What kind of meals can be frozen

Thank you! Freezer meals can be invaluable to parents as we try to juggle our busy lives. I hope you dig in, give freezer meals a try and save yourself time and money.

Lettuce, cucumbers, bean sprouts, and raw potatoes will turn mushy when thawed. Hard-boiled eggs will go rubbery so I avoid freezing those as well. Egg-based sauces like mayonnaise will separate and curdle when thawed.

And many dairy products such as cream, yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream and cottage cheese will sometimes go watery when thawed. However, if I am using sour cream or cottage cheese in a dish that will be baked I usually have no issues.

Other than those main items you should be able to freeze most items and have your meal turn out. Gallon or quart-sized plastic or re-usable freezer safe bags. Just make sure and get out as much air as possible by squishing the food around and flattening the bag as much as possible.

Seal it tightly to avoid any spills or freezer burn as well. I have heard of people using reusable gallon sized bags as well to save even more money. Ziploc freezer meal recipes are my most used freezer meals for a month. Aluminum foil pans or your own baking dishes. Look for these at the dollar stores where you can often get a 3 pack for a dollar. However, if you are freezer meal cooking for two you can buy the smaller sized ones.

Also check your local restaurant supply stores for multiple containers as well. You could also use your own metal pans, but you want to make sure you have enough of them before you get started. For those of you who want to take your Instant Pot freezer meals out of the freezer, and pop the frozen meal right into your Instant Pot without defrosting or thawing, these 64 oz freezable plastic containers with lids are awesome.

Just make sure you also get a pack of these Sharpie peel-off markers so you can write on the bucket lids over and over again. Here is a list of my favorite freezer meal supplies that are perfect for beginners or even those who have been doing it for a while! The majority of freezer meals will last anywhere from 3 to 9 months, depending on the ingredients used. This is probably the question I get asked the most. Here are some of my freezer meals for beginners posts and videos.

Love your book. Question you partially answered above. Form and freeze chickpea patties, and then have them on hand to cook during random falafel cravings. If you're going to spend all day making stuffed cabbage, you should definitely save some for a month from now when you don't have the energy to get off the couch. Double the meat mixture for a patty melt and freeze uncooked patties. Next time, it'll be faster than going to your local diner.

Creamy soups usually have a shorter shelf life in the freezer, so try to eat them within a month or two.

If you're going to take the time to soak dried beans—like gigante, baby lima, cannellini, or chickpeas—might as well make them go further. Freeze these brothy beans in their super flavorful broth and you'll have instant protein at the ready. Make and freeze the sauce. Keep pasta on hand for almost instant bolognese. We like fresh tagliatelle or pappardelle best, but dry rigatoni works great too.

Apple pie, blueberry pie, strawberry rhubarb pie—whatever pie you want, have crust waiting for you in the freezer at all times. Freeze the unbaked lasagna up to one month in advance—just make sure to let it thaw overnight in fridge, then bake as directed.

Slice-and-bake cheesy crackers will be there for you when you come up short on party appetizers. Keep the roll of dough in the freezer and all you have to do is slightly thaw it, slice, and bake.

Pipe dough, freeze them onto a sheet tray, and pop them all into a bag once solid. See this great chart here for food storage times. You can learn more about how to prepare foods for freezing and some great tips here on Freezer Cooking What foods would you add to this list? Presentation of a series of ice cubes with strawberries. Join 90, others to get your Free Budget Pack sent right to your inbox!

Make the most of your freezer to make your life easier - and help save the planet at the same time. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

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Let all food reach room temperature before freezing.