Cooking/Shopping for the Week & Prepping/Freezing Meals

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  • debussyschild
    debussyschild Posts: 804 Member
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    Very cool!

    Okay, another question as I'm thinking of it.

    What about cooked grains? Buckwheat (kasha), quinoa, rice--can they be cooked and frozen?

    Rice might do okay if you freeze it after it has cooled completely. Quinoa? I'm not so sure of. Quinoa is really delicate and turns to mush easily. Oatmeal and buckwheat should freeze and then reheat easily since they've got a lot of bulky fiber keeping them from turning to complete mush. Give is a shot and then let everyone know how it goes :bigsmile:
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Okay, I have planned meals Fri-Sun using what my BF and I already have, and they will be:

    Fri: Cheddar broccoli chicken boobs with mashed cauliflower

    Sat: Carnitas w/ spanish rice (has beans, tomatoes, corn) for lunch and beef filet w/ carrots & potatoes & gravy for dindin

    Sun: We will be out at lunchtime but dinner will be chicken parm with whole wheat pasta

    Some of this stuff is using the last of what we have so there probably won't be much in the way of leftovers.

    I have in my freezer about 5 bags of various frozen veggie mixes, some salmon filets, two chicken breasts, and two beef filets. I have oats, orzo, quinoa, cocoa powder, EVOO and black beans in my pantry. Plus the essentials of greek yogurt, eggs and fresh fruit.

    I want to STOP buying protein bars, pre-seasoned veggie mixes, and maybe even BuddyFruits. For the most part I've removed frozen dinners and anything else pre-made with the exception of days I am just too pooped to even move or think. :P Instead I will use my food processor to make flour, smoothies, nut butters, bar mixes, etc.

    Here's what I'm buying tonight:

    Set of tupperware, varying sizes (side note, I HAD an awesome set which I bought with an ex and he took custody of half of it...sigh)
    Two sizes of Ziploc freezer bags
    Saran-wrap
    Sharpie marker
    Cooking spray

    roasted red pepper (for wraps)
    rotisserie chicken (to shred & freeze)
    big bag of almonds (for snacking and to make almond flour)
    oats (to make oat flour)
    canned pumpkin (for baking)
    vanilla extract (for baking)
    one each of mexican, italian, and indian spice blends
    canned chick peas (for hummus & salads)
    fresh garlic
    frozen berries (for smoothies)
    ezekial bread (to freeze)
    flat-out wraps (for...yea)
    lettuce
    avocado & guac mix
    turkey pepperoni (don't judge, I love mini pizzas)
    mozzarella
    pasta sauce
    frozen shrimp
    ground beef
    unsweetened applesauce (for baking)
    buckwheat (this usually replaces rice)
    dates (for baking)
    dark choco chips (for OMNOMNOM--er, baking)
    some sort of veggie spread mix I can put into...
    plain greek yogurt
    light coconut milk
    sweet potato
    egg white (I do eat whole eggs)
    veggie boullion (for eventual crock pot & buckwheat)

    I wrote a plan on our whiteboard with a section for meals and a section for groceries, although for now I am buying everything and sharing because I'm just a great girlfriend. :P Actually it's because this is my pet project and I want it done a certain way, hah :) Over the next couple days, the cooking shall commence! I am super excited and appreciative of all your help!
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Wanted to edit my post but I guess it's too late :P

    Anywho, they didn't have the rotisserie chicken, but I got everything else. I got two LOTG lunchboxes with have little partitions and a built-in cold pak and two Salad Break bowls because I like their extra dressing compartment and I want to start eating more salad again. I couldn't find little silicone cupcake holders to put in and make it adorable so I will have to deal for now. :P

    I also found a cool Ziplock vaccuum bag and hand-vac which I will be using tomorrow to package the 5 lbs of 93/7 beef I got for $20!

    The total for everything was only $163 which is awesome considering the amount of long-term food I bought and the fact that some things will not need to be purchased again.

    Now it is way too late to start processing everything but it is waiting for me tomorrow!
  • leonaedithlewis
    leonaedithlewis Posts: 75 Member
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    Wow, you are good at this. Inspired
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Wow, you are good at this. Inspired

    Well, I haven't really done anything yet haha ^_^ Hopefully I'm good at it!
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I am just getting into the prepping more and freezing thing myself. I bought tupperware to freeze for my husband's lunches and he can throw it in the fridge the night before, thaw, and reheat in the one container. Normally I'd just try to make leftovers and eat that myself for lunch the next day, but now that my husband is getting into eating a little better, I have to do more. I buy chicken and beef mostly because I live in Japan and turkey isn't available and I don't like pork and am allergic to seafood. I also buy a lot of frozen fruits and veggies. The fruit is great for quick and easy smoothies and veggies you can steam or throw into whatever you're making. We also got a crock pot so I can make bigger meals and store stuff. Am trying veggie soup tomorrow.

    As for leftovers...my mom taught me that it goes by a 3 day rule. After 3 days, it is no longer good to eat. I buy most things as needed and don't really have a budget for food...I just want to eat healthy and if I have to pay more, I accept that. I buy milk/yogurt/fruits/veggies as needed. I try to stock up for a week, and sometimes it lasts longer.
  • coulibalymuso
    coulibalymuso Posts: 61 Member
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    Bump for later
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Another Q...

    Is there a big benefit to just planning the meals ahead of time and cooking some parts or just chopping stuff

    versus

    Making whole meals ahead of time and freezing them and reheating them?

    Also, I'm not really having an easy time of trying to re-use things. I figure we'll just freeze the leftovers for our lunches.
  • O2Bslimagain
    O2Bslimagain Posts: 120 Member
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    You can freeze milk. We are a family of 7' so we drink a lot of milk. If you do decide to freeze milk- make sure it has the round indents on the side- that way it doesn't crack during freezing. When you take it out of the freezer let it sit on the counter for about 24 hours. Give it a shake and it's ready to drink. It does turn yellow when frozen. Also, for it to thaw out I set it on a wire rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch the water.
  • TheRunningGuppy
    TheRunningGuppy Posts: 651 Member
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    Things that work for me (family of 4):
    I have a list of meals that are favorites. I have a stack of recipes to try. I then create a menu (usually covering 4 weeks, sometimes just 2) combining new & favorites. Items from the new recipes that were a hit get added to the list of favorites.

    I do non perishable shopping every other week. Produce & milk usually once a week.

    If I am cooking something like stew or chili, I make a large batch, and then throw half to two thirds into ziplock bags, and make sure to lay them flat so they don't take up too much room and also thaw quickly.

    Cheese & tortillas freeze well. I buy both from Costco. If you make something like an enchilada, you can freeze part of the recipe before baking it. Line a baking dish with foil, fill it with your meal, then toss it in the freezer. After the meal is mostly frozen (or if you're like me, a day later) take it out, wrap the excess foil around the meal then put in a ziplock bag (9x9 pans work great, they fit in a gallon bag really well).

    Pasta freezes ok, but has a tendency to get a little too soft. If it's going straight to the freezer, just make sure to cook to al dente. I do some pasta dishes frozen, but not very often.

    If it is a meal you know will freeze well, take the time to make a double batch. It only adds a few minutes, and those days that you're too busy, they're a lifesaver. If you look at it as a leftover, it may not get eaten. Pretty much it needs to be pizza for leftovers to get eaten at my house.
  • msrootitooti
    msrootitooti Posts: 253 Member
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    I use the Fresh 20 to plan my meals, tell me what I am cooking eat night, and what to buy at the grocery store.. The concept is 20 ingredients for 5 meals without waste. I paid $24 for the year with a Groupon. I bring leftovers or salads typically for lunch.

    I do try and freeze meals but find that you have to plan to take them out...

    Neat! Do you think it's saved you enough money to be worth the $24?

    Forgot to follow up.. I don't think it has saved me money but it has definitely saved me time and also has us eating a bigger variety of foods with less waste.

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