Let's Get the Ball Rollin'

Hey there everyone!  So I am starting this blog to be able to share all the good things I have learned and continue to learn about savings, frugal recipes, natural medicine, styling your home and self, spiritual thoughts, and much much more!  Each week I will be posting many different types of recipes.  I would appreciate any feedback that you have and any requests you have on a specific topic or question.  Please patient with me as I am new to blogging and am trying to navigate my way through all the 'buttons'! (I am not the most technologically savvy person) Enjoy!

Freezer Meals 101

Freezer Meals 101

Why Freezer Meals?

-          Freezer meals save both time and money because you shop less, eat out less 

        and waste less food.

-          Freezer meals are healthier than fast food and pre-packaged, processed food.

-          You can cater to your family’s tastes and you can also determine the portion 

        sizes yourself.

-          They are convenient to take to those who are sick or unable to cook for their 

        family.

-          Freezer meals can save you stress and last-minute trips to the grocery store 

        when you need to prepare a meal for company.

-          These meals help ensure that your family eats at least one meal together each 

        day, which can help strengthen family relationships.

How long do frozen foods last?

 - Breads and breakfasts, Drinks and popsicles, ice cream cakes:  2-3 months

 - Main dishes, salads, sides and soups:  4-6 months

 - Toffee, truffles and freezer jam:  12 months

What doesn’t freeze well?

-          Celery, lettuce, peaches will get soggy and brown when frozen and defrosted.

-          Cream cheese and block cheese will dry out and crumble when defrosted.  I freeze

        my cheese shredded. Block cheese can usually be stored in the refrigerator 6 months 

        unopened.

-          Mayonnaise will separate.  Custards (pumpkin pie included) and frostings.

-          Fully cooked noodles and fried foods will be soggy when defrosted.  Only cook 60 %, 

        and then cool.  Bake frozen fried foods to finish cooking them.

What freezes well?

-          Raw meat freezes well if in a sauce or marinade.  Refreezing meats can cause them 

        to lose moisture and become tough, but when mixed with a marinade, meats will cook 

        up with more flavors and are usually more tender.

-          Cooked rice, bread dough, pie crusts, cookie dough, cinnamon rolls, muffins, burritos,

        waffles, shredded cheese, fajita mix, soups, pasta sauces, cooked ground beef, fish,

        grapes, broccoli…

Packaging:

-          I use zip-top plastic bags, Ziploc containers, aluminum foil, and some glass dishware. 

        Any brand of zip-top plastic bags work just fine, but make sure if using only bags to

        double bag for soups.  Also, lay dinners flat so they will freeze and stack like bricks.

-          Don’t forget to label food, cooking time and temperature with a permanent marker. 

        To prevent freezer burn, squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible before 

        closing it completely.

-          Use aluminum foil pans.  Lasagnas are made in foil pans.  Pizzas are wrapped in 

        plastic wrap.  You can line pizza pans and baking dishes with aluminum foil for easy 

        clean up.

-          When using aluminum to line pans, flash freeze food for 1 hour or until frozen, then 

        take out and wrap in more layers of aluminum foil, label and freeze.  To serve, place 

        frozen meal back in glass dish to defrost and cook.

Safe Defrosting:

-          Refrigerator:  Usually takes 24 hours to defrost

-          Microwave:  Use right away because food is warm and is cooking some areas.   

        Bacteria start the multiplication process when food is warm.  Always pour off extra 

        water, but leave a small amount of water (2-3 T.) when defrosting sauces.

Refreezing:

-          Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking.   

        There may be a loss of quality because of the moisture lost through defrosting.

Leftovers:

-          Discard any warm food that has been on the counter longer than 2-3 hours.  Use 

        refrigerated leftovers within 4 days.  Harmful bacteria will multiply between 40 and 

        140 F.

I hope this helps you start using your freezer for more things!  It is such a great blessing 

and tool and we need to all use it to the best of our abilities! I will be posting frequently 

asked questions that goes a little more into depth of how to freeze certain foods.  Also, 

next week I will begin posting some of my favorite recipes for you to enjoy!

On an adventure... Hold on to your hats everybody!

So, I am pretty new to this blogging thing.  I love reading others posts, so I am going to venture out and begin.  Here it goes!  I have been asked to teach at a Relief Society Enrichment activity in September on freezer meals.  I was so excited that I was asked to be a part of that.  I am by no means an expert and I know that there is plenty more that I will learn down the road as I have many more "oops" experiences or "yum" experiences.  As I was preparing my handout for the women, I began to look at all the recipes I had and decided I have probably over 100 of them.  I can't share all of them in my handout so I decided to add them to this new and exciting blog of mine.  I hope that you will spread the word so that more people may come to experience the benefits and savings of having freezer meals in their home.  Now lets get started!

Welcome!!

I hope that you all find something that will help you out with style, savings, and creativity!  Enjoy!