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I tend to agree. Other than raw meats, I only freeze meat if it's ground or cut small and an ingredient of a dish (like spaghetti sauce, chili, stroganoff, etc.)
I do dice up leftover cooked meat and freeze it. I'll have a container just for diced meat (of any sort) and just add to it periodically. By the time it's full, I can make a good fried rice.
That's exactly what I do. When I freeze cooked meat, it's about a cup or so and either chopped or shredded. I use them as ingredients in the meal. Unless it's a piece of fried chicken or a hamburger, I tend not to eat a hunk of meat as a portion of my meal anymore. It's just too much. Like you said, I like using it as an ingredient in a dish instead.
Good idea with the container of random meats for fried rice. I bet that's good!
The only things I pre-cook are ragu, gulash and chili.
I do a lot of pre-freeze prep from re-trimming of chicken to portioning chopped/cut veggies/fruits, baking bread in on-meal loaves, tasting/chopping/portioning nuts. Stock/milk gets frozen in 1/2 or 1 cup containers.
Normally I have several frozen lunches for SO but only with meat/sauce items which freeze well.
What are on-meal loaves of bread? I'm curious! I've used the New York Times homemade bread recipe where you keep the dough in the refrigerator and pull some out as you need it. Bread is something I will always take the time to bake fresh. It's the best air-freshener I know and there's just nothing like fresh-baked bread.
I do once a month cooking, freezer meals, quite often but not all the time.
I make homemade stocks, usually beef and chicken and put them in plastic storage containers of varying sizes (I get the tall and the shorter ones) and freeze them.
Spaghetti sauce, beef stew {not with potatoes} casseroles like lasagna, chicken rice, chicken spaghetti, poor man's Mongolian beef, chicken paprikash, a supply of browned ground beef, chili, meatloaves, beef tips in wine sauce, are some of the make ahead, from scratch cooking I do and they freeze well.
Some of the meals require more ingredients on the day I make them, like I boil fresh potatoes to add to the beef stew, {potatoes always seem to get mealy in the freezer in a frozen meal} I cook rice, potato or noodles depending on the dish, all shortcuts because I had done all the heavy, from scratch work already.
Certain things like basil, parsley, cilantro, I roll up in a cylinder fashion, in tin foil and freeze, so I always have fresh herbs when I need them. Washing veggies when you get home from shopping and drying them off completely saves time. I don't have to worry about it when I start cooking, they are washed and ready to be used.
Something else that seems to work as a short cut for me, is when I cook, I do all the prep work first. Chop slice and dice what I have to and put into bowls, line up on the counter all the herbs and spices I need so I can just grab them when I need to. Open cans and packages and have them measured out if I have to. I cut up all my meats and those go in a bowl and in the fridge until I need them when I am cooking.
The most work of "from scratch" cooking is the prep work a lot of the times. Getting all that done first and ready to go seems for me at least, to streamline the whole from scratch cooking process. I don't have to go around opening cupboards when I need the next ingredient, or go searching in my large spice rack for something. It's all there, on the counter or in the fridge {for food safety} ready to go. Organization and some pre-planning helps speed the cooking process along.
Also, enlisting a prep cook is a good thing, too. Anyone in my house who can chop, slice, dice, fetch-open-measure things from the cupboard or fridge is enlisted to help in the cooking process. Not only does that save time and speeds up the cooking process, the bonus is you get to spend quality time with your loved ones!
Really, I prefer cooking things fresh every few days than having frozen, but I do like to have desserts in the freezer to pop out as I need them.
We can't afford the calories from a lot of brownies or cookies, but I like to be able to pop one out of the freezer if I get the craving. A frozen unfrosted cake will keep for months and can be thawed and frosted at the last minute if I'm having company.
I don't freeze pies, but I do keep frozen fruit, like rhubarb or blueberries in the freezer in case I need to make a pie or some muffins.
Really, I prefer cooking things fresh every few days than having frozen, but I do like to have desserts in the freezer to pop out as I need them.
We can't afford the calories from a lot of brownies or cookies, but I like to be able to pop one out of the freezer if I get the craving. A frozen unfrosted cake will keep for months and can be thawed and frosted at the last minute if I'm having company.
I don't freeze pies, but I do keep frozen fruit, like rhubarb or blueberries in the freezer in case I need to make a pie or some muffins.
yes, we buy blueberries this time of year super cheap and they freeze wonderfully. I still love to save time and enjoy the home cooking idea of making our own stock or broth. I am surprised when people say; well you still have to cook the meal. Of course you do, but just think of how nice it is to reach into the freezer and pull out a cup or two of stock to throw into that roast or chicken. I am not a huge supporter of frozen dinners, but there are a lot of things that freeze well and save time in the end. It is like canning: it take hours of hard work, but you have a full years supply instead of running to the store every time you need salsa, pickles, jalapenos, tomatoes or whatever and you know what ingredients are in the jars. They are made to order, your order!!!!
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