Freezer Cooking

We've mentioned it before, but now we've actually tried it for a while.  It's one of our new best, best friends.  Well, that and home-canned soups and beans.  After receiving many, many potatoes, we took an entire day and washed, peeled, shredded, blanched, and bagged.  Many things we would do differently next time, but one thing we know...having food ready to cook in the freezer is WONDERFUL!  The time saved by having even a portion of a meal already prepared and in the freezer adds up to lots of time left for other activities, and who couldn't use a little more time in their day?  So...freezer cooking, try it!  It's truly Living Large on Less!  Blessed Mama

Here are a few tips learned by experience:
  • Plan ahead!  Know what you are going to cook and have the necessary ingredients, supplies, and containers gathered BEFORE cooking begins.
  • Choose recipes that utilize weekly sales at the local grocer.  For instance, if chicken pieces are at an all time low sale price this week, prepare recipes that use chicken.  If flour is on sale, then this may be the time to have a baking session for the freezer. 
  • Personalize the cooking session to work smartest for your own schedule and budget.  Cooking days don't have to last an entire day, nor must they be held on a weekend.  If the time you have available is a weekday evening, then by all means, spend an evening cooking. 
  • Freezer cooking works just as beautifully for singles as it does for families.  Everyone benefits from savings of time.  I can already hear the laughter and fun a group of singles would share spending an evening together cooking.  An entire day?  Now THAT would be a riot! 
  • Have music playing in the background that will motivate, inspire, and energize.  Impromptu dancing sessions while using a wooden spoon as a microphone are great fun and keep those with an intense bent from getting too...well...intense.
  • Gather friends and/or family together and have everyone do their own freezer cooking together.  "The more the merrier" perfectly describes freezer cooking days.
  • Don't forget to have snacks, drinks, lunch, and supper ready to go BEFORE cooking begins.  If the budget allows, this may be the ideal day for the pizza delivery person to show up!  If not, a baked potato bar, help-yourself-salad bar, or other slowcooker meals provide delicious eats without extra fuss.
  • If little ones are going to be around, plan age appropriate "jobs" for them to do.  How important they feel when they have contributed to the effort.  Don't underestimate their abilities.  Our 4-yr-old rolls the best meatball in the house and loves to peel potatoes.  Just make certain the utensils little ones use are safe for them to use.  We have a special potato peeler ours use for the very reason that it is safer. 
  • Also, have other non-working activities planned for when little attention spans wear out.  If you have been saving back a special movie, game, or coloring book, this would be a good opportunity to bring it out.
  • Wear comfortable clothing, shoes, and pull long hair back, up, and out of the way.  Oh yes, if the dishes you are going to prepare are messy, wearing short sleeves is ideal.  Nothing gets as old as having to stop what you are doing and ask someone else to pull your sleeves up.  
  • Aprons are not only fun but useful as well.  Flour tends to settle on the parts of us that stick out closest to the work surface.  If you have ever been embarrassed by obvious flour spots on the front of you, you won't hesitate to throw that apron on.
  • Last but not least, take advantage of the experiences of others.  Search around online and read the advice, tips, suggestions, and recipes of people who have been doing this for years.  People love to help and experience is the best teacher.  Free yourself to learn from "those who have gone before" in this area.  Some generous individuals offer tried and true recipes that work especially well for freezer cooking.  Still others offer individual breakdowns for various serving sizes along with shopping lists.  Does it get any easier than that? 
More than likely, the longer we at Living Large on Less practice this, the more tips and suggestions we will have to share with you.  We're just taking our first baby steps.  From where we stand right now though, the future's looking good.  Freezer Cooking, one small way to Live Large on Less.

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