Freezer meals: my batch cooking guide for beginners
I spend one day a month making freezer meals and it's transformed my eating. Here's my system:
- Pick 4-5 recipes that freeze well
- Buy everything in bulk
- Spend 4-5 hours cooking
- Package in individual portions
- Label with date and macros
I now have 20-30 meals in my freezer at all times. When I'm too tired or busy to cook, I grab one instead of ordering pizza.
What recipes freeze best? I'm always worried food will taste terrible after freezing.
@lazyCook Best freezers: chili, soups/stews, curry, meatballs, enchiladas, and casseroles. Avoid: anything with fresh vegetables (get mushy), cream-based sauces (can separate), and pasta (goes soft). Cook pasta fresh and add the frozen sauce.
I do a similar system! My top freezer meals: turkey chili, chicken tikka masala, beef and broccoli stir fry sauce, and pulled pork. All taste great reheated.
This is a lifesaver for parents. On soccer practice nights when there's zero time to cook, having a healthy freezer meal ready in 5 min is priceless.
Labeling with macros is such a smart touch. I track my food and having the macros ready on the container saves so much time.
I make 5 lbs of ground turkey into meatballs, freeze individually on a sheet pan, then bag them. Perfect portion control — grab 4-5 meatballs per meal.
This also saves SO much money. Buying in bulk and cooking at once is way cheaper per meal than cooking fresh every day. My food costs dropped like 30%.
Just tried my first batch cooking day based on this post. Made chili, meatballs, and chicken soup. 24 meals total. My freezer is packed and I feel like a superhero.