Freezer Cooking 101

How many times have you said to yourself, “Help!  I can’t think of a think to make” or “I just don’t want to cook dinner tonight”?

Unless you are some super-organized, love-to-cook-fanatic, you’ve probably had those thoughts on occasion.  (Please don’t tell me it’s just me?!!)  One of the major helps I’ve found to deal with this problem is freezer cooking!  I know many of you are already aware of freezer cooking, but I’m going to approach this series with the idea that you’ve never even heard of it.

So, what is freezer cooking?

There are several variations, but the main goal behind freezer cooking is to make meals in advance, freeze them, and pull them out to eat when you don’t feel like cooking or when you don’t have time to cook.  Not only is it a time-saver…it’s a money-saver, too!  (We go out to eat way less when the menu is planned AND already in the freezer!)

Variation 1: Once-A-Month Cooking (OAMC)

The idea behind this approach is to set aside a whole day and cook your main dishes for the month.  The very first cookbook I had about this system was actually called Once-A-Month Cooking by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerborg.

 

Variation 2:  Afternoon (or Morning) Cook-Off 

In this version, you set aside four to five hours to cook two-weeks worth of meals.  For example, you might choose to set aside a Saturday morning every two weeks to devote to cooking meals for the freezer.

 

Variation 3:  Power Hour

This is a quick version!  You simply set aside an hour or two here and there during the week to make two to four dishes to freeze.  You have to be intentional to schedule these short “freezer cooking sessions”, but they can feel much more manageable and less overwhelming.

 

Variation 4:  Cook Once, Eat Twice (or Three Times!)

This approach is to simply double or even triple your main dish recipe and store the extra portions in the freezer.  If you don’t mind eating the same dish several times during the month, this is an easy way to begin freezer cooking.

Personally, I’ve done all of these, and I don’t think one has an advantage over the other.  It really depends on the season of life you are in.  When I had little babies, sometimes I would ask my husband to watch them one afternoon on the weekend and make as many recipes as I could.  It was much easier at that point in my life to have a full month or two weeks worth of meals in the freezer.  Now that they are older, I’m teaching the girls how to cook and to help me, so I don’t feel like I need to have every meal already made in the freezer.  I still do variations 3 and 4 regularly for those nights we have AWANA or other activities and need a quick meal.

Have you tried freezer cooking?

Coming up in the rest of this 5 Days of Freezer Cooking Series:

• {Day 2} How to start freezer cooking.
• {Day 3 and Day 4} Hour (or two) of Power:  Four Freezer Cooking Recipes
  Taco Meat (No preservatives)
  Beef & Bean Freezer Burritos
  Chicken and Spinach Pasta Bake
  Basic Crepe Recipe
  

• {Day 5} Freezer Cooking FAQ and Resources

This post is part of the Five Days of… over at iHomeschool Network.  Be sure to visit and see all the other wonderful posts from my lovely and talented friends!  This series is sponsored by Beech Retreat (a new conference for Christian homeschooling bloggers).