I decided that this is my weekend to make bulk meals and freeze individual portions. I don't just stick to dinners either. I like to cook make ahead breakfast foods like muffins, breakfast breads and french toast and freeze into portions too.
I went through my recipe book and wrote down what I needed for each recipe that I wanted to make, and then combined the list into a shopping list so I bought only what I need to make the recipes and won't have wasted food in the fridge.
I bought all of the stuff yesterday and am cooking this evening and tomorrow and maybe Sunday. On the menu plan:
Orange Chicken (4 portions).
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: Nothing. It's got lots of veggies in it.
Lemon Chicken (4 portions)
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: A salad
Beef Stirfry (4 portions)
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: A salad
Shrimp Creole (4 portions)
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: A salad and dinner roll.
Beef Stew (8 portions)
- To add when I eat this: A salad and dinner roll or slice of toast.
Meatloaf (8 portions)
- I'll freeze 4 portions with 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup of whole beans; and 4 portions with 1 cup of noodles and 1/2 cup of whole beans. - - - To add when I eat this: Maybe a salad, but it's really a whole meal.
Pasta with turkey tomato sauce (10 portions)
- To add when I eat this: A salad
Cheese and Spinach Shells (14 portions)
- To add when I eat this: A salad
French Toast (14 portions)
- 1 serving = 2 slices
- To add when I eat this: 1 banana a bit of splenda and some cinnamon
Yogurt Pancakes
I will also cook up and freeze the following:
- Basmatti rice and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions
- Wild rice and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions
- Noodles and freeze it in 1 cup portions
- Blueberry Muffins and freeze them individually and put them into a large freezer bag. I can take a muffin when I want one for breakfast.
- zucchini bread. Sliced into single servings, wrapped in saran wrap and frozen.
- Yogurt pancakes. A serving is 4 - 2" pancakes. I'll freeze them into servings.
- 4 pork chops, wrapped and frozen. I can then take 1, add some frozen rice and a salad and have a meal.
I might make a turkey taco filling and freeze it into individual servings. Then I can add it to a corn tortilla, put toppings on it and have a salad... but I'll see. I don't know if I bought all the stuff for it or not. If I did I'll make it. If not I'll put it on my list to make next month.
I went through my recipe book and wrote down what I needed for each recipe that I wanted to make, and then combined the list into a shopping list so I bought only what I need to make the recipes and won't have wasted food in the fridge.
I bought all of the stuff yesterday and am cooking this evening and tomorrow and maybe Sunday. On the menu plan:
Orange Chicken (4 portions).
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: Nothing. It's got lots of veggies in it.
Lemon Chicken (4 portions)
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: A salad
Beef Stirfry (4 portions)
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: A salad
Shrimp Creole (4 portions)
- I'll freeze each portion with 1/2 cup of rice and there will be 4 ready to eat dinners.
- To add when I eat this: A salad and dinner roll.
Beef Stew (8 portions)
- To add when I eat this: A salad and dinner roll or slice of toast.
Meatloaf (8 portions)
- I'll freeze 4 portions with 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes and 1/2 cup of whole beans; and 4 portions with 1 cup of noodles and 1/2 cup of whole beans. - - - To add when I eat this: Maybe a salad, but it's really a whole meal.
Pasta with turkey tomato sauce (10 portions)
- To add when I eat this: A salad
Cheese and Spinach Shells (14 portions)
- To add when I eat this: A salad
French Toast (14 portions)
- 1 serving = 2 slices
- To add when I eat this: 1 banana a bit of splenda and some cinnamon
Yogurt Pancakes
I will also cook up and freeze the following:
- Basmatti rice and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions
- Wild rice and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions
- Noodles and freeze it in 1 cup portions
- Blueberry Muffins and freeze them individually and put them into a large freezer bag. I can take a muffin when I want one for breakfast.
- zucchini bread. Sliced into single servings, wrapped in saran wrap and frozen.
- Yogurt pancakes. A serving is 4 - 2" pancakes. I'll freeze them into servings.
- 4 pork chops, wrapped and frozen. I can then take 1, add some frozen rice and a salad and have a meal.
I might make a turkey taco filling and freeze it into individual servings. Then I can add it to a corn tortilla, put toppings on it and have a salad... but I'll see. I don't know if I bought all the stuff for it or not. If I did I'll make it. If not I'll put it on my list to make next month.