question about freezing foods?

  • I was wondering if anyone knows about what ya can and cant freeze? I have searched the internet with no luck. Basically my plan is to make some large dishes of things, and freeze them in containers for work. I can't stand eating the frozen ones from the store anymore..I think I am burnt out on them..and besides they are loaded with sodium and who knows what else.

    Some of my thoughts are like spaghetti, or stroganoff...things that I can make in pretty good size batches.

    My question is will they freeze good and cook good when reheated in the microwave. And also are there certain things you cant or shouldnt freeze?

    I know yall will know the answers lol yall are great!

    PS...If any of you do this you know of any good recipies strickly for this???
  • Most things freeze acceptably. I used to make my own frozen dinners to take for lunch. What I did find is that with pasta/rice dishes that freezing the pasta/rice first helps them from becoming too soggy. I bought a package of frozen meals (the ones in black plastic round bowls) and I've used them for the past few years to freeze dinners for two. For dinners though I usually freeze without and rice/pasta (mainly because I rarely take those at dinnertime anymore). Beef dishes tend to work better as chicken can end up a bit tough/rubbery when reheated in the microwave. Commercial frozen dishes use tenderizers to stop this. Actually, just looking at Lean Cuisine nutrition info: cooked chicken tenderloins (chicken tenderloins, water, seasoning (contains yeast extract, sugar, flavors, salt, dehydrated garlic, maltodextrin, citric acid). Sounds like before/after cooking they soak in a combination of water, sugar, and flavours.

    What else.... soups freeze beautifully. I invested in a good quality thermos the other day (kept cold water cold for well over 12 hours) and plan to take nice thick soups with me on cold winter days. For myself I'll likely bump up the meat content of my usual soups and make them closer to a stew.

    I used to do mac and cheese which I seem to remember did okay as long as you didn't reheat it too much (cheese sauce would separate). If you have easy access to microwave it's best to leave them frozen and then reheat that way. However, if you share a microwave with others who use it a lot then put into reheating dish in the morning and let it thaw until lunch. Oh, and the perfect dish for reheating is:

    http://www.shopworldkitchen.com/inde...7&folderID=127

    (put plastic wrap between lids to prevent staining - red sauces are the worst)