Practical DIY Frozen Meals
“Time well spent adds to life well lived.” ― Martin Ugwu
Do you ever feel you are caught up in a constant whirl of "doing"? If so, you're not alone. The last thing most of us want to do after a long day is shop, prep, cook and clean. Wouldn't it be wonderful if you could choose how to spend the time usually devoted to meal prep? Is there a more efficient way to produce tasty, satisfying meals? Yes there is – and with a few simple calculations and adjustments, we think you'll agree.
Our favorite hack to escape culinary groundhog day is to freeze meals and sides in bulk ahead of time. All this requires is a little forethought and organization. Finding a handful of recipes that freeze well and that your family enjoys will prove highly practical, and pairing these witih delicious ready-to-cook Pot Pies will save you time and money!
Time Is On Your Side
If you're like most folks, you probably go food shopping at least once a week, if not more. If you plan your recipes and make your ingredient lists ahead of time and cook in bulk, you will reduce the number of trips and also the time spent at the market. Dedicating one or two days a month to prepping your favorite freezer meals will save you the time and labor of creating meals every single night. You will be cooking in bulk and you will only have to clean up after that one session! If you stop to consider the math, you'll start to see what an efficient, time-saver this could be.
Gentler on the Wallet
Shopping less frequently will save you money in several ways. Armed with a well-organized ingredients list, you'll be on a mission and less likely to buy impulsively or to pick up extras because you're not sure what you need. One of the best things about cooking in bulk is buying in bulk. Once you figure out what recipes work for you, you can take advantage of bulk stores, sales and coupons. You will also save on waste because you're freezing your meals, pre-packaging your portions and only thawing what you need. Depending on how you store it and what kind of freezer you have, your meals will last at least 3 months and most likely longer. Compare this to how quickly leftovers and unused ingredients spoil in the fridge. Also think of the money you'll save on take-out and fast food! Last but not least, you'll save on gas from those frequent trips to the store and back.
Healthier Food
When you cook and freeze your own food instead of resorting to "convenience" or fast foods, you are doing more than saving time, money and labor. You are regaining a say in what you and your family are putting in your bodies. The data is in on the average nutritional profile and the cumulative effects of eating standard take-out and it's not pretty! By creating your own meals, you have control of each step: from quality of ingredients, to cooking and storing methods. You can even create keto, paleo or vegetarian options.
Pair Your Frozen Sides with a Pot Pie
For even more convenience (and flavor), consider pairing your home-frozen side dishes with a delicious frozen Pot Pie from The Pot Pie Bar. Since our pies are prepared with fresh, high quality ingredients and then immediately frozen, you're feeding your family a meal that provides all the nutritional value of fresh foods while enjoying the convenience of frozen. Order our pies online and save them in the freezer until you're ready to heat it, and you'll have a delicious home-cooked meal that everyone will enjoy!
We hope you'll give these practical freezer meals a try. A little research will unearth a trove of freezer meal recipe ideas and online tutorials. Your time and labor are precious commodities and we'd prefer to think of you relaxing in front of the fire with your feet up and a mug of cocoa!