Trying to restock my freezer with homemade convenience meals

**Little Birdie** · 08-28-2007, 08:02 AM

This is the most economical way to handle Husband's lunches. If there's nothing there, he'll run to the grocery store near is office for bread and deli meat--much cheaper than eating out--but I'm sure you know I can save any more.

Last week I made stuffed chicken breasts. I made 6 so that we could have two for dinner, 2 for immediate leftovers, and 2 for the freezer.

Then for dinner this past week I made a big casserole dish of chicken pot pie. Dinner that night, some for dinner a couple nights later, and the rest divided into 3 containers in the freezer.

This past week I also made black bean soup. We only ate it one night. The rest went into the freezer as one 2 cup serving and two 1 cup servings.

I rarely freeze for dinners. Well never intentionally--sometimes we do end up eating these for dinners. My intention behind freezing is to supply lunches. I suppose Husband and I are lucky we both have access to refrigerators and microwaves at work.

Anyone do anything similar? What meals do you make to generate leftovers? Do you notice a correlation between your anxiety level and the number of meals you have in the freezer?

**Early Bird** · 08-28-2007, 10:21 AM

I do.

When we roast a chicken, the drumsticks all go into a ziplock in the freezer. If DH's lunch seems 'light,' I throw in an extra drumstick.

I also freeze single servings of

lasagna
chili
lentil stew
burgers
pork stew
aloo gobi
meatloaf

**Darlene** · 08-28-2007, 11:28 AM

Good for you! The freezer in my house is used mostly for sale meat, veggies & bread, also summer garden produce.

I usually don't do many freezer meals. Since I don't work outside of the home one of my favorite jobs is cooking dinner & I have the time to do it. I do cook with leftovers in mind though, I like turning a meal into something totally different the second time around.
Enjoy all your homemade goodies!

**Little Birdie** · 08-28-2007, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Darlene

I do cook with leftovers in mind though, I like turning a meal into something totally different the second time around.
Enjoy all your homemade goodies!

Now that is a skill I have not yet developed. My trick is just to pack it up and freeze it in lunch sized portions before we get tired of eating it.

However, Husband is going to grill teriyaki chicken leg quarters on Thursday. We usually eat three and have one left over. Instead of flipping a coin to see who gets it for lunch, I'm going to try pulling the meat off the bones and making fried rice on Friday.

**JerryG** · 08-28-2007, 10:29 PM

Good idea! It's very hot here now and I'm only "cooking" once a week, but when it' cooler, yes:

Meatloaf and mashed
Chicken soup
Stirfry
Potroast, shredded and frozen. Use for burritos later.
Lasagna
Frozen fruit - whole or mashed

What a great idea! and yes, I too, get nervous when the freezer starts to empty

**Little Birdie** · 08-30-2007, 11:11 PM

Husband keeps taking stuff for lunch

Doh! That's right--He's supposed to!

I added three 6 oz side servings of Indian Style Okra, and I added three 2 cup servings of Beefy Beans and Rice.

**she who can not cook** · 09-01-2007, 05:42 AM

i do as others.... when doing meals double up , cook in a FULL OVEN got to be frugal ie cornbeef hash , tuna pasta , pies, jacket pot wedges ect ect when i do my hash i have one for tea and freeze the other in lunch sizes for work OH and soups from when i cook my chickens SOUPS SOOO FREEZE WELL and if i am late for work or dont fancy a butty i take soup for lunch still frozen

**foxxyroxie** · 09-02-2007, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Little Birdie

I added three 6 oz side servings of Indian Style Okra

Sounds interesting. Would love to have the recipe for this. Care to share?

**YankeeMom** · 09-02-2007, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Little Birdie

Husband keeps taking stuff for lunch

Doh! That's right--He's supposed to!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets

when my stockpile gets used for what it's intended LOL!

**Little Birdie** · 09-03-2007, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by foxxyroxie

Sounds interesting. Would love to have the recipe for this. Care to share?

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-In...ra/Detail.aspx

Read the comments. I do recommend increasing the amount of the spice mix.

YankeeMom -

I started this thread as part blog, part search for ideas... and part reassurance that I'm not crazy (or at least that I'm not the only one who is crazy.

)

**Little Birdie** · 09-27-2007, 03:12 PM

Well, I didn't continue stocking it throughout the month as well as I did in the beginning. And now it's all gone. Grrr.

With coupons and sales I have built a little stockpile of canned foods (e.g. ravioli), but those have so much crap in them that I don't won't either of us to have to eat them day after day.

I'm now trying to work out a loose long range meal plan that has "restocking meals" at regular intervals. -- Thank you Early Bird for mentioning chili! I've worked that in already.

**DAAC3DEC** · 09-27-2007, 03:19 PM

I am a big "over cooker", even though there are 5+ that eat, I do it on purpose just for the left overs, we eat it for dinner one night, I let it go in the fridge for 1 day, if no one eats it or doesn't eat a lot of it, I freeze it....I have built up quite a freezer this way, the inside freezer I keep smaller portions and the outside chest freezer I keep the family portions, everyone knows that what is in the big freezer is not to be touched because I keep an inventory of the meals in them and count on them when I make my weekly grocery list.......