1. Fresh Summer Produce
Freeze fresh produce all summer to last you all winter: your fruit will be fresher, retain more nutrients, and save you $$!
Local markets are loaded with wonderful fresh picked produce at super low costs all summer long. Figure out what is in season and when and then buy extras each week to freeze for the winter!
For example, in the summer I freeze 1 1/2-2 cases of fresh picked blueberries. My investment is about $45 and it yields me about 30 quart sized bags of blueberries for the winter. I normally pay $5/ 8 oz bag of organic frozen blueberries in the winter season.
Peaches: 2 cases of peaches: $30, yields 25 quart sized bags of fresh frozen peaches for baking, jam, and smoothies all winter long.
Freeze fresh produce all summer to last you all winter: your fruit will be fresher, retain more nutrients, and save you $$!
Local markets are loaded with wonderful fresh picked produce at super low costs all summer long. Figure out what is in season and when and then buy extras each week to freeze for the winter!
For example, in the summer I freeze 1 1/2-2 cases of fresh picked blueberries. My investment is about $45 and it yields me about 30 quart sized bags of blueberries for the winter. I normally pay $5/ 8 oz bag of organic frozen blueberries in the winter season.
Peaches: 2 cases of peaches: $30, yields 25 quart sized bags of fresh frozen peaches for baking, jam, and smoothies all winter long.
I also freeze tomatoes by the case, whole green and red peppers which are outrageous to buy organically in the winter for a family of 6, as well as squahes, eggplant, hot peppers, apple slices, strawberries, broccoli, and peas.
Another quick tip for freezing is to chop veggies ahead of time that you use for soups, stir-ins, pizza toppings, etc. and freeze. For example, I have small baggies filled with chopped onions and peppers for quick sauteeing with potatoes, omelettes, pizza toppings, and fajitas! Just pull 'em out and they are ready to go.
2. Make extra and freeze
I love it when I can just pull dinner out of the freezer and just pop it in the oven. Sometimes I take one or two cooking days a month to make several kinds of casseroles and multiple of them so we have some real quick dinners on busy days.
Many dishes freeze well but here is a quick list for you: (these I freeze pre-baking)
pizza dough cinnamon buns mexican lasagne
lasagne rigatoni
macaroni and cheese taco pasta casserole style
chicken divan beefy enchilada bake
3. Baking Day Freeze
Sometimes I bake some extries just so I have easy baked goods to pull out last minute. Just double or triple your recipe, keep out what you need for the next couple days and freeze the rest!
donuts
muffins
breads
scones
pancakes
waffles
4. Frozen leftovers in single containers for lunches
This helps me so much in sending food to work with Tony and he appreciates not getting stuck grabbing something "out". After several days of eatin g lunch out his stomach is on the fritz because our digestive systems can no longer tolerate the checicals, grease, and whatever else is in that stuff.
So, if I make sauce or soup or something similar I put some of it into little freezer containers or freezer bags and then he can grab them for lunch all on his own (really good for my first trimester prego -- not doing a lot of cooking and very few leftovers right now...just a few ...more...weeks......blah!).
Another quick tip for freezing is to chop veggies ahead of time that you use for soups, stir-ins, pizza toppings, etc. and freeze. For example, I have small baggies filled with chopped onions and peppers for quick sauteeing with potatoes, omelettes, pizza toppings, and fajitas! Just pull 'em out and they are ready to go.
2. Make extra and freeze
I love it when I can just pull dinner out of the freezer and just pop it in the oven. Sometimes I take one or two cooking days a month to make several kinds of casseroles and multiple of them so we have some real quick dinners on busy days.
Many dishes freeze well but here is a quick list for you: (these I freeze pre-baking)
pizza dough cinnamon buns mexican lasagne
lasagne rigatoni
macaroni and cheese taco pasta casserole style
chicken divan beefy enchilada bake
3. Baking Day Freeze
Sometimes I bake some extries just so I have easy baked goods to pull out last minute. Just double or triple your recipe, keep out what you need for the next couple days and freeze the rest!
donuts
muffins
breads
scones
pancakes
waffles
4. Frozen leftovers in single containers for lunches
This helps me so much in sending food to work with Tony and he appreciates not getting stuck grabbing something "out". After several days of eatin g lunch out his stomach is on the fritz because our digestive systems can no longer tolerate the checicals, grease, and whatever else is in that stuff.
So, if I make sauce or soup or something similar I put some of it into little freezer containers or freezer bags and then he can grab them for lunch all on his own (really good for my first trimester prego -- not doing a lot of cooking and very few leftovers right now...just a few ...more...weeks......blah!).
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