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Hello there ladies and gentlemen. I have a couple of things to inform you about before we get to the very important and earth shattering content of this post.
First…the fine winner of the My Memories Scrapbook Software is bargainhunter267 @ yahoo.com. Congratulations and may you enjoy the prize immensely.I will contact you shortly.
Second, I wanted to make you local readers aware that I have been asked to participate in the College Of Eastern Utah’s Women’s Conference this year. I will be the morning key note speaker. (Holy cow. Cross your fingers that I can come up with something great to say.) The conference theme this year is “Making Life An Adventure”. I’ll also be teaching a workshop on “Planning A Party With Flair”. The conference is Friday April 13. The fee to attend is $25 and includes two key note speeches, three workshops and a lovely lunch. If you live in the area, I would love to see you there. 🙂 You can register online at this link.
Ok, now my friends. Let’s talk about the freezer, shall we. Ah, the freezer. A meal pulled out of the freezer on a busy day can really put a smile on your face, can’t it? I’ve compiled a list for you today of some of my best freezer safe recipes.
You might be wondering…”aren’t all meals safe for the freezer?”
To which I will respond with…most meals can be safely frozen, but you may not want to eat them once they are reheated. For example, please do not freeze Chicken Chow Mien, unless you enjoy onions and celery that have turned to mush. All food does not freeze well, darn it. But some food freezes REALLY REALLY well. And those are the recipes I have listed here for you today.
I’ve categorized my list of fabulous freezer safe recipes according to HOW they should be frozen, as well as WHAT they should be frozen in. Hope you enjoy!
Freeze It In An Aluminum Tin
The following 8 meals should be prepared as the recipe instructs, until the baking stage of the recipe. Don’t bake them at this point. Just assemble the recipe in an aluminum tin, cover it tightly with tin foil and pop it in your freezer. When you are ready to use the meal, let it thaw out either in your fridge or on the counter top. (Be care full not to let it sit out in a hot house all day. You don’t want to get food poisoning.) Most of the recipes listed below will thaw within about 4 hours if left on the counter and within 10 hours if left in the fridge, depending on how cold you keep your fridge.
FREEZE IT IN A GALLON SIZED ZIPLOC BAG…BREADS AND MUFFINS
I get a lot of emails asking about freezing bread dough. I haven’t ever had much luck freezing bread or roll dough, with the exception of this Frozen Butterflake Roll Dough. For some reason this recipe doesn’t turn out as well if the dough isn’t frozen first. Go figure, right!
For all other breads, rolls, and muffins, it’s best to make the recipe from start to finish and then allow it to cool completely. Seal it tightly in a freezer safe ziploc bag and pop it in your freezer. When you are ready to reheat, take the baked item out of the freezer bag and heat it in the microwave. You don’t want to heat it with the bag on as most baked goods will start to sweat and get a bit mungy and gross inside that bag. Not what you are hoping for, I’m assuming. 🙂
FREEZE IT IN A QUART SIZED
ZIPLOC BAG
ZIPLOC BAG
Did you know that it is MUCH MUCH MUCH easier to freeze saucy things, and soupy things in a ziploc bag if you take a lovely large cup
place a quart sized ziploc bag inside the cup
and fold the top of the bag up and over the lip of the cup. Then use a large glass measuring cup to pour the sauce or soup or chili into the bag. Carefully lift it up and out of the cup, seal the top of the bag and then lay it flat inside the freezer. It really makes things super easy and a lot less messy.
When you are ready to reheat, just take a pair of scissors and cut the top off of the ziploc bag. Pull the bag off of the frozen meal, place the food in a microwave safe bowl and heat it on up, stirring occasionally. I really like freezing soups in the quart sized bags. It will give you about 2 servings, perfect for taking to work for lunch. The bags also take up a lot less space than freezing food in gladware containers.
MAIN DISH MEALS
The following 6 meals should be completely cooked, and allowed to cool before freezing. I recommend only freezing the meat portion of the meal. For example, freeze the French Dip Sandwich Meat in a quart sized zip loc bag, don’t freeze the sandwich buns with the meat.
The following 6 meals should be completely cooked, and allowed to cool before freezing. I recommend only freezing the meat portion of the meal. For example, freeze the French Dip Sandwich Meat in a quart sized zip loc bag, don’t freeze the sandwich buns with the meat.
SOUPS
These 8 soups should be completely cooked and allowed to cool before freezing.
These 8 soups should be completely cooked and allowed to cool before freezing.
COOKIE DOUGH
One of my favorite things to freeze is cookie dough. Because a girl shouldn’t be left stranded with out cookie dough for too many days in a row, right? Also, I am a firm believer in the true and everlasting fact that cookies fresh and warm from the oven are far better than frozen cookies warmed from the freezer. I bet you agree right? I knew we had a lot in common. Cookie dough freezes fabulously well. It also defrosts quickly, which is an added bonus.
Cookie dough can be frozen in two different ways.
The first is to shape the dough into balls, lay them out onto a cookie sheet, place the sheet in the freezer until the dough is hard, then place the frozen dough balls into a ziploc bag, seal it tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to use the dough, remove the frozen dough balls from the bag and place them on a cookie sheet. Allow them to defrost and then bake them according to the recipe instructions.
The second way (which I prefer) is to fill a quart sized ziploc bag with the cookie dough. Press the dough out flat inside the bag, seal it and lay it flat in the freezer. When you are ready to use the dough take the bag out of the freezer and let it hang out for about 30 minutes on the counter top. Remove the dough from the bag, shape it into balls and cook according to recipe directions.
I found this on pintrest and I am so glad I did! I already freeze pulled pork, post roast and spaghetti sauce. This list gives me some new things to add to my freezer stash! I can't wait to see what else you have on your site! Thanks!
Excellent ideas! I need to do make ahead meals more to make my life easier.
So glad I found your blog! following now 😉
Calli: dear God no! It’s a new pkcaet. I think the last time that pkcaet was used was when Fi made a potato bake. I’m not quite sure why she didn’t use the rest of it as there’s only a very little bit left in it.kt: Yep, wait until I get round to posting a picture of the contents of my pantry! I have cans of Spam galore! I used to be healthy
How long can the meals be frozen for? Thank for the great recipes!
It depends on the recipe, and how fresh the ingredient are when you prepare it. Do you have a particular recipe you are wondering about?
Saw you at the USU Eastern Women's Conference – you did a great job!
How long can the meals be frozen for?
Spaghetti
Meatloaf
Chicken Enchiladas
Baked Ziti
Crispy Cheddar Chicken
Lasagna
Casseroles
Hi Misty,
I would imagine that they would be perfectly fine for at least 3 months. Good luck!
~Jamie
Please help! I am trying to bring your Sloppy Joe Meat recipe for freezer meals and it is not coming up on the new website. I have made this before and LOVE it! Thank you!
Hi Erin,
Give this link a try.
https://jamiecooksitup.net/2010/09/sloppy-joes-flavorful-fabulous/
Thanks!
~Jamie
PIZZA: Lean Cuisine Brick Oven Style Roasted Garlic Chicken PizzaHere’s a great way to soothe pizza canrivg without worrying about the 2-slice cut-off! The flatbread crust is topped with creamy garlic sauce, chicken, and cheese. And it crisps up perfectly in the microwave.340 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated), 49g carbohydrates, 670mg sodium, 2g fiber, 20g proteinENCHILADAS: Amy’s Black Bean and Vegetable EnchiladasDig into two corn tortillas filled with black beans, corn, zucchini, tofu, and bell peppers, all covered in mild enchilada sauce. Note that there’s a low-sodium version of this meal: 380 mg vs. 780 mg in the regular recipe. Smart. High salt hits are hard to avoid in most frozen food, so take advantage.380 calories, 12g fat (1g saturated), 44g carbohydrate, 380mg sodium, 6g fiber, 10g proteinBURRITO: Cedarlane’s Low Fat Beans, Rice, and Cheese Style BurritoThis almost sounds too healthy to be fun, but even our burrito junkies loved this dish of pinto beans, soy cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and organic brown rice, wrapped in a warm wheat tortilla. For extra zing, top it off with your favorite salsa.260 calories, 1g fat (0g saturated), 48g carbohydrate, 490mg sodium, 7g fiber, 13g proteinPANINI: Lean Cuisine’s Chicken, Spinach, and Mushroom PaniniOkay, it’s not quite the same as the corner bistro’s, but a little perspective here: eating just half of Panera Bread’s Frontega Chicken Panini would cost you 440 calories, 21g of fat, and 1150mg of sodium! This is faster, cheaper, much healthier, and surprisingly satisfying.280 calories, 8g fat (3.5g saturated), 32g carbohydrate, 690mg sodium, 5g fiber, 21g proteinTHAI NOODLES: Seeds of Change Spicy Thai Peanut NoodlesYou don’t have to be a nutritionist to figure that large servings of noodles drenched in peanut sauce are hazardous to your waist. Not these. The linguini is made with healthy semolina wheat flour, and there’s plenty of zippy ginger-peanut sauce flavoring the noodles, veggies, and tofu (done just right nice and firm).350 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated), 620mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 17g proteinRAVIOLI: Lean Cuisine Butternut Squash RavioliThis indulgent-tasting dish features pillowy squash raviolis with a creamy pumpkin-like filling, surrounded by yellow and orange carrots, snap peas, and chopped walnuts, all covered with a light cream sauce. Bonus: It gives you almost all the vitamin A you need for the whole day.350 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated), 56g carbohydrates, 660mg sodium, 6g fiber, 13g proteinMAC N’ CHEESE: Smart Ones Macaroni and CheeseEvery now and then you need a taste of your favorite childhood dish. If mac and cheese is yours, this one will soothe your inner 5-year-old’s needs for just 270 warm, creamy calories.270 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated), 52g carbohydrates, 790mg sodium, 2g fiber, 11g proteinSOMETHING DIFFERENT: Kashi Lemongrass Coconut ChickenA delicious bowl of tender snow peas, carrots, broccoli, and grilled chicken breast on a bed of seven whole grains that are flavored with a lemongrass-coconut sauce this meal smells almost as good as it tastes.300 calories, 8g fat (4g saturated), 38g carbohydrate, 680mg sodium, 7g of fiber, 18g protein
My mom uses a bread machine to make dough for dinner rolls and has never had any problems with freezing, then cooking the dough. We have 2 uncles who love my moms rolls and we give them a batch of the dough frozen into balls as a thanks for working on our cars (they won’t take money but gladly take some rolls)! We just instruct them on how to defrost and bake and have never had complaints!
If I went ahead and started making some of these now , would they still be okay to eat in March when my baby gets here? I don’t want to wait to close to time in case I lack the energy:)
These recipes are so yummy! I have tried several of them. My mom came over and helped me make a bunch just before my son was born. It was so great to just go to the freezer and grab one out. thank you!
I can’t seem to get the links to work for some of the meals, for instance sloppy joe meat. Am I doing something wrong?
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for letting me know. I will look into it. Last fall my site moved from Blogger to Wordpress…there are still a few old links that didn’t make the transfer over. Hoping to have this post fixed by the end of the day. You can also find the Sloppy Joe meat under Beef in my recipe file.
Thanks,
~Jamie