Healthy, inexpensive freezer recipes

[encinc]

Looking for some healthy recipes to prepare ahead and put in the freezer. We're looking to save money for our WDW trip in December by avoiding fast food on those nights when I don't feel like cooking. I used to like Supperworks, a local freezer meal preparation place (like Dream Dinners), but they are too expensive, so I'm looking to do something similar at home.

I'm particularly looking for recipes for wraps and other things that could be used for lunch or dinner, at home or on the run.

 

[dsneprincess]

Couple great cookbooks for this. My favorite is Don't Worry Dinner is in the Freezer; my other is Super Suppers. Maybe the library would have them? I found both in Ollie's. Meatballs, meatloaf, marinated chicken, stuffed peppers, shake&bake chicken legs & chili all freeze well as basic ideas.

 

[worm761]

My suggestion would be to make double on nights that you are already cooking something your family likes eating. Like lasagna, soups, stews, meatloaves (I make mine in muffin tins!), enchiladas, stuff like that. It won't take much more time to make double and you get the same thing.

Do you Pinterest? Love it. I searched freezer meals and got a ton of hits.

http://pregnant.livejournal.com/17071127.html
http://lifeasmom.com/2010/05/foil-wrapped-freezer-meals-a-guest-post.html
http://joelens.blogspot.com/2007/01/freezer-friendlymake-ahead.html

 

[littlebit0863]

This may not help exactly, but I buy a big bag of frozen chicken breasts or thighs, and then make crockpot meals using them. It's pretty quick, because it normally takes 5-10 min to put together, vs. cooking the freezer meal and then baking.

My two favorites:
Crockpot salsa chicken:
-put frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot
-top with one/two cans drained black beans (depending on servings)
-1 bag frozen corn
-1 8 oz. jar of salsa.
-Cook on low 6-8 hours (I've stretched it to 10 and it was fine.)

-BBQ Chicken
-put frozen chicken in the crockpot
-Top with one bottle bbq sauce of your choosing
-1/4 cup italian dressing
-1 tbsp worcheshire sauce
-1 tsp liquid smoke
-2 tbsp brown sugar
-stir sauce mixture and cook on low 6-8 hours

I know these aren't frozen but they use frozen meat and are so quick to put together in the morning.

 

[Sadie22]

Google freezer meals, freezer cooking, batch cooking, OAMC, once a month cooking and you will get lots of hit for websites and blogs on the subject.

 

[mjmyers10]

Onceamonthmom.com is a good site for make ahead meals

 

[Tree]

my favorite cookbook for freezer meals is Don't Panic Dinner is in the freezer

 

[Lilliputian]

Chili is great for being inexpensive and healthy, especially if you use a lot of beans along with veggies like onions, garlic, and peppers. It freezes well. You can keep a package of tortillas in the freezer so that you can make chili-cheese wraps, or you can serve it over rice or baked potatoes. If you don't want to be quite as healthy, you can serve it over Fritos and have Frito chili pie.

Sloppy Joe meat freezes well, as do other sandwiches fillings like French dip sandwich meat and au jus and sliced pot roast with gravy. With the last two, you can just freeze the ingredients raw and dump them in the crock pot in the morning.