I have been doing more with batch cooking and freezing foods and I love it when I do. I cook so much, everyday. (Which I like, but.) Why do I ever make a pasta bake and not make two? Part of my limitation before was I didn’t have a deep freezer. (And the more we started buying food in bulk the more I’d joke with David “MAMA NEEDS A DEEP FREEZE.”) And now I have one and it is here and it is spectacular and I dare you to just TRY AND KEEP ME from the low priced produce this summer.
Below are some of my favorite ways to freeze things.
frost-free upright freezer | vintage rug (similar) | clear organization bins | retro trash can | children’s bicycle (similar)
MEAT
I buy a ton and have a big session of bagging up dinner entree size portions. Then I have lots of bags ready to go that I can thaw when needed.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and ground beef are ones we especially keep on hand. Chicken in particular is one it feels so good to have trimmed and ready for cooking.
CASSEROLES
As mentioned above, one of my goals for myself is to improve in remembering to just make double whenever I’m making something very freeze-able for dinner! Try this cheesy chicken and wild rice casserole or of course, the ever faithful lasagna.
SOUPS
Such a friend of the freezer! Along with casseroles I think this is the other best freezer resilient type of entree.
Some of my favorites are sausage minestrone, chicken meatball soup, green vegetable soup with roasted chickpeas, orange and honey carrot soup, 25 minute ham and white bean soup, one pot quinoa turkey chili, one pot creamy potato soup, slow cooker chicken and wild rice soup, hearty chicken tortilla soup, and wonton soup. Okay, maybe I really like soups. Yeah, soups are awesome.
FRUIT
When the summer comes and the berries are so wonderfully ripe (not all white in the middle strawberries like in winter!) buy buy buy them at the great price (or do a you pick farm day with the kids) and then eat summer-level-quality produce all winter.
PIES
Things that take a long time to make I like to make in big installments. In the dessert world, pie is one of the more tedious categories, but they freeze so well! Fruit pies and pie crusts are sent to the freezer in droves.
SPINACH
My best friend told me this one. It freezes really well and is easy to remove just the amount you need when making soups or sautéing spinach! I now mostly only ever have spinach in the fridge if it’s directly for an imminent salad.
SMOOTHIES
Smoothies are lovable once you are drinking them but the preparing process is too annoying if there are too many ingredients I would have to get out or slice everyday. For the freezer you can make smoothie packs by measuring out the ingredients and then just writing the amount of liquid ingredients to add on the exterior.
This one is my favorite everyday smoothie. Just write “add 1/4 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, 3/4 cup almond milk” on the outside. I do either single serve pack or a six times serving size for a pack for whole family smoothies.
ICE CREAM
Just for fun, this is my #1 brand of ice cream. (NOTHING ELSE COMPARES). And an awesome ice cream recipe cookbook. (The baked goods in it are my favorites too.)
I love finding a new thing that freezes well and experimenting with how to make dishes come back to life at room temp and turn out nicely!
Related to all of this is a post about doing a good job bringing a sympathy meal which is a fun one and very applicable to deep freezer life! Having an active freezer presence makes taking a meal to someone in need easier.
