Amazing Feed your Freezer Discovery!!!

[ekortering]

Last week I reorganized all my freezer cooking recipes into a new binder. I took it further ... I compiled a list of recipes (3 meals of each one) and made a master grocery list. I choose very simple meals and tried to keep my list very doable. Being the "slightly" OCD mama that I am, I priced it out using the weekly grocery flyers and an Aldi price list I found online.

Here are the numbers:
109 meals @ 17 per month (4 per week + 1 homemade pizza day + 2 leftover days) = 5+ months
$322 for all the groceries
$2.96 per meal (serves 6-8)

Talk about saving money!?!?!

[rstump]

wow I would love to see the details...meals, ingred, prices.

I am a super list maker too.

[ibahippiemama]

Wow. To be that organized and detailed. Care to help a poor mother out with a sample of your lists and meal plans?

love and blessings
angie

[Justmee]

Wow great job!

[RiverSky]

That's pretty amazing!

On another note, I'm guessing lunches and breakfasts are extra, right? I'm rather new to feeding my freezer and even meal planning, so please bear with me.

[lil_earthmomma]

I want to be you when I grow up!

Would you be willing to share some recipes? :

[NativeMom]

Response to Amazing Feed your Freezer Discovery

ekortering,

Wow!!! And I think I'm organized.

I love "freezer cooking" and how it helps me save time and money, especially with my younger daughter who has a malabsorption disorder and is on the SCD.

I do keep a list of everything that's in the freezer and am training dh and dd to mark off or add to the list as they remove or add things. It's really helped to use up what's hidden down there (in the bottom of the freezer, in the dungeon we call a basement)

I'd love to hear more about your process. For instance, would you be kind enough to walk us through one example meal, from what you have available to what you priced?

Thanks so much,
Angela

[wife&mommy]

I would love to see it as well! Sounds great!

[ekortering]

Sorry for dropping off this thread ...

I really appreciate all your kind comments!! I'm in the throes of a big move and have limited computer time. Here is the master meal list, for those who are interested:

1.Debbie’s Chicken Marinade – 4 meals; 6 small meals
2.Teriyaki Chicken Marinade – 3 meals; 4-5 small meals
3.Bourbon Chicken – 2 meals; 3 small meals
4.Lemonade Chicken – 3 meals; 4-5 small meals
5.Ziploc Chicken – 4 meals; 6 small meals
6.Sesame Chicken – 4 meals; 6 small meals
7.Fajita Chicken – 4 meals; 6 small meals
8.Cooked Chicken – 11 pounds = 25 cups

a)Chicken Pot Pie – 2 pies
b)Chicken Taco Rice – 2 sides
c)Chicken Quesadillas – 2 meals
d)Chicken Burgers – 2 meals
e)Hawaiian Haystacks – 2 meals
f)Sweet & Sour Chicken – 2 meals

1.Sweet & Sour Meatballs – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
2.Southwestern Quiche – 3 pies
3.Sloppy Joe Filling – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
4.Mom-Style Casserole – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
5.Make-A-Mix Meatballs – 80 meatballs
6.Baja Burrito Filling – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
7.Cincinnati Style Chili – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
8.Preformed Meatloaf – 4 loaves
9.Country Baked Beans – 3 big meals or 6 side dishes
10.Dutch Lasagna – 3 big or 6 small pans
11.Pizza Burgers – 48
12.Make Ahead Chimmies – 32
13.Shepherd’s Pie – 3 pies

1.Baked Ziti – 3 small meals
2.Quiche in a Bag – 3 pies
3.Ham & Potato Casserole – 4 small meals
4.Pork BBQ – 3 meals
5.Easy Stromboli – 3 loaves
6.Mashed Potatoes – 10#
7.Baked Corn Casserole – 4 side dishes
8.Mexican Rice – 4 side dishes

[wife&mommy]

Those sound great! Do you have a website where you got the recipes?

[Chicky2]

:

[ekortering]

Originally Posted by wife&mommy

Those sound great! Do you have a website where you got the recipes?

My recipe sources:

30 Day Gourmet Website
Make-A-Mix cookbook
Recipezaar
Tammy's Recipes blog
TNT family favorites

[NativeMom]

ekortering,

Thanks so much for taking the time to submit such a detailed post, especially while you're moving!

I love the once-a-month cooking and some of the sites you mention, but don't do it as often as I should. I can see you've been really busy on your freezer cooking.

I hope all of those home-cooked meals make it through the move. Or perhpaps you'll be eating them while you're packing ?

[ekortering]

Originally Posted by NativeMom

I hope all of those home-cooked meals make it through the move. Or perhpaps you'll be eating them while you're packing ?

They've all been safely transported to the new freezer at the new house. Along with my food storage.

[KatWrangler]

Thank you! This is exactly what I need to get started!
:

[witchypants]

: Thanks for this list and for the sources!!!

[subtle]

just getting started

Hey gals -

I am just gearing up to start stocking my freezer with meals. I have only a small freezer and no option for getting an additional freezer. What storage methods/containers do you find the best?

Thanks for any suggestions!

[ekortering]

Originally Posted by subtle

Hey gals -

I am just gearing up to start stocking my freezer with meals. I have only a small freezer and no option for getting an additional freezer. What storage methods/containers do you find the best?

Thanks for any suggestions!

Freezer bags (quart or gallon size) frozen flat so that you can stack them will utilize your freezer space better. It can be tricky to get them frozen flat since you don't have extra space but it is doable. Just takes some creative shuffling.

[samy23]

Originally Posted by ekortering

I really appreciate all your kind comments!! I'm in the throes of a big move and have limited computer time. Here is the master meal list, for those who are interested:

1.Debbie’s Chicken Marinade – 4 meals; 6 small meals
2.Teriyaki Chicken Marinade – 3 meals; 4-5 small meals
3.Bourbon Chicken – 2 meals; 3 small meals
4.Lemonade Chicken – 3 meals; 4-5 small meals
5.Ziploc Chicken – 4 meals; 6 small meals
6.Sesame Chicken – 4 meals; 6 small meals
7.Fajita Chicken – 4 meals; 6 small meals
8.Cooked Chicken – 11 pounds = 25 cups

a)Chicken Pot Pie – 2 pies
b)Chicken Taco Rice – 2 sides
c)Chicken Quesadillas – 2 meals
d)Chicken Burgers – 2 meals
e)Hawaiian Haystacks – 2 meals
f)Sweet & Sour Chicken – 2 meals

1.Sweet & Sour Meatballs – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
2.Southwestern Quiche – 3 pies
3.Sloppy Joe Filling – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
4.Mom-Style Casserole – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
5.Make-A-Mix Meatballs – 80 meatballs
6.Baja Burrito Filling – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
7.Cincinnati Style Chili – 3 big meals; 4-5 small meals
8.Preformed Meatloaf – 4 loaves
9.Country Baked Beans – 3 big meals or 6 side dishes
10.Dutch Lasagna – 3 big or 6 small pans
11.Pizza Burgers – 48
12.Make Ahead Chimmies – 32
13.Shepherd’s Pie – 3 pies

1.Baked Ziti – 3 small meals
2.Quiche in a Bag – 3 pies
3.Ham & Potato Casserole – 4 small meals
4.Pork BBQ – 3 meals
5.Easy Stromboli – 3 loaves
6.Mashed Potatoes – 10#
7.Baked Corn Casserole – 4 side dishes
8.Mexican Rice – 4 side dishes

Wow I LOVE this! Im in the process of re-doing all my meal plans, I have a 12 week plan ready to go, but I still need to do seperate sheets for each meal along with the ingredients needed, side dish options and where needed, the recipe.

Im aiming to make some to feed the freezer also! What a time saver that should be in the evenings.

I've also designated certain days for certain types of meals such as sundays are soup meals. Do you do that, or just have any meal any day?