Living on Process Foods - Has to end

smboston
smboston Posts: 68
in Food and Nutrition
I only recently have become an active logger on MFP and I'm running into a problem at home. I work three jobs and on my one day off a week I barely get the house cleaned, laundry done, and grocery shopping finished. I looked at my diary and realized that almost everything on it is processed foods. That isn't good so I went and got some fruits and vegetables to add to snacks and at least I can throw in a salad each day.

Here's the question. I have read that people are preparing and freezing meals that they can thaw at work and throw in the microwave. Can some people give me some ideas of what they cook and freeze for the week/month?

Thanks for the help!

Replies

  • WEB3
    WEB3 Posts: 121 Member
    I don't have any and I have all intentions to one day do this....but here are some sites
    http://onceamonthmom.com/
    http://www.food.com/recipes/oamc-freezer-make-ahead
    http://www.realfood4realpeople.com/oamc.html
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Any meat can be cooked, weighed, and stored for later.
    Frozen vegetables are good, just put them in a bowl and microwave.
    Things like potatoes, rice, and pasta will last in the fridge for about a week.
    No prep: cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, fruit, raw veggies, nuts, peanut butter
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    I usually spend time on Sunday prepping meals for the week. I don't freeze, but I make things like sandwiches, pasta dishes, rice and beans, etc. that will keep for a few days and can just be grab n' go for lunch.

    I usually keep apples and other healthy snacks to grab as well.
  • smboston
    smboston Posts: 68
    Thanks everyone fo the input. I appreciate it!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    You can make many different casseroles or soups or stews with about an hour prep time.....and then they can simmer on the stove or go in a crockpot.

    You can cook up a whole chicken or parts in bulk, and freeze them cooked, then use them through the week for salads, sandwiches, or just as snacks.

    While the laundry is spinning, you can be cooking at the same time.
  • scapez
    scapez Posts: 2,018 Member
    I pre-cook a weeks worth of lunches and I keep it simple - normally grilled chicken breasts or fish or something of that sort paired with a veggie (and healthy snacks).
  • alaskaang
    alaskaang Posts: 493 Member
    Almost any dish will freeze as long as their is no dairy in it other than hard cheese. And almost anything will keep in the fridge after cooking for five days.

    Lettuce doesn't keep as well after cut, but almost everything else that you'd want in a salad does. I hard boil eggs, pre-prep lots of veggies and pre cook chicken or taco meat once a week so that it's really easy to throw a salad together in the evening for the next day.
  • sarah6336
    sarah6336 Posts: 108 Member
    You can freeze just about anything. I always try to keep soup on hand. I portion out fish and meat and keep it frozen until I use it.
  • skygoddess86
    skygoddess86 Posts: 487 Member
    You can do so much in a crock pot while you are at work. I throw in a whole turkey breast before I leave and when I get home 8-10 hours later it is fantastic. Or chicken breasts. Add some taco seasoning and you have shredded chicken tacos for two or three days.
  • KNarrainen
    KNarrainen Posts: 135 Member
    The sort of things I cook and freeze are :

    Lasagne
    Curry
    Bolognaise
    Chilli
    Tuna pasta bake
    Soups
    Also packs of lamb chops, salmon fillets that kind of thing are great and cost effective.

    Get a whole chicken, have a couple of meals from it and then turn the rest into soup and curry.

    I bought a £4.80 corn fed chicken and made 12 meals from it.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I work 6 days a week. 64 hours a week (not as much as you but I kind of know your pain).

    On Sunday I cook a HUGE pot of some kinda soup (easily freezable).

    One week I'll have chili, or chicken soup or beef stew... whatever. It doesn't take any longer then preparing any other meal (an hour - hour and a half). It all goes into plastic containers and gets frozen.

    Usually by the end of the week there are still a few containers in the freezer. Then I cook something new. (If it was chili one week, it's chicken soup the next). Eventually I built up a collection of different frozen soups in my freezer so I didn't have to eat the same thing everyday. :D

    Anyway, that's what I do.

    I also take a half hour to an hour to sit down and prepare veggie snack boxes (I don't ALWAYS do this but I'm always grateful when I do :P). Just boxes with my favorite veggies that I can grab and go in the morning during the week!

    Best of luck as you make this difficult transition. Once it becomes a habit, it won't seem as difficult.
  • wtfusernameisnttaken
    wtfusernameisnttaken Posts: 192
    I only recently have become an active logger on MFP and I'm running into a problem at home. I work three jobs and on my one day off a week I barely get the house cleaned, laundry done, and grocery shopping finished. I looked at my diary and realized that almost everything on it is processed foods. That isn't good so I went and got some fruits and vegetables to add to snacks and at least I can throw in a salad each day.

    Here's the question. I have read that people are preparing and freezing meals that they can thaw at work and throw in the microwave. Can some people give me some ideas of what they cook and freeze for the week/month?

    Thanks for the help!

    Slow cooker meals are fabulous too, you can prep them ahead of time and let them simmer all day...
  • achapman01
    achapman01 Posts: 42 Member
    Leftovers from almost any healthy dinner make great meals for the next day. I love to cook in the crockpot, since it's easy and healthy. if you cook a roast or chicken tenders in the crockpot (maybe on your day off, start something in the morning while you're off doing other things?) you can portion out the meat/veggies into storage containers and freeze them. I also make stuffed peppers (ground turkey + seasonings inside a big bell pepper) in the crockpot. It works like a steamer, then each stuffed pepper makes a great, microwaveable meal. I also buy bags of frozen broccoli or green beans, and add those to the storage containers. When you microwave everything, you get a nice meal. Hope that helps! :)
  • JessicaBR0
    JessicaBR0 Posts: 256 Member
    Freezer friendly meals : http://onceamonthmom.com
  • TeenaMarina
    TeenaMarina Posts: 420 Member
    Bump. I need help on this too! I never know what to cook...
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    I only recently have become an active logger on MFP and I'm running into a problem at home. I work three jobs and on my one day off a week I barely get the house cleaned, laundry done, and grocery shopping finished. I looked at my diary and realized that almost everything on it is processed foods. That isn't good so I went and got some fruits and vegetables to add to snacks and at least I can throw in a salad each day.

    Here's the question. I have read that people are preparing and freezing meals that they can thaw at work and throw in the microwave. Can some people give me some ideas of what they cook and freeze for the week/month?

    Thanks for the help!

    Soup freezes beautifully. I also made a homemade shepherd's pie that froze great and my hubby thawed it for lunches...

    Check this website out-lots of great food on here and most of it will keep in the refrigerator or freezer (not to mention the food tastes great and is low calorie/low fat!)

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
    Ill do a crockpot soup and freeze the leftovers. Or steam a ton of brocolli and eat it all week. Make extra of whatever you normally eat and eat leftovers for a while.
  • catelabow
    catelabow Posts: 77 Member
    I usually make a chili or stew and eat off of it all week. It is labor intensive, but I portion out nuts, raisins, carrots, celery sticks, etc., into baggies on my day off. If they're easy to grab, I'm MUCH more likely to grab them!
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
    Chicken Enchilada Soup for the Crock Pot

    1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
    1 can diced tomatoes
    1 pkg frozen corn
    1 can enchilada sauce
    1 can cream of chicken soup
    1 1/2 cups milk
    3 chicken breasts
    1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese

    In bottom of crock pot combine beans, tomatoes, and corn. Top with chicken breasts. In large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Pour mixture over top of chicken. Cook on low 6 hours. Shred chicken and top with cheese. Serve with sour cream.

    Source: http://www.semidomesticatedmama.com/2012/09/whats-for-dinner-weekly-menu_9.html
  • sherrirb
    sherrirb Posts: 1,649 Member
    If someone hasn't mentioned it yet, crockpot cooking can be a big help in this department.

    Set your stuff in the crock before you leave work in the morning. Most recipes have at the moment require at least 6 hours on high, or you can cook 10-12 on low.

    You are making so much at one time and then freeze in meal sized containers for later after you eat your dinner off of it that evening. Take along some fruit and/or chopped veggies as a side dish to these items and you are set for lunch.

    I've made pulled bbq pork, chicken chili, salsa chicken, pulled buffalo chicken, soups, etc. And right now there are dozens of great recipes on the message boards for crockpot cooking as welll as other great sites like skinnytaste.com.

    Hope this helps.
  • catelabow
    catelabow Posts: 77 Member
    Sorry...your question was about freezing. YES! Almost any soup/chili/casserole will freeze, with a few exceptions:potatoes and pasta don't do well. Meat and beans and tomato-based sauces do great. Good luck!
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    The past few months I've done..

    Lasagna
    Tuna pasta
    Shepard's pie (one beef and 1 pork)
    Bean pasta salad
    Burritos
    Pot Pies
    Chili
    Marinara Sauce for pasta
    Perogies
    Gnocci

    Normally once a week I will prep my oatmeal (in zip lock bags), yogurt for oats (fridge containers), protein powder (bags), boiled eggs for the weeks snacks (10). I cut my veggies in the morning because I normally only have 1 kind of 'sticks' and I don't like my veggies to be cut too soon because I find some types will get very slimy being cut too far in advance.

    As someone else said, you can freeze virtually anything. Few things I haven't had much luck with being potatoes (whole - mashed freeze OK) and plain pasta (good with sauce)

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