As seen on Dayton Daily News, March 15, 2014.
Over the years I have read numerous articles about the benefits of enjoying family meals at home.
Most of the articles include statistics such as one written by Dr. Mark Hyman in which he stated, “Research shows that children who have regular meals with their parents do better in every way, from better grades, to healthier relationships, to staying out of trouble.”
If you would like to have more family dinners at home, plan ahead and make pre-made dinners that you can freeze to use on those days when activities keep you out of the kitchen.
Purchasing an additional freezer and keeping it organized is a great way to store these pre-made meals.
Don’t purchase a freezer that is larger than what you really need. Unnecessary space causes over-buying and your freezer will become cluttered. This makes it difficult to find what you’re looking for and food often gets thrown out because it has expired.
I find that an upright freezer with several shelves is easier to keep foods organized than a chest style freezer.
Designate each shelf to hold similar products to make items easier to find. Some categories include: beef/chicken/seafood, fruits/vegetables, store bought meals like frozen pizza, and meals you have prepared ahead of time.
Save space by using freezer storage bags instead of containers when storing your pre-made meals.
If you make soups ahead of time, let them cool before adding to the freezer bags. Once cooled, roll the top of the bag down slightly. This will make the bag easier to fill and will keep the food off the zip portion of the bag as you fill it. After you fill the bag, roll the top back up and close it most of the way. Carefully lay the bag on its side while holding the opened corner up slightly, push out any excess air and seal the bag completely.
Label each bag with the name of the meal and the date it was prepared. Keep the bags on their side and stack them in the freezer.
When you marinate meats ahead of time, add them to the freezer bags using the same method as you did with the soups. To help get out the excess air, insert a straw in the corner and suck out any excess air. If you do this properly, the freezer bag will form an airtight seal around the meat just like it would if you were using a store bought sealer.
Make sure the straw is not in contact with the marinade or you will suck that through the straw in addition to the air. That is not a pleasant taste and could be harmful because of the raw meat inside the bag.
If you use storage containers, use painter’s masking tape and label with the name of the meal and date it was prepared. The tape will come off easily when removed from the freezer.
It may be helpful to keep an inventory sheet on the outside of your freezer to keep track of the items you have inside.