Nearly every meal I prepare consists of foods I have cooked or baked in bulk and frozen. I thaw items in a plastic shoe box to prevent condensation dripping onto my shelves (I’ve learned from experience). Then I shop my freezer from my freezer inventory, to see what goodies I can thaw and serve to my family and others. I write these items down on a seven-day menu plan and post it on my refrigerator as a reminder to thaw my food 24 hours ahead of time. Typically right after the dishes are done, I check my menu plan and put new items into my thawing box and slash them off my freezer inventory.
We rotate the same breakfast items each week:
- Freezer waffles with fresh/frozen seasonal fruit or homemade syrup
- Homemade Crock pot yogurt with homemade granola
- Oatmeal with cranberries, walnuts and raw sugar
- Cheerios with bananas and milk
- Scrambled eggs and quick bread like banana or zucchini
We rotate leftovers, wraps, sandwiches and salads for lunch.
As you can tell below, I’m stocking my freezer almost daily. Some times I double/triple a couple of items in a power cooking session. Most days I’d rather double what I’m already cooking for dinner and freeze extra. It’s the way I cook and freeze without having to spend six hours or an entire day freezer cooking for a month. This system works best for my busy lifestyle with four children and a husband at home during the summer.
Dinner this week:
- Grilled Mexican Pizza using sneaky taco meat, pico de gallo, tortilla chips, grilled southwest egg rolls
- Shrimp Brown Fried Rice, Habichi zucchini and onions
- Greek burgers, summer rice salad using grilled Italian vegetables, deviled eggs from world’s easiest boiled eggs
- Philly Steak Grilled panini using Crock pot Artisan Bread
- Grilled Pizza, Salad
- Easy Minestrone soup, crock pot potato bar
- Grilled Veggie Quesadilla, salad with homemade Greek dressing
Snacks and desserts to beat the heat:
- Lots of homemade ice-cream (new recipes coming this week)
- No bake 5-ingredient granola bars
What kind of food are you preparing to beat the heat?
