Freezer Meals: The Family Dinner Made Simple

Growing up, my mom always had a hot home-cooked meal ready for our family each night. We all sat down around the table to talk about our day and were spoiled with her delicious cooking. HOW DID SHE DO IT!?!

Now that I am a mom and I have my own family, I want to be able to provide the same for them. I know E is just a baby now, but that time together is still important. One little problem... that means I have to COOK. Some days it seems like I barely have time to brush my hair [umm, kidding?] let alone cook a hot meal for my family.

Enter freezer meals and bulk cooking:


Freezer meals are meals you can cook ahead of time and then freeze until ready to eat. The best way to make freezer meals is by bulk cooking, where you cook several meals all in one day. [This also is a great idea for making your own baby food, but I'll save that for another day and another post.]

What's even better than bulk cooking and freezer meals? Find other moms who are looking to do the same thing and create a meal swap! This is what I am doing with two of my mommy friends. Every other month, we each pick out 5 different freezer meals to cook. We cook 3 of each meal [so 5 meals X 3[one for each family]=total of 15 meals]. Then we swap. So now, instead of having 5 freezer meals stored up, I have 15 different meals to choose from.

It may seem like a lot and overwhelming, but it is actually fairly painless. There are a lot of cookbooks and websites out there that are really helpful. Pick a weekend where you can have some help at home with the baby; go grocery shopping one day and cook the meals the next. Now you have a freezer stocked with delicious dinners and more time to spend with your baby and family.


Helpful Websites:

Fabulessly Frugal [explains freezer meals, how to shop, how to prep, and recipe ideas]
Once A Month Mom [seasonal recipes]

Great Cookbooks

Don't Panic, Dinner's in the Freezer
Don't Panic, MORE Dinner's in the Freezer
Freezer Pleasers

My last tip: Buy these Glad Bakeware for your freezer meals. They stack nicely in the freezer, you can use them in the oven, and they are reusable! It's a win-win-win!

Have you made freezer meals before? What tips can you share?