Comments on: Batch Cooking: Meal Starters

By: Rachel

Rachel — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:04:28 +0000

Most of the time I use zip-lock freezer bags. It’s important to minimize the amount of air inside the container. Freezer bags are good for this because you can squeeze the air out before you seal them.

By: Sherita

Sherita — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:29:25 +0000

I love reading this post and all of the wonderful ideas. My question to all of you that have posted is: what freezing mechanizisms do you use, ie…freezer bags, foil, etc…I am terribly new to cooking period and wanted to know if there was a “best food freezing” method

Thanks!!!
Sherita´s last blog post ..October already

By: bronya

bronya — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:24:09 +0000

WOW! that’s awesome … i don’t freeze anything because I don’t have much freezer space but I think I’m going to rethink that … all these freezing ideas mean I need to get to work … I don’t even have any ideas to add to the mix – I’m just here to steal everyone else’s great ideas – sorry!
bronya´s last blog post ..just the best day

By: marissa

marissa — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:36:43 +0000

I know this is cheating a bit, but the Costco in our area sells whole cooked(!) chickens for $5 each. A normal raw chicken on sale costs at least $7 or $8 dollars here. My sister-in-law and I buy a couple at a time, shred them, and then freeze in portions to put into salads, enchiladas, etc. I still can’t believe they’re cheaper and I don’t have to do all the work of cooking it like I used to. Not sure how prices may be different in other areas.

By: Lorna

Lorna — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:31:04 +0000

I love it when the comments are a good as the post. Preprepared foods are a necessity when you get home from work and your husband immediately says: “what’s for dinner”?

Here is a favorite of mine:
pork that has been crock potting all day. Homemade dutch red cabbage (very Dutch) frozen flat and stacked…baby peas zapped in mw…mashed potato mounds ( leftover mashed potatoes, yukon gold freeze beautifully, russets do not…scooped out with an ice cream scoop, frozen on a cookie sheet and then packaged.) I put a little cream cheeses and sour cream in my potatoes as it makes them a little more substantial. Then add leftover gravy “ice cube” and you have dinner – fast!

I am a collector of great ideas. Come visit me at “That’s the coolest thing” lornaboot@blogspot.com

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:40:39 +0000

Just a word of warning…if you leave on vacataion, have someone who is checking your house also check your freezer. We left for a week in very hot weather, the freezer was working so hard that it shut off and we lost an entire deep freezer full of local beef, frozen meals, frozen berries, jam, and bread. Easily $300 worth of stuff. It was so warm when we got home and opened it that the frozen pastries had actually RISEN beyond their normal size when allowed to rise in the kitchen before baking. It was crushing to lost all that food and time of preparation.

By: Minnesotamom

Minnesotamom — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:32:52 +0000

What an inspirational post for me! We, unfortunately, don’t have room for a deep freeze, but I wrote down in my planner’s space for December notes some of these ideas that will work for us. With the baby coming in January, I think it will be great to be prepared!
Minnesotamom´s last blog post ..Sunday Sunshine 09.13.09

By: Gay B

Gay B — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:22:17 +0000

OK. I have to admit that reading this and all the posts made me tired. I can’t imagine doing all that at once! I freeze somethings and am really happy when I do. It makes things so much easier. I think I’ll have to really look at this concept when I do my menu/shopping list this week.

By: Sandra Gonzales

Sandra Gonzales — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:33:18 +0000

Wow!!! The ladies on this discussion have some awesome freezer skills. I thought I was doing good freezing chicken breast and chicken stock. You guys have given me alot of “food” for thought. Thank you.

By: liz

liz — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:00:42 +0000

I did a day of batch cooking before school started, and I made a ton of pesto, some small parbaked bread loaves (had one tonight!), refried beans, a lasagne, pizza dough… I also like to cook a whole chicken occasionally and freeze the stock and some of the meat.

I cook enough every night for us to have the leftovers for lunch the next day, and if there’s anything else left I freeze a serving or two for a future lunch. I don’t mind cooking every day, but I don’t want to cook lunch AND dinner. This way I just cook once a day.

I’ve got a ton of Alaskan blueberries, cranberries and raspberries in my freezer, too.

Oh, and I keep a list in my home management notebook of what’s in my freezer and cross things off when I use them.
liz´s last blog post ..it’s fall, baby!