So the time has come, and you want to try making a bulk batch of freezer meals to save time and energy during the work week. Or, let’s be real. Any time you have to cook. There are just a few thing you need to get ready for the day. And by the day… I mean the day you set aside (yes, it can take a whole day. Sometimes it takes me a couple days depending on children energy levels) to shop, prep the food, and put the meals together.
To start, you want to think of what will work best for you. Do you want crock pot meals? Skillet meals? Or even some casseroles? They all have their pros and cons. Such as..
Crock pot pros: Easy to prep, easy to cook, can cook while at work
Crock pot cons: If you don’t have a timer on your crock pot, you may have a hard time with, well, timing. Depending on your work schedule, like mine, you may not be able to get a meal started before work (even on low) without it burning or cooking down too much before you get home. Crock pots that can switch to “warm” after a designated time are recommended.
Skillet meal pros: Fast to prepare after work. Literally all you have to do (usually) is dump the bag in a skillet and heat. Presto, done.
Skillet meal cons: Putting them together. Most (but not all) have to pretty much be cooked and ready to go before putting in the freezer bag. It’s not so bad with simple meals, but when you have 20-30 meals you are trying to make.. It can be really time consuming if you have a lot of them.
Casserole pros: Easy to put together, easy to cook.
Casserole cons: They take up the most room in the freezer. If you have a small freezer like me, you have to be careful of how many you plan on making! Another con, they take a couple hours to bake from the frozen state if it is not completely thawed. And I always forget to thaw mine out in time. So not optimal for work days, but great for weekends when you have time to throw it in the oven for a couple hours.
Other things you will need to get no matter what recipe you go with, are 1 gallon freezer bags, 9×13 (or close) tin casserole pans, and a sharpie. You can also purchase some crock pot cooking liners. They are like little baggies that you put inside the crock pot while you cook. They are magic bags that are designed not to melt with the heat, and keeps the pot clean while cooking the food! When you are done with your meal and put the left overs in the fridge, you just take the bag out and toss it in the garbage. And whaa laa! Clean crock pot, ready for its next meal.
The next step is picking your recipes. I just go with whatever sounds good, but I try to stay away from crock pot meals that require steps half way through cooking (like adding ingredients, etc). I also stay away from skillet meals that have a lot of steps when putting together, and casserole dishes that take an hour to cook before it’s even frozen. I have found, at least with my oven, that I have to add time and a half – triple bake time. So if it says to bake for an hour, I will check it at 2 1/2 hours.. And may need to be in for 3 hours.
The Apathetic Chef 