Freezer Friendly Meal Ideas

[AnyDream]

Liz, I would love your wonton recipe, I've never made them but wonton soup is my all time Chinese soup favorite! DD and I have Chinese soup every friday night when DH is away!

[Tobily]

Flea - what marinades do you use on the chicken breasts? I LOVED that idea as I LOVE chicken so I thought I would ask. I usually throw a thawed chicken breast in the oven with olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning sprinkled on top and it is YUM but new ideas are always good!

Oh sorry I only just got back to this thread :biggrin:

Here's a couple of ideas - I'm into quick and easy so all of these you just mix up, pour in a bag and chuck in the chicken:

Greek Chicken - about equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice, some chopped oregano and garlic to taste, salt and ground black pepper.

Honey Mustard - 1/3 cup wholegrain mustard, 1/2 cup honey, 1tbsp curry powder, 1tbsp olive oil. This one is good on pork chops as well.

[Liz]

Marydean - I don't have a strict recipe.. but it's basically to taste. I use pork mince, ginger, garlic, chilli, shallots, and a splash of soy sauce.. mix it all up, put a small spoonfull in a wonton wrapper, and then freeze them. Some people like to have 1/2 meat 1/2 prawn, or you can add chopped waterchestnut. I've also done one with chicken mince which was nice, I can't remember what flavours I put in it tho. Can't go wrong with garlic, ginger & chilli tho. hehe.

I'm pretty sure you can cook them different ways too.. you could possible deep fry them.. or even steam them? I just chuck em in soup tho

[AnyDream]

Thanks Liz, you make it sound so easy!

[~Saram~]

Wanting to make up some dinners and snacks for after bub arrives and just wondering what foods you've had success in freezing and what you haven't. Mainly I'd like to freeze dinner type things - esp the veges if possible. Thanks for any help

[lilprecious75]

Hi Saram -

I find that spaghetti sauce and soups freeze really well - what season will it be when bubs is born? Along with freezing meals ahead of time, I would highly recommend buying a slow cooker if you don't have one already - they make meals SO easy!!

[~Saram~]

Oh I do have one of those slow cookers, thanks. We are having lots of family coming up to visit bub in March so I really want to have whole meals ready to go. Doing thisngs like shepherd pie etc might do up some soups and things as well. Thanks

[Pandora]

Lasagne freezes quite well. I cook mine all the way through, cool it in the refridgerator and then freeze. I've only tested this on a vegie lasange though, I think meat versions would freeze just as well.

[~Saram~]

Thanks

[*Shan*]

My DH was working away over the ski-season last year and would spend a 5 nights a week on the mountain, so i would send him up with heaps of frozen meals for lunch and dinner to reheat whilst he was away...i did..

Soups
Lasagne - meat & veg
Shepherds Pie - with extra mash potato and peas & corn in the container
Curried Sausages - with rice in the container
Chow Mein - with rice
Rissotto
Fried Rice
Rissoles - Cooked and in container with vegies
Tuna Cassarole - he'd heat it and put it on toast

You could also do....

Sweet Curry - with rice
Homemade Chicken Pies
Curries/Stews

The list is endless....Good luck Sarah....not long to go now...xxx

[Kazbah]

curries freeze well, soups,

I also freeze stir-fries (without the noodles)
Pasta sauces


With stuff like risotto, the key is in the reheating. Gentle reheating is better, thawed if possible.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

If your family are visiting in March, when the baby is newborn, they are cooking. And yes, I'd do the same to my family without hesitation (because they're all fab at cooking and it tastes so much nicer if someone else makes it and washes up!).

Frozen meals in my freezer right now:
Salmon, broccoli and potato wedges in a cheese sauce (need to add veg when cooking)
Bacon, sweetcorn and broccoli with potato slices in a cheese sauce (again, veg needed)
SC porcupine balls
Cauliflour cheese (with carrot, sweetcorn, lentils and bacon)
Fish pie (with a peas and a mashed potato topping)

Might get DH to help me do a tuna pasta bake in the SC and freeze down a couple of portions of that too. You can chop and blanche veggies pre-freezing, just put them in little portion bags.

Also, get your DH to learn how to do easy meals, like fish and chips or risotto and let him cook every now and then. You can stock up on frozen pre-chopped veggies (as I have) and ready meals and frozen pizzas if you run out, or your DH can help you prepare the slow cooker the night before (and my DH is usually OK with the same meal two nights running).

[~Saram~]

Thanks for all those great ideas and thanks on the vege ideas Ryn. haha on my family cooking when they visit. They barely cook for their own family and I would much rather cook my own way - I'm a bit of a nazi when it comes to nice healthy meals esp in my own kitchen. DH is fantastic and will help out as much as he can

[BekZ]

Hi,

My DD is due in 6wks and it is time that I do some extra meals for the freezer.

On my list so far is:

Spag bol
Sheppards pie base
Home made pizza bases
Pumpkin Soup
Stews
Caserol
Pre-made meat patties

I would appreciate any ideas, recipes, or tips. Also because it is summer I won't be cooking too much heavy food.

[Bloom]

My freezer is always pretty packed. What about a few curries if you like that kind of thing? You can also chop up your (eg chicken, steak) meat, add a little marinade (but don't use a very acidic marinade) and then freeze ready for stirfries or bbq or similar. Other freezer goods might include some cookie dough. You can also freeze savoury muffins quite well and they can make a nice lunch.
Good luck with your freezer stacking!
Ruth

[BekZ]

Thanks Ruth. In the last couple of days I thought of family size meat pies!!!!

[Indadhanu]

I really like lasagne for that, it freezes perfectly. Have you ever tried those crispy chicken wraps from old el paso I think, so easy to make, just stock up on some chicken breast pieces. Um, curries, stir-frys, meatballs, quiche... I'm just trying to think of the meals I make here that I freeze for Shel's lunches at work, and things that freeze and reheat well...

[Rouge]

Can I just ask how you do your pizza bases? Do you cook them first or put them in as dough?

I'd be making some hamburger patties (like with a tupperware thingo and seperated with go between. You can make them from your own meat (less fat) by processing meat with whatever flavours you want.

Curries are also great and they don't have to be hot.

What about marinading your own meat? That can be bbq'd and served with a salad? Like grabbing some chicken/beef and pouring in some marinade (or making your own) and then freezing? That way you just lift it out, and in the time it defrosts it marinades and is perfect for the bbq.