Essential Items for Freezer Cookingby Nicole Humphrey | More from this Blogger 14 May 2006 05:34 AM
In this series of articles I plan to break up the different aspects of freezer cooking to make the whole process a bit easier for you to implement. I thought the best way to start would be to discuss the items needed for successful freezer cooking. These are not all necessarily essential for a day of cooking, but they will make it easier and allow for more flexibility. Recipes I guess the most essential item for freezer cooking would have to be some good recipes. You can locate recipes on the Internet, as well as on my blog. If you have a recipe that you would like to make into a freezer meal, first do some research to be sure the items freeze well. Anything you find on my blog is tried and tested to be sure it not only freezes well, but also that it thaws and cooks well. Grocery List, Coupons and Sales Flyer Another valuable tool that is very helpful is a master grocery list with all of the items you need to cook. You will need to carefully go over your recipes, and any recipes that aren't made for freezer cooking will need to be doubled or tripled. Also watch the sales flyers. Try to purchase meats while on sale. And use coupons every time! You will save a bundle! Crock-pot, Rice Cooker, Pressure Cooker These are not must have items for freezer cooking, but I truly find them important to make cooking faster and easier. I use my crock pot in the kitchen all the time, but on freezer cooking day, it's the best! And a rice cooker is helpful if you want to prepare the rice ahead of time and you're making a lot of it. Although I only listed these three items, any appliance that helps make cooking faster is a plus while freezer cooking! Pots and Pans You may be laughing that I chose to include pots and pans, but here is why I did. Although the brand of pots or pans is not important, the sizes are important. The larger pots and pans are going to be more beneficial while doing bulk cooking. Look for quality pots and pans and non-stick of course is better. Refrigerator This is an obvious plus for freezer cooking because many of the meals that you prepare will need additional items when you pull them out of the freezer. Some will need milk, or sour cream, etc. and the refrigerator is the place to find these items. Bags, Pans, Etc. These are your storage devices. From plastic gallon baggies to foil pans, these are essential to storing your prepared meals in the freezer. Keep in mind how you prepare the meal once it has thawed and store accordingly. (for instance if you plan to place it in a microwave a foil pan is not a good idea). Freezer This is the golden ticket right here. This will make or break your attempt at freezer cooking. I recommend purchasing a chest freezer for freezer cooking. You can usually get one on sale at the start or end of the summer at home improvement stores. Having lots of storage room is essential while preparing and freezing all those meals. Related Articles: Freezer Cooking Appetizer Recipes Freezer Cooking Breakfast Recipes Freezer Cooking Chicken Recipes Freezer Cooking Crockpot Recipes Freezer Cooking Dessert Recipes Freezer Cooking - Essential Items Freezer Cooking For Your Family Freezer Cooking Important Information Learn more about Nicole Humphrey  Nicole Humphrey is a freelance writer, consultant for CTMH and a Sr. Blogger for families.com. She resides in St. Charles, Missouri with Mike and their five children and two furbabies. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments Andrea M (2525) 14 May 2006 09:31 AMGreat article and great way to help my busy family! Hope that you'll give us some great recipes as well:)  Nicole Humphrey (15757) 15 May 2006 08:25 AMThanks for the comment Andi. Yes I will be providing some tried and true recipes very soon! Thank you for asking! :) Community Tags Bulk Cooking, Freezer Cooking, OAMC, Once a Month Cooking, recipes Discuss this article
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