Do you freeze meals?

I'm in school again and studying to take my praxis exams, so my time is really stretched right now. I keep forgetting to cook meals lol  

So I was thinking every day I would make a casserole or cook in the rock pot, and then freeze half of it for when I'm too busy to cook.

So far I've frozen some chili and some chicken casserole. I'm gonna make chicken soup today. What else is good for freezing? Would meatloaf freeze well?

Our food, no matter how much I cook, never lasts past 1 night  

It's a good idea, though!!
IDK about how well meatloaf will freeze, and how it'd taste after re-heating, BUT if you do have a little extra time, you can make meatloaf muffins instead, they cook alot faster

I freeze red beans and spaghetti. Occasionally I'll freeze other stuff.

For meatloaf I freeze it before cooking (so when everything is mixed together I pop it in a ziploc, roll it flat, seal and freeze). Obviously that might not work for you but http://www.thekitchn.com/from-the-files-recipes-that-fr-67269 might help

Quoting Mayhem ♥:" Our food, no matter how much I cook, never lasts past 1 night   It's a good idea, though!! IDK ... [snip!] ... taste after re-heating, BUT if you do have a little extra time, you can make meatloaf muffins instead, they cook alot faster"

Lol yeah, that is exactly how it is here when DH is home. When I was working I'd make a few pieces of extra chicken for lunch the next day, but I always ended up having to buy lunch bc they'd be gone by morning. I dread the thought of how much food we will have to have when DS is a teenager *shudder*

But DH works 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off in the gulf, so that is 2 weeks where I can be stocking up lol

Quoting RunsWithScissors:" For meatloaf I freeze it before cooking (so when everything is mixed together I pop it in a ziploc, roll ... [snip!] ... and freeze). Obviously that might not work for you but http://www.thekitchn.com/from-the-files-recipes-that-fr-67269 might help"

That is a great idea   Do you defrost it before you cook it?

When doing meats like meatloaf, its best to freeze it raw and then just yank it out and bake it as needed. I do the mini-meatloafs (baseball size portions) and freeze separately and then pull them out to thaw the night before i need them (in fridge) and then bake them when I get home in the evening. Works great.

And pasta doesn't freeze really well. Lasagna does okay, but most pasta doesn't thaw that well because it gets soggy as it re-cooks. When possible (like chicken noodle soup), I thaw it without the noodles and then just add fresh noodles when I heat it up. Takes 10 mins or so, but the texture is SOOOOO much better.

Soups, stews, and casseroles tend to freeze the best. So does shepherd's pie  

I'll make extra spaghetti sauce and freeze half and just make fresh noodles and pour the sauce over.

I would think meatloaf would freeze fine. I freeze meatballs everytime I make them! Theyre pretty much the same thing! I love to cook and freeze veggies, stuff you cant get all year or if its on sale I buy extra just to freeze! Sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, pretty much everything thats not leafy!

When I was working I'd cook on Sunday and freeze everything.

Lasagna freezes well
Spaghetti sauce does too (doesn't take anything to cook up the noodles)
Meatloaf
Fried chicken
Taco meat
Make hamburger patties and freeze them raw no a tray, then put them in baggies with wax paper in between until you want to cook them up. Takes no time at all to cook up hamburgers.
Casseroles like you said.


You can freeze almost anything!  

You guys are awesome  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Chuck Bass:</b>" That is a great idea   Do you defrost it before you cook it?"</blockquote>



Yep! And then pop it in the pan and bake! I also premake chicken pot pies. I put the "guts" in a ziploc and freeze and buy premade crusts. Defrost the guts and put it together I might have a link on my blog for the pot pie recipe :-)
Ill look and add it here if I do

Eta http://this-mama-cooks.blogspot.com/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html?m=0

Quoting RunsWithScissors:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Chuck Bass:</b>" That is a great idea   Do you defrost it ... [snip!] ... pot pie recipe :-) Ill look and add it here if I do Eta http://this-mama-cooks.blogspot.com/2012/02/freezer-cooking.html?m=0"

That is an awesome idea!!!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Rumpelstiltskin:</b>" That is an awesome idea!!! "</blockquote>


In the cold months this is what DH loves to eat and I love how easy it is (after pre asslembling it all) lol. Dd just thinks the guts are the best LOL

Quoting RunsWithScissors:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Rumpelstiltskin:</b>" That is an awesome idea!!! "</blockquote> ... [snip!] ... is what DH loves to eat and I love how easy it is (after pre asslembling it all) lol. Dd just thinks the guts are the best LOL"

I'm going to make chicken pot pie tonight I think... I'll make double and freeze it! Such a great idea!

<blockquote><b>Quoting Rumpelstiltskin:</b>" I'm going to make chicken pot pie tonight I think... I'll make double and freeze it! Such a great idea! "</blockquote>




Right on! I need to get more chicken but DH has been pestering me since he got home to make it for him LOl