Freezable meal ideas

Shinwasha

I'm on a budget and I'm tired of eating frozen lean pockets and tv dinners and want to make a life style change as part of my diet. I'm looking for any ideas for recipes in which I can make 5-6 portions and freeze them. My plan is so I can weigh out portions put them in containers and pull out a day ahead of time what I want to eat. I'm looking to try and avoid pasta and high carb items unless it's fiber. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner ideas would be fantastic. Thanks in advance.

RCottonRPh

Sorry I don't have a lot of ideas to offer...but I am interested in other people's ideas as well. I just bought an upright freezer for our garage and my intention is to prepare more real food ahead of time for the work week. Right now, I "prepack" the ingredients for my green smoothies and freeze them in ziploc bags. I also recently made individual sized protein zucchini loaves that I thaw for breakfast. One idea for lunch/dinner I had was stuffed peppers. I can't wait to hear more ideas from others.

Cryren8972

A quick Google will supply you with all sorts of freezable recipes. I'm not sure what your skill level is, but these looked pretty easy: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/make-ahead-freezer-friendly-recipes/

I don't know if you have one in your area, but I've looked into this, and it's a great bargain really. If you look at what everything costs and realize you are using their spices, energy, and food....you'll see how cool of an idea this is. http://dreamdinners.com/

Gr8ChangesAhead

I only cook once a week, usually don't freeze much since I eat 2 meals a day away from home. Almost anything freezes soups, stews, chili freeze super and for a few months. When I cook a big meal for my family I portion out their leftovers and freeze labeled in Ziploc baggies. Tonight I pulled out portions of porkloin and sourkraut for mid week. I would say make sure it isn't a very dry meal usually some moisture helps with the reheating process. I usually cook a few pounds of chicken everyweek and just put it in to go containers grab and go. Example in my fridge I cooked last night 2- chicken with broccoli, 2 chicken with roasted cauliflower, 2 chicken with sweet potatoes 35 min 6 meals done

Chaosrose8

For breakfast I like scrambled egg muffins. You can google that for specific recipes. It's basically eggs (you can do 1/2 egg whites to decrease calories) veggies, cheese, maybe some turkey sausage. Mix all together and ladle into muffin tins and bake. I freeze them individually and pop one in the microwave wrapped in a paper towel for a quick breakfast on the go!

Pinkybarbell

Google OAMC

Pink_turnip

rice and curry
(red curry paste, any vegetables - I do zucchini, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower - coconut milk, water, cook it down so the veggies are soft. If you want, add some sort of protein - tofu, shrimp, chicken)

Divide it and freeze it.

Or couscous and veggies and chicken.

Chili

melfitnesspal13

You can make all kinds of soups, they freeze and keep nicely. I love making turkey or chicken meatloaf which I have with frozen or fresh veggies. You can bake or stew chicken with veggies, some fresh tomatoes (or canned diced tomatoes) add some spices you like, a few carrots, red/yellow pepper, freezes nice. I love making a big thick omelet with all kinds of veggies and onion and then quarter it. This works really well with a salad. You don't want starch but rice mixed with veggies freezes well (no risotto). These are just some ideas, enjoy................:flowerforyou:

Bree1212

Chili is an awesome food to freeze. I cook it in my crock pot, then portion it out before freezing. I HATE chili, but it's filling, full of protein and is a healthy alternative to frozen prepackaged meals.

HollisGrant

My simple diet is very inexpensive and doesn't have any processed food, but it might not appeal to you -- it depends on what kind of food you like to eat. I am losing 2 pounds a week (21 pounds in 9 weeks), plus I'm never hungry.

Breakfast:
steel cut oats with 1 diced apple per 1 cup dry steel cut oats. I buy Bob's Red Mill but you can buy them in bulk at a health food store and save money. I cook a week's worth ahead of time. I eat 1 or 2 cups for breakfast with diced apple instead of sweetener. Steel cut oats taste a lot better than regular oatmeal.

Lunch:
Brown rice (you can buy organic for $4.95 a bag or rock bottom store brand for $.99 a bag)
Lentils (1 cup has the protein of 3 eggs): lentils cost about $1.20 for 1 bag in the grocery store. You can also buy them in bulk in health food stores and save even more
2 or 3 steamed, blanched, or stir-fried vegetables. For example, sliced red onion, avocado, and tomato, or steamed butternut squash and steamed kale

Dinner:
Same as lunch, but vary the vegetables

Snacks (I wouldn't freeze these):
Apples (less sugar than most other fruit and more filling)
Boiled eggs

Condiments:
Salt and pepper
Tamari soy sauce (use sparingly, has a lot of sodium)
Dry roasted/toasted sesame seeds. The sesame seeds in the grocery store are the expensive little bottles in the spice area, so I buy larger bags in the health food store. Pour in a pan with no oil or water and stir over high heat until toasted. Makes a good no sodium/no sugar condiment you can sprinkle on anything (30 calories a spoon and has a little protein).

This week I read a post on MFP that said Latino/Mexican grocery stores often sell produce at lower prices than the chain grocery stores. Today I went to the Mexican grocery store in a nearby shopping mall and found tomatoes for $1.00 a pound (compared to $1.99, 2.49 and up at the chain store), lemons and limes for 20 cents apiece, avocados for half price, etc., so you might check that out for your area.

Hope this gives you some ideas!

raisingemilyjune

stewwwww, we make it quite a bit and stick it in the freezer for my fiance to take to work.

Zebusz

I received a Quesadilla Maker as a gift so I try to put it to use. I make Vegetable Quesadillas (Red Onion, Red Pepper, Green Pepper, Zucchini Squash, Yellow Squash & Broccoli with a small amount of cheddar cheese). These actually freeze really well! I cut into wedges and reheat in the toast oven and voila... a nice snack!!

princessputz

- taco meat (just dress as you would day of)
- soup
- sherpards pie (omit the starch to keep low carb)
- koubasa (cut cheese into cubes place in fridge)
- crepes of any kind
- zucchini lasagna
- uncooked stir fry ( only have the meat cooked and veggies blanched, sauced prepared in dish already)
- meat loaf, BBQ beets
- meatballs, brown rice

Kamikazeflutterby

Ice cube trays help you freeze liquids like soup for a quicker/easier thaw, but the extra surface area leads to more freezer burn.

Bags of raw chicken frozen in a marinade of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil with veggies make great stir fry meals. Experiment with the veggie to meat ratios to fit your tastes and macros. Hell, raw meat frozen in any marinade make a great meal. Toss the bag from the freezer to the fridge before you go to work and cook it when you get home with a salad or rice or other quick side.

hopefloatsup

I usually make a HUGE pan of stir-fry with chicken, zucchini, summer squash, onions, peppers, mushrooms, etc (whatever type of veggies you want) and a small amount of low sodium soy sauce. I split it up into baggies and freeze it that way into single servings. You can pop it out of the baggie and into a bowl in the microwave for a few minutes. I make a serving of rice, and top off with a few sunflower nuts and I have an instant meal :-)

princessputz

I forgot about breakfast...

I take a dozen eggs and a muffin tin.. In each spot I crack an egg slightly tear the yolk dust with salt and pepper. Bake in oven at 325 - 350 for about 7 minutes (better watch them as I never really time it?). Fry up some bacon. Pop the eggs out the tin when done put 2 pcs bacon and some cheese ontop of an egg and then top with another egg! It's an egg sandwhich without the bread.

redfro2

Bags of raw chicken frozen in a marinade of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil with veggies make great stir fry meals. Experiment with the veggie to meat ratios to fit your tastes and macros. Hell, raw meat frozen in any marinade make a great meal. Toss the bag from the freezer to the fridge before you go to work and cook it when you get home with a salad or rice or other quick side.

^^THIS!

Look for "dump chicken" recipes for ideas on marinades. Pop your raw meat in a ziploc, add marinade, zip up, freeze flat to save space in your freezer. Perfect for individual portions. A ziploc for every day of the week! The meat marinates as it thaws. Tasty! I think I'll do some tomorrow.

Shinwasha

Kind of want to stay away from soups and stews. Not the weather for it. Heck I live in San Diego, it never gets cold enough for soup here.