It's a great way to save time and money.Set aside one whole day to cook all of the large batches of soups, stew, and casseroles that you choose to make.Once the meals are cooled off, store them in containers, label them, and put them into the freezer.All you have to do is thaw and cook the food when you are ready to eat.
Step 1: You can make large batches of recipes.
Some of the easiest meals to make in large batches are soups, chili, stew, and casseroles.Pizza, pot pies, curries, enchiladas, stir-fry, fried rice, meat dishes, and steamed vegetables are just a few options.For the big batches, choose recipes that are hits in your household.Try new recipes in smaller batches.You can collect recipes from various sources and read cookbooks for ideas.Search online for terms like "large batches meals" and "freezer meals".
Step 2: It's a good idea to get meals and ingredients that freeze well.
It's easy to thaw most meat-based dishes, casseroles, soups, and chilis.You have other options, like 1-dish meals.When you thaw and rewarm the meal, you can package and label them separately so that you know to do the rest.Regardless of what you choose, make sure the components freeze well.Mayonnaise is fine if mixed into a recipe, but sour cream and cream cheese don't freeze well.
Step 3: 30 days worth of dinners can be covered by at least 4 different recipes.
If you want to include breakfast and lunch meals, your needs will be different.You will need a minimum of 4 large-batch meals if you are just doing dinners.Depending on how many people you're cooking for, each meal should have enough for a whole week.Each recipe should make at least 14 portions if you have a family of 2.You can plan beyond 4 dishes.You should base your freezer space and capabilities on the number of dishes.If you are trying to save money, you might want to take a peek into your pantry to see what you already have on hand.The less you have to spend, the better.Saving money is achieved by choosing recipes with multiple ingredients.You can buy the ingredients in bulk.
Step 4: You can make a grocery list with the recipes you have chosen.
If you are doubling or tripling your recipes, you may need to do a little math.Write down everything you need for a meal along with how much you have.This list could get long depending on what you are making.It's a good idea to double check your calculations before you head to the store.To save yourself time in the kitchen, you may want to buy frozen vegetables.
Step 5: All of the necessary information can be included in full recipe sheets.
Creating recipe sheets with a shopping list, prep instructions, cooking day instructions and even a thaw sheet will help you stay organized.This will make it easier for you to replicate the same meal in the future and reduce the amount of work you have to do later.For the future, keep your successful recipe sheets in a binder.You can use an app to organize this information.You can find an app that works for you by using search terms.
Step 6: Schedule a day to cook.
When you have the whole kitchen to yourself, you can clear your schedule.Break the task into 2 half-days if your schedule doesn't allow you to cook an entire day.If possible, have a friend or family member help out with the cooking.It will be a lot of work, but you will enjoy the benefits all month long.You can factor in how many hours of work you will need to put in on a cooking day if you check each recipe for prep and cook times.
Step 7: You should buy ingredients the day before you cook.
If you rush, an ingredient can easily be forgotten, so go shopping early in the day.Since vegetables will be fresh and crisp when you cook them, shopping the day before is helpful.Use coupons to cut down on grocery costs.If you shop weekly, the price may be a little higher because you are buying enough food for a whole month.You should have enough pots, pans, baking dishes, and measuring spoons for the big day.You may need to stock up on items such as freezer bags, aluminum foil, and airtight containers.
Step 8: The day before you cook, get the prep work done.
The amount of time it takes to prepare ingredients for your meals will vary depending on what you are making, but you can expect about 3 hours of meal prep work.On cooking day, you can focus on mixing, assembling and cooking each meal if you get the chopping, defrosting, and marinating done the day before.If you need chopped onions for a recipe, store them in a container in the fridge.All you have to do is open the container and dump the onions in.It is not necessary to do prep work the day before.If you want to do it on cooking day, you need to factor in an extra few hours of work time.
Step 9: Save time by working on multiple recipes at the same time.
If you can, take advantage of the fact that some dishes can be worked on simultaneously.If you want to make a stew in the slow cooker, you can stir-fry meat on the stove.It is usually best to get the harder meals out of the way first.The sequence you choose will help you stay focused and organized.You may need to use multiple timers to keep track of different cook times.When doubling or tripling recipes, you may need to adjust cooking times.
Step 10: The meals need to cool off before they are put in containers.
Before you package the meals up for the freezer, let them sit out on heat-safe surfaces for at least 30 minutes.You can check the temperature in the center by touching the top of the food or using a fork.If you don't let your food cool off before putting it in the freezer, it may not freeze well or the texture could be negatively affected.
Step 11: Before freezing the meal, package it securely in a container.
Plastic containers are good for sauces, gravies, and dressings.Tupperware can be used for the entree.Wrap a dish in aluminum foil and then freeze it.Press out as much air as possible if you are putting meal components in freezer bags.Press down the freezer bags to be as thin as possible since you will be stacking the meals in your freezer.
Step 12: The dish name and number of serving should be written on each container.
If you label everything clearly, the information will stay put.Write the name of the dish, the cook date, and the number of calories on the label.Baking/warming instructions can be included on each container.A label might look like this: Chicken Spaghetti.October 5, 2018).5 portions.For 45 minutes, thaw in the fridge and then re-warm at 350 F.If you prefer, you can cover the labels with packaging tape.
Step 13: When you are ready to eat a meal, thaw it.
It will save you time if you have recipe sheets or label notes.If you follow the instructions, you can enjoy your pre-cooked meals.To preserve the taste and texture of the food, thaw dishes out properly.It's a good idea to thaw food overnight in the refrigerator or microwave.If you want to thaw casseroles out completely before heating them, you can do it at a lower temperature for 30 minutes.