got a regular rhythm going where’s it’s just a part of my cooking plan every week. I love a full freezer!!