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Not sure I would want to cook all meals for the whole month at once, then portion, and freeze.
I do something similar once a week. Instead of cooking for one, I make a bigger pot, portion and freeze. I don't eat the same thing all week long, but have several different homemade meals to choose from. That's mostly for an "emergency" when I don't feel like cooking fresh from scratch, or don't have time.
I have mixed feelings about it. On the one, hand it's convenient for busy families, but on the other hand, for growing children, a lot of memories are made in the kitchen.
I buy about 20 lbs of boneless chicken tenders at a time, and I divide them into meal sized bags, add marinades and freeze them. I make a teriyaki marinade, a fajita marinade, BBQ marinade and then some soaked in milk. Then I just have to thaw them and bake for 25 minutes. I have quick side dishes that go with all of them. The tenders soaked in milk are for making breaded, oven-fried chicken.
I also cook some boneless chicken breast in the crock pot...about 12 lbs is what will fit in my crock pot. I cook it all day on low and then divide it into bags and freeze it to use in enchiladas, casseroles, chicken alfredo or for chicken salad.
I don't do it all in one day though. That's too much work and I think it's hard on the freezer to put a lot of food in to be frozen at once, at least if you're using a chest freezer.
I have mixed feelings about it. On the one, hand it's convenient for busy families, but on the other hand, for growing children, a lot of memories are made in the kitchen.
^^^^^ This! So true!
Kids participating in daily cooking most likely grow up to be foodies, not fussy picky eaters...
I have mixed feelings about it. On the one, hand it's convenient for busy families, but on the other hand, for growing children, a lot of memories are made in the kitchen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elnina
^^^^^ This! So true!
Kids participating in daily cooking most likely grow up to be foodies, not fussy picky eaters...
That was one of my thoughts too. I have two small boys, one of them is a very picky eater with food allergies to wheat, eggs, shrimp and peanut butter, which makes meal prep and mealtimes bit challenging for me. My oldest son is a very good adventurous eater who eats anything put in front of him with few exceptions. i love cooking, and am honestly getting bit bored with my meal reportaire.
So i came across this website...and wanted to see your thoughts? another dilemma i have is time as i my oldest starting kindergarten at a school that is 10 miles away from me.
That was one of my thoughts too. I have two small boys, one of them is a very picky eater with food allergies to wheat, eggs, shrimp and peanut butter, which makes meal prep and mealtimes bit challenging for me. My oldest son is a very good adventurous eater who eats anything put in front of him with few exceptions. i love cooking, and am honestly getting bit bored with my meal reportaire.
So i came across this website...and wanted to see your thoughts? another dilemma i have is time as i my oldest starting kindergarten at a school that is 10 miles away from me.
I'm not sure a menu planning service like that will work well with a picky eater with lots of allergies.
You can still plan out a menu for several weeks or even a month and shop for it all at once and freeze food. The easiest way to plan it is to make a menu for one week and then just repeat it. Even if you're shopping for a month at a time, you'll still have to go to the store every week for fresh produce, bread and milk.
I have never done this because it's only 2 of us. The only things I do make ahead and freeze is soup and homemade red sauce. But I'll be away for 4 days next month and I might make a few things for DH to have, I mean god forbid he makes himself a meal or gets something to bring home.
I'm not sure a menu planning service like that will work well with a picky eater with lots of allergies.
You can still plan out a menu for several weeks or even a month and shop for it all at once and freeze food. The easiest way to plan it is to make a menu for one week and then just repeat it. Even if you're shopping for a month at a time, you'll still have to go to the store every week for fresh produce, bread and milk.
That is what i still do, regardless of making many meals to freeze ahead of time. i easily go to my grocery store twice a week, mainly because to refill our fresh product, eggs, yogurt and milk quota. we go through tons of those stuff. It really stumps me to think of any other families who can do something like that; meal prep an entire months worth of meals?? makes my head hurt thinking.
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