Frugal Kitchens 101 - Convenience Foods for the Freezer

The freezer remains a very popular method for store foods for later use. Despite the fact that from the moment a food is placed in the freezer it costs you in terms of electricity until the food is used, the freezer continues a good frugal choice when used properly. A freezer will:

• help lessen the temptation to stop through a drive-through, pick up fast food or order take-out
• save trips to the grocery store
• increase the ability to take advantage of sales and bulk meat purchases
• enable the use of homemade frozen convenience meals, dishes and quick starts.

The following are a few ideas of some of the things that can be easily made then frozen for later use. The following are a few of mine. For more ideas take a walk through the freezer section of the grocery store making a list of those that look or sound appealing. Do an online search for OAMC that will bring up several recipes all suitable for freezer meals. Here are a few things I keep in my freezers but it is no way an exhaustive list.

Quick meal starts I keep in our freezers include:

• pre-cooked seasoned/unseasoned meat cubes, slices and strips - good for wraps, sandwiches and salads as well as adding to soups, stews and casseroles
• pre-chopped vegetables - onions, sweet/hot peppers, celery for adding to soups, stews and casseroles
• pre-chopped fruits - fruit smoothies
• stocks - quick soup/stew starter
• small quantities of pre-made pie/bread/pizza doughs - quiches, pies, bread bowls, pizza

Homemade convenience meals and dishes I keep in the freezers include:

• lasagna
• quiche
• shepherd's pie
• cabbage rolls
• a few homemade casseroles

A few additional ideas that I have tried at one time or another that sometimes find their way into the freezers:

• waffles/pancakes
• burritos
• egg rolls
• omelet mix (uncooked)
• homemade stuffed pockets