Nesting... in my Freezer!

For a couple of years now, I've been making large batches of soups and stews in the slow cooker, then freezing them in small containers for Jeff and I to pull out for lunches down the road. As a result, when I first heard about freezer meals early in this pregnancy, I assumed that's what people were talking about--but I quickly learned my vision was way too narrow!

After consulting several websites, blogs, and friends, I realized that freezer meals can be a lot more than just a casserole or a soup--and that they can actually be really easy to assemble. In our area, there are companies like Let's Dish that can help you with the process, but, with a little research, preparation, and time, it's pretty easy to stock your freezer right from the comfort of your own kitchen. Here's how I did it!

First Steps

1. Gather the recipes you want to use, making sure you include a variety of types of meals, proteins, etc. (I searched the web, talked to friends, and read blogs.)
2. Make your shopping list, making sure you include containers for storing what you're going to make and a Sharpie marker. (I included gallon and quart freezer bags, aluminum foil, and aluminum casserole/pie dishes. When you're deciding what sizes of pans to get, consider whether you might want to split some larger casseroles into two or three smaller ones.)

Pre-Cooking Preparation

Once the day came to start making our meals, I did a couple of things before pulling anything out of the fridge:

1. I cleaned out and reorganized the freezer to create space.
2. I made a "meat" cutting station and a "veggie" cutting station (so I would have to keep rewashing cutting boards and knives. 
3. I set up a spot for organizing and labeling all containers.
4. I recognized that I probably wouldn't make all the meals in a single day, so I thought about a logical order in which to do the preps.

Day 1: No-Cook Preps

The freezer "before"--what a mess!

I decided to start with the easiest meals--the ones where no ingredients needing cooking before being assembled. Those dishes included the following:

Szechuan Steak Stir-Fry

http://thrivinghomeblog.com/2012/08/szechuan-steak-stir-fry-recipe/

Hearty Beef Stew (slow cooker meal)

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html

Chicken Cacciatore (slow cooker meal)

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html

Cilantro-Lime Chicken with Corn and Black Beans (slow cooker meal)

http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html

Thanks to a recipe from a good friend, I also turned 3 lbs of ground meat into 55 seasoned meatballs (frozen in quart ziploc bags that contained 9-12 meatballs each).

The freezer after Day 1--getting there!

Day 2: With a Little Help from My Husband

Knowing I was going to need a little more help on the second day, I prepped several things (chopped vegetables, made a seasoned rub, etc.), then enlisted Jeff's help for an hour or two.

Sloppy Joes (I filled 3, 1-quart ziplocs)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/sloppy-joes/

Burrito Pies (3 casseroles, 8x8 inches each)

http://thrivinghomeblog.com/2013/06/burrito-pie-recipe/

Chicken Pot Pie (one 9-inch and one Button-sized mini loaf!)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/chicken-pot-pie-recipe/index.html

I also made a pork tenderloin with a seasoned rub, and I blanched some Brussels sprouts and froze them in a separate bag to serve with the tenderloin.

An exhausted (but proud) mama-chef at the end of Day 2!

Day 3: Surprise--It's a Snow Day!

After two days of cooking over a long weekend, I was so excited to wake up to a snowstorm this morning! The extra day afforded me the opportunity to turn the 4 pounds of potatoes I had remaining into a batch of mashed potatoes perfect for freezing!

A Few Final Tips

1. Label all meals with exactly what they are and when they were prepared. (Each of my meals contained the following labels: contents, assembly date, and directions.)
2. Label all meals with very specific cooking directions (thaw or not, temperature, time, and method for cooking).
3. Label all meals with approximate number of servings, if applicable. (For example, I'd include the number of chicken breasts in a meal.)

I'm so thrilled that our fridge is now stocked for the months after Button's arrival! While we know our incredibly supportive friends will bring lots of delicious meals our way after she first comes, this way, we're prepared for easy meals well into the early spring months, too.

And this has given me another idea: from now on, when I deliver a meal to a new set of parents or a friend recovering from surgery, I think I'll include a freezer meal or two. They're so easy to put together--and what an added bonus for the recipient!

A fully nested freezer!

A note: I did make modifications to some recipes--please feel free to ask if you have any questions!