Looking for meals that can be frozen for later

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proudfam

Assistant Cook
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
3
Hi,
I am looking for meals I can make for me daughter in law and son when baby arrives and they have no time to cook.
Thanks ahead
proudfam
 
I always make extra chili and spaghetti sauce and freeze for sometime later...
also
soups freeze well... bean and split pea are two ideas.


Congrats on becoming a grandparent!!!
 
I am going to give some suggestions from the cookbook, Whole Foods for the Whole Family, which has a chapter on this very topic, preparing foods ahead for an upcoming new baby.

Meals that freeze well include;
chili con carne
cabbage rolls
stuffed shells
cornish pasties
canneloni
crepes
tamale pie
chicken pot pie
macaroni and cheese
strata

Foods that keep well;
tabouli
marinated vegetables
gazpacho
chicken salad
applesauce
brown rice pudding
muffins
 
Shepherd's/Cottage Pie and Tater Tot Hot Dish are usually found in my freezer. Also a very easy pasta bake that is sort of a deconstructed cannelloni.

1 box of mini penne pasta
1 lb. ground beef (or your preferred ground meat)
1 standard jar of spaghetti sauce (we use Prego)
Finely shredded mozzarella
grated Parmesan

Cook the pasta just shy of al dente, and cook the ground meat. Once cooled, mix all of the ingredients (save some Mozz for the topping) minus the Parm in a bowl and put in a 9 X 13 baking pan (lightly greased/sprayed is best, otherwise cleanup can be a nightmare). Sprinkle the remaining Mozz and the Parm over the top, and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.

There is obviously room for additions if you so chose. Mrs. Big Dog's not a big fan of seasonings and spices, so as presented is the norm in my house. I'd use "exotic" sauce (meaning flavored with mushroom, garlic and herb, or something like that) and Italian sausage for sure, and maybe toss in a few veggies to, I don't know.
 
Here are a couple of previous discussions along the same lines that should give you some ideas on things to consider:

Need help planning a meal. Postpartum women

Meals that I can prepare and freeze?

Probably the most important question is if DIL will be breastfeeding. If so, you need to be a little more careful about nutritional balance and insuring enough calories - and to play it on the safe side you might want to limit the amount of "gassy" foods and "hot" or extremely pungent spices.

DIL's doctor should be able to give you some free information in what diet she should be on after the baby is born.

While casseroles and pasta dishes are prime candidates - nothing wrong with Salsbury steak and a couple of vegetables ... or meatloaf ... as someone else mentioned soups, stews, etc. What leftovers do you freeze and reheat?

You might also get some additional menu planning inspiration from a stroll down the frozen dinner section at your local grocery store.
 
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Homemade Spagetti Sauce ........that way all they have to do is boil the spagetti and throw the garlic bread in the oven and open up a bag of salad.

Brown up Taco Meat for a quick night of tacos

Meatballs........they can make a meatball sub and top it with some of the spagetti sauce.
 
It's a repeat of PDS, but one thing I did for sisters was put together food baskets. I made frozen home made tomato sauce, then brought it with a basket of such things as pasta, bread sticks, parmesan. Virtually any soup, stew, curry will freeze well. Pea and bean-based dishes freeze well and are highly nutritious. Also, plain old fashioned chicken stock (or for that matter any other kind) can be nuked by the cup for a comforting drink, or some noodles, canned or frozen veggies or beans can be dumped in it for a quick dinner.

Lasagna freezes well.
 
all sorts of stuff can be frozen

make some homemade pizza don't bake it when they want to eat they
just bake like a store bought frozen pizza.

enchiladas
refried beans

smoked pulled pork, ribs, brisket, turkey.

bar-b-que beans

meatloaf not cooked all they have to do is thaw and bake.

all sorts of pies

waffles freeze well too like the store bought just pop them in the toaster.

cookie dough

cleaned fresh corn wrap each ear in foil don't thaw just toss in boiling water.

most soups freeze well too

happy freezing
 
Congratulations!!!

To add to the above - I always cook meatloaf, slice it, & freeze the individual slices well-wrapped in plastic wrap & then placed in a freezer Ziplock bag. What's nice about this is that you can take out just as many slices as you need - enough for a dinner, or just one for a nice meatloaf sandwich. I thaw & reheat them in the microwave & they're good to go.

And of course, as others have advised, chilis, non-cream-based soups, stews, baked pasta dishes, etc., all freeze & thaw great!!
 
We regularly cook for a relative who cannot get around very well.

The above selections are great.

We usually include some baked ziti and chicken cacciatore.

The chicken is a big hit and is very healthy since we make it with a lot of sweet peppers, including red peppers.

Usually spend about two days cooking and fill a couple of freezers.

Lasts them for months.
 
Thanks much again. I now have lots of great ideas.:chef:
I really like this web site.
 

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