We know that cooking for your family may at times feel like a restaurant operation – only without the kitchen staff to help your prepare, cook and clean. So how can you make your job as a ‘household-restaurant-manager’ easier? Why not consider buying and cooking in bulk and taking advantage of your kitchen’s best sous chef, the freezer.

With a busy household, it is almost vital to have some meals on reserve and that is why you will come to appreciate the convenience of preparing freezer-friendly meals in advance. Not only does this  freezer practice help you avoid opting for the unhealthy take-out meals, but it also helps keep food costs in check overall. Since you will be cooking in bulk, you will also be buying in bulk which typically has a much better unit cost than not buying bulk – who doesn’t like saving money? Preparing freezer meals simply involves some good containers or wraps and a little know-how.

Best Freezer Cooking Tips

1. Choose recipes you can easily cook in bulk – casseroles, lasagnas etc. We made a whole Pinterest board of some of our favorite freezer-friendly meals to give you some freezer-spiration.
2. Make a list of ingredients and plan for one shopping trip
3. Prep all the ingredients at once.
4. Start with the recipes that require being cooked prior to freezing. These recipes not only need more time for it to cooked but also it needs time to cool down before freezing.
5. Label and make sure to include cooking instructions to help avoid any guesses.
6. Never put hot food in the freezer – not only is this a recipe for food poisoning, it also increases the chances of freezer burn.
7. Test new recipes in smaller batches first before cooking a large batch since not all meals freeze well.
8. Not enough freezer space? Consider investing in some secondary freezer storage – whether it is a compact, upright or chest freezer; Danby has a freezer for you!

Having a reserve of delicious homemade freezer meals on hand is a great way to save on food costs and enjoy a home cooked meal when you’re too tired or busy to run your kitchen. While it might take some planning and effort in advance, the benefits far outweigh the trouble. Freezer cooking gives you down time. Instead of focusing on cooking, spend time to focus on the other restaurant logistics – table setting, salad, and of course ensuring your customers (family) are happy. The best way to do this is spending more time with them.

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