I do this occasionally, too. I make up a crockpot full of something on plan, and then divide the leftovers into freezer meals. If you do this once a week, you'll slowly build up a reserve of freezer meals you can turn to on nights you just don't want to cook. (Just be sure to eat the older ones first)
We still plan for "fresh-cooked" meals most of the time, but I like knowing I have chili and beef stew and chicken all ready for us on karate or Girl Scout nights when time is at a premium and energy is low.
hpnodat I will still have some freezer meal for that lazy day they are wonderful. Many days I let my daughter go threw and pick me out something to eat.jest make sure like if you freeze rice add a little bit of water before microwaving it so they dont dry out. I had a good experience with it I jest have to cook dinner with my children so it was a drag not to be able to have something fresh like them.
I have a Dream Dinners cookbook... it is like my bible. In fact, it has been a little while since I used it. Time to get cookin'!
If you click on the link, there is another link at the bottom of the page that says:
After publication of our book we found a few printing errors. Copies of corrected recipes are available in a downloadable 220kb pdf. Just click here.
If you click on that, there are a whole bunch of recipies from the cook book you can just print off. I love this book b/c many of the recipies are low fat, etc. (there are a couple that are not) And they all have directions on preping the recipes for freezing.
Curry could be great! I make a good chickpea curry and I know it tastes a lot better the second or third day, so I imagine it would freeze really well.
It would get spicier once you freeze it, but that doesn't scare me. I like food that makes me sweat.
I'm planning to make this African Sweet Potato and black bean soup this week. I'll freeze a container of it and see how it reheats.
Great idea on the grilled and frozen chicken! As a die-hard food preserver (home-made sausages, two full-size freezers, plus a bedroom-sized pantry in the basement full of things I have canned and dehydrated myself, much of which is, ironically, off-limits to me right now) may I suggest that you put those little thin baggies of chicken inside gallon zipper freezer bags? You can get quite a few in there - then get as much of the air out as you can. Sandwich baggies aren't nearly thick enough to ward off freezer burn. When you reheat the chicken, please take it out of the bags and reheat on a paper or china plate, with a little liquid. NEVER nuke in plastic, even if it claims to be food safe.
If this is something you think you will want to continue doing, you may want to consider investing in a Food Saver. I don't know how I managed before I got my first one, may moons ago.
Have fun experimenting with this! I think you will discover that most things freeze well enough, at least short term, and you will quickly learn what doesn't. Good luck!
After reading the whole thread, it does seem that someone beat me to it.
What recipes have you made, froze, and reheated, so far? I am interested to know how they turned out. I am thinking about trying a few myself. I am a super picky eater though, and most recipes, once I take out all the things I hate, won't have much left. LOL
