What
do you need for freezing cooking?
Freezer
cooking is simple. You will need storage containers to freeze
your food in, a few of your favorite recipes, and a freezer
to store them in. You do not need an expensive deep freezer
unless you are planning to store large quantities of frozen
meals.
Freezer
storage containers
You do
not need to spend a fortune on storage containers to get started
with freezer containers to get started with freezer cooking.
Many of the foods you will want to store can be frozen safely
in freezer storage bags or aluminum foil.
- Freezer
storage bags - Gallon size bags will accommodate a considerable
meal. Make sure you purchase the freezer safe bags and not
ordinary storage bags.
- Aluminum
foil and wax paper - Aluminum foil and was paper are great
for solid or semi-solid foods.
- Plastic
storage containers - Plastic storage containers are another
great choice for freezing. There is a large variety of disposable
containers perfect for freezing your favorite dishes. You
can also use traditional, non-disposable storage containers.
- Pyrex
and glassware - Pyrex and heavy duty glassware pans are
another freezing alternative. You can freeze your meals
right in the pan you bake them in. (To avoid cracking
of glass, cool pan before freezing.)
What
can I freeze?
Now that
you know what to freeze your meals in, your next step is to
figure out what you can cook. Soups, casseroles, meats, vegetables,
side dishes, and main dishes can all be frozen safely. Foods
such as raw potatoes and cabbage do not freeze well. The easiest
way to find out which of your favorite meals will freeze well
is to just try it out. Next time you cook your favorite recipe,
set aside a small portion to freeze and try it out. If it
freezes well add it to your list of freezer meal ideas. You
can also check out the freezer
recipe forum for freezer recipe ideas.
Planning
and labeling
Freezer
cooking can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.
One way to do this is to set aside a day for cooking your
freezer meals once or twice a month. You can cook several
meals at the same time or go all out and cook enough meals
for the entire month. Perhaps the simplest way, however, is
to cook your meals as you usually do with a twist. Plan out
your meals, but instead cook a double batch. Freeze the extra
portion for later. If you do this once or twice a week, you'll
have a freezer stash in no time.
Another
important part of planning is labeling. In order to tell which
meal is which, your meals will need to be properly labeled.
You can use freezer tape and a pen or marker to label your
meals.
Freezing
and thawing
Cool your
meals in the refrigerator before freezing. You will want to
freeze them promptly to avoid risk of spoilage. Meals should
be thawed in the refrigerator before cooking. Cooking times
vary, but a good starting point is cooking the thawed meal
for one half the length of the original cooking time. If it
is not heated, continue cooking until done.
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