Freezer Meals

I've had several people ask me about freezer meals. We pretty much live off them, since I only now have time to cook once a month. BONUS only really have to clean up once a month too.

Here is the low down. I make 3 meals, 6 times each recipe. Basic math there you have 18 meals. I bet you are thinking, "But Emily there are 30 days in a month." Well we all have pizza nights, eat at parents, eat out, eat cereal, you understand... 18 should be plenty.
Once a month. For me it's the first Tuesday. Set a day, rent a new movie from redbox and stick the kids in front of the TV. Or I get together with a friend and we help eachother. Take turns doing the shopping for both of us. And we are both there if one needs to stop and help with the kids.
It will take a while to build up stock so you can't live off only freezer meals the first few months, or you are rotating between 3 meals. Boring to my palate. But once you have a good rotation, you'll not need to cook again :) other then the first Tuesday.

Best investment I ever made was buying a deep freezer. Look on craigslist, or your local classified ads.
Second best investment. Pyrex freezer wear with the tight seal lids. Kind of expensive, I bet your thinking. Well start off with buying an extra dish when you go to the store. They are about $6 each. When I first started I used the cheap foil like throw away pans. Well those are $2 each and don't hold up well or keep the freezer burn out. You can see how using your Pyrex just 3 times (again with the basic math) pays for your investment. Also tried putting them in foil, NASTY! Foil will change the taste of your food. Not good. You can look online for other ideas, but I have tried them all. Just buy the Pyrex, save yourself some heartache.

When you put your meal in a ziplock bag permanant marker right on it, what it is, the date (meals are only good 6 months or a few months longer in a deep freezer), and directions on how to cook it if you haven't memorized it.
If it's in Pyrex, put a piece of painters tape and write the same stuff on it.

Things that have not worked for me, but may work for you;
Freezer meal swap. You make like 10 of the same meal at your house and swap it with a group of people. Reason this didn't work, I'm a picky eater, I'm a germaphobe (did you wash your hands?), I'd have to drop off my containers beforehand or use disposable pans, above mentioned problems.

Now I wake up in the morning, think what's for dinner? Are we both home (if not it's mac n cheese, cereal or McDonalds)? Are we going out? Then if I determine that its a family meal night, I go out to the garage and pick a meal. Set it on my counter for the day. I plop it in the oven, 30-60 minutes before my husband is supposed to be home. If you are one of those good families that had veggies with dinner, heat hose up at the same time.