"Once-A-Month Cooking?"?!
I heard about this cookbook on a Focus On The Family radio spot!. Just caught the tail end of the interview with the author!. (It was like, 3 months ago!.) Has anyone ever done this, where they spend 1 day cooking freezer-to-oven meals and then they don't have to cook all month!? It sounds like an awesome idea!.!.!.I have 3 hungry kids and work full-time, sometimes not getting home until 6 pm!. I need some practical tips from someone who's actually done this!. What was your experience!? Was it cost- and time-efficient!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
This is a lot of work to start, but once you do it, you can rotate two or three menus and be good to go for a while!. Stock up at the local resale or thrift shop for pyrex dishes and freezer containers!.
Start by making your menu!. Don't forget to include a day for leftovers (if you usually have them) and the occasional day for eating out (if you do that)!. Think about what you will need - if you know that you use 1/2 bag of onions for french onion soup, what dishes can you make to use up the rest of the bag!. Shop smart!. Now create an inventory of what you have in the fridge, freezer and pantry!.
For each meal, make a list of everything you need including the seasonings!. Once you have done this, make a master shopping list and then cross off those things you already have in the fridge, freezer or pantry!.
Then arrange for the kids to stay with a relative for the day and go shopping!. Don't forget to pick up freezer bags!.
The next part is to do all the prep!. If you needed chopped onions and garlic for 4 dishes, chop all of them at one time and separate them into batches!. Then brown all your ground beef, cook pasta for casseroles, etc!. As you assemble each dish, label it and list any last minute things you will need!. If a casserole calls for bread crumbs to be added the last ten minutes, put them in a small baggy and tape to the top of the casserole!.
The "once a month" concept is a bit decieving!. You actually do cook everyday, you just don't have to do anything but cook!. Basically, you are preparing your own frozen meals!. The clean up is greatly reduced and so is your stress because you aren't running to pick up the kids at 4 and thinking "what's for dinner"!. Don't forget to add some crockpot meals, too!. These can be assembled inside a gallon ziplock and thrown in the freezer!.
The only to keep in mind is that you probably won't want to cook dinner on "COOKING DAY" so plan to have that as your eat out day!.
Finally, make it a habit to pull out the next day's dinner and throw it in the freezer after you load the dishwasher!.-- I'm sure you will be glad you did this!
Once you get dinner down, you can also do this for weekday breakfasts!. Homemade pancakes and muffins are much less expensive than the boxed ones certainly better for you!.
Feel free to email me if you have any trouble or need some recipe ideas!.
Good luck!
-JulieWww@FoodAQ@Com
Start by making your menu!. Don't forget to include a day for leftovers (if you usually have them) and the occasional day for eating out (if you do that)!. Think about what you will need - if you know that you use 1/2 bag of onions for french onion soup, what dishes can you make to use up the rest of the bag!. Shop smart!. Now create an inventory of what you have in the fridge, freezer and pantry!.
For each meal, make a list of everything you need including the seasonings!. Once you have done this, make a master shopping list and then cross off those things you already have in the fridge, freezer or pantry!.
Then arrange for the kids to stay with a relative for the day and go shopping!. Don't forget to pick up freezer bags!.
The next part is to do all the prep!. If you needed chopped onions and garlic for 4 dishes, chop all of them at one time and separate them into batches!. Then brown all your ground beef, cook pasta for casseroles, etc!. As you assemble each dish, label it and list any last minute things you will need!. If a casserole calls for bread crumbs to be added the last ten minutes, put them in a small baggy and tape to the top of the casserole!.
The "once a month" concept is a bit decieving!. You actually do cook everyday, you just don't have to do anything but cook!. Basically, you are preparing your own frozen meals!. The clean up is greatly reduced and so is your stress because you aren't running to pick up the kids at 4 and thinking "what's for dinner"!. Don't forget to add some crockpot meals, too!. These can be assembled inside a gallon ziplock and thrown in the freezer!.
The only to keep in mind is that you probably won't want to cook dinner on "COOKING DAY" so plan to have that as your eat out day!.
Finally, make it a habit to pull out the next day's dinner and throw it in the freezer after you load the dishwasher!.-- I'm sure you will be glad you did this!
Once you get dinner down, you can also do this for weekday breakfasts!. Homemade pancakes and muffins are much less expensive than the boxed ones certainly better for you!.
Feel free to email me if you have any trouble or need some recipe ideas!.
Good luck!
-JulieWww@FoodAQ@Com
I have not done it but a few meals I would suggest would be!.!.!.!.
Chili-cornbread frozen seperatley
Beef stew
Pork roast
Meatloaf
lasagna
encheladas
B-b-q pork and beef
Pot roast!.
Go thru the frozen meal section at your grocery store and get more ideas from there!. If big companies can do it, so can you!.
Just remember when freezing pasta and rice to freeze the pasta and sauce sperately then stack on top of each other or next to each other and re-freeze, so that the noodles/rice are not getting mushy as they freeze, then later cook!.
Other casseroles would work as well!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Chili-cornbread frozen seperatley
Beef stew
Pork roast
Meatloaf
lasagna
encheladas
B-b-q pork and beef
Pot roast!.
Go thru the frozen meal section at your grocery store and get more ideas from there!. If big companies can do it, so can you!.
Just remember when freezing pasta and rice to freeze the pasta and sauce sperately then stack on top of each other or next to each other and re-freeze, so that the noodles/rice are not getting mushy as they freeze, then later cook!.
Other casseroles would work as well!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
No, I have set aside one sunday to cook a week's worth of meals though, my recipes are here: Www@FoodAQ@Com
I have 5 kids and work full time!. I spend Saturday planning and shopping and Sunday cooking!. I only do it for a week at a time, due to space limitations!. There are still things that have to be prepared, salad, any fresh vegetables or rolls, but the main part of the meal is just waiting to be heated!.
I make a lot of soups, stews, casseroles, chicken, turkey, meatloaf, sauces, even desserts!. I try to use seasonal goods and buy whatever is on sale!. It is very important to wrap it well to prevent ice crystals!. I usually fill the container and then push plastic wrap down on the surface before putting the lid on the container!.
It works fairly well because I simply don't go to the store from Saturday to Saturday except for milk!. No exceptions, so I do save money!. There have been nights, though, when I really haven't been in the mood for something that sounded good over the weekend, but we make do!.
I think you should try doing a week ahead first, then try to expand to a longer period!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I make a lot of soups, stews, casseroles, chicken, turkey, meatloaf, sauces, even desserts!. I try to use seasonal goods and buy whatever is on sale!. It is very important to wrap it well to prevent ice crystals!. I usually fill the container and then push plastic wrap down on the surface before putting the lid on the container!.
It works fairly well because I simply don't go to the store from Saturday to Saturday except for milk!. No exceptions, so I do save money!. There have been nights, though, when I really haven't been in the mood for something that sounded good over the weekend, but we make do!.
I think you should try doing a week ahead first, then try to expand to a longer period!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Never did it all in advance for a month
but I work nights and I do spend some of my off day each week making dishes to freeze
I also make a double batch of foods like chili and soup, baked zitti (anything with a sauce really works best) and freeze for later use!. love the time savings and I feel better when I'm not home cause my guys don't call out for pizza every night
be sure to mark and date it, keep wrapped tightly!. I wrap in foil then put cooking info on sheet of paper and then wrap in plastic wrap
I take from freezer and put in fridge the night before and when hubby comes home he pops in oven and and calls me to verify instructions!.
It's fabulous other wise they are eating out four to five nights a week and that's expensive and unhealthy besides my hubby likes my cooking better than anyone else so he's happy
most foods will keep atleast 6 months if air tight
Www@FoodAQ@Com
but I work nights and I do spend some of my off day each week making dishes to freeze
I also make a double batch of foods like chili and soup, baked zitti (anything with a sauce really works best) and freeze for later use!. love the time savings and I feel better when I'm not home cause my guys don't call out for pizza every night
be sure to mark and date it, keep wrapped tightly!. I wrap in foil then put cooking info on sheet of paper and then wrap in plastic wrap
I take from freezer and put in fridge the night before and when hubby comes home he pops in oven and and calls me to verify instructions!.
It's fabulous other wise they are eating out four to five nights a week and that's expensive and unhealthy besides my hubby likes my cooking better than anyone else so he's happy
most foods will keep atleast 6 months if air tight
Www@FoodAQ@Com
I have several cookbooks that are used for ONCE A MONTH cooking but you can also find a lot of useful recipes online!. When my kids were little I did it all the time!. I'd have things going in the oven, microwave and crockpot!. It made my live easier and the family ate better for less!. Here is an easy example!. If you family likes ground beef or ground meat mixtures and it is on sale!. Buy 10 + pounds and make meatloaves, meatballs, and ground beef crumbles!. I'd line loaf pans with foil, form the meatloaf in it and freeze!. Once it was frozen I'd remove it from the loaf pan so I could still use the loaf pan!. It could be easily baked at a later day or even put into the crock pot in the morning frozen and cook slowly all day!. I'd make dozens of meatballs from some of the other meat and either cook partially in the microwave or oven!. Remove and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet, cover with foil and freeze!. Once frozen remove from pan and place in zip loc bags and use as needed for spaghetti and meatballs, meatball stroganoff, appetizers, sweet and sour meatballs over rice, etc!. The rest I'd cook and crumble!. I'd divide into three bowls and season some with Italian spices, some with Mexican spices and leave some plain!. I'd then package in small zip locs for tacos, pasta dishes, casseroles later!. When chicken was on sale I'd buy several, roast a couple with various seasonings and freeze whole, cook one in crockpot and remove from bones to use for casseroles, keeping small pieces and broth for soup, some I might shred and store in zip locs for fajitas, etc!.
My daughter LOVED tuna casserole!. I'd make up a roasting pan worth, divide into casserole size dishes and freeze!. When cooking on the grill I'd make burgers, chicken, brats, etc!. and freeze in dinner size packages!. When reheated you still get the grilled flavor!. For breakfast I'd make an entire box of pancake mix and make plain, chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes and freeze in single layers on wax paper covered cookie sheet and once frozen remove to zip locs to use as needed!. I'd also make waffles and freeze at the same time!. Eggs on sale!? I'd make batches of breakfast burritos that I'd wrap in saran (2 in a serving) and freeze in zip locs!. Microwave when ready to use!. I hope that these ideas get you started on your own ideas!. With holidays coming up sooner than later, you can also make up many of your favorite appetizers in large batches and freeze to have on hand!.
Enjoy! By the way - get the kids invovled!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
My daughter LOVED tuna casserole!. I'd make up a roasting pan worth, divide into casserole size dishes and freeze!. When cooking on the grill I'd make burgers, chicken, brats, etc!. and freeze in dinner size packages!. When reheated you still get the grilled flavor!. For breakfast I'd make an entire box of pancake mix and make plain, chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes and freeze in single layers on wax paper covered cookie sheet and once frozen remove to zip locs to use as needed!. I'd also make waffles and freeze at the same time!. Eggs on sale!? I'd make batches of breakfast burritos that I'd wrap in saran (2 in a serving) and freeze in zip locs!. Microwave when ready to use!. I hope that these ideas get you started on your own ideas!. With holidays coming up sooner than later, you can also make up many of your favorite appetizers in large batches and freeze to have on hand!.
Enjoy! By the way - get the kids invovled!. Www@FoodAQ@Com