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Published on
January 10, 2013
January 10, 2013
BeaverValley
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Getting Organized: Freezer
My Freezer: My Time Saving Friend
By: Heather McKinsey
Heather McKinsey
I am a stay-at-home mom working part time now, with two toddlers. But I never seem to have enough time, so I am always looking for more ways to save time. My freezer is a big time saver for me. I am not a gourmet cook, but I do cook dinner for my family 90% of the time. I have found a few time saver tips for meals.
Tip One: I buy a lot of boneless chicken breasts (fresh and frozen) and I cook several at once. I usually bake them. I use some for dinner that night and once the rest cool down, I cut them up into small chunks and put them into sandwich bags, I fill the bags about half full (enough to be used in meals). Then I put them into a larger bag and into the freezer they go. I use this frozen chicken later in soups, pasta, quesadillas, tacos, enchiladas, and more.
Tip Two: PB&Js are so easy to make and feed the kids when we are out and about. I use the sandwich rounds for my kids. I buy a loaf of them, come home and lay them all out. I put peanut butter on one side and a thin layer of peanut butter on the other. I put jelly on the side with the thin layer, then put them together. I put them back in the bag the bread came in, put them in a gallon freezer bag and then into the freezer they go. I now have 10 sandwiches pre-made. When ready to use, just remove from the freezer 30 minutes before and they still stay fresh.
Tip Three: There are several meals that I make where I will double the recipe. Since we are a small family of four and the kids don’t eat very much, I make a meal for 4 adults. We eat the meal that night and instead of putting the leftovers in the fridge, I put them in a plastic container and into the freezer they go. I label it and it is good to go for another night. I have done this with soups, spaghetti, pasta meals, crock pot meals and more.
Tip Four: I make a large batch of brown rice in my rice cooker. I use rice in our dinner that night and the rest I put into plastic containers (enough for other meals) and then into the freezer they go. This can be used for a side in a meal, in soup, enchiladas and more.
Tip Five: I like the deli lunch meat, so I buy a pound or so of what is on sale. We never eat it fast enough before it goes bad. I started freezing half of it. When I need it, I just put it in the fridge the night before and it is thawed in the morning.
Comments
1) Kelly said:
These were all really good tips! Here are a few of mine: I buy frozen cut up onions and peppers so I always have them on hand. And if I buy them fresh, I use what I need and then freeze the rest.
Also, Go-gurt is great to freeze. When packing school lunches in the morning, I put one in my kids's lunchboxes. Not only does it thaw out the yogurt by lunchtime, but then I don't have to put in an ice pack for lunch.
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