Make-Ahead Freezer Meals to the Rescue

When we think of devices or equipment in the kitchen that can save us time and energy, items such as the blender, food processor, or microwave oven come to mind. There is, however, another essential appliance that can help you decrease the time it takes to get dinner on the table. With the ability to hold cold temperatures and keep food safe for months, a freezer is a superhero appliance that can be used to store prepared dinner entrees. Preparing and freezing meals in advance will save you when there are days filled with various after-school activities or work commitments. When you employ advanced meal preparation techniques, serving a hot meal will not require a wild cooking rampage in the kitchen or a trip to the fast food establishment. You can simply open the freezer and pull out a dinner entrée ready to be heated and served.

Successful Make-Ahead Food Safety and Preparation Tips

According to the United State Department of Agriculture(USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service website, you can freeze almost any food at 0°F, and the food will stay safe. However, the quality of some foods, such as eggs, do not freeze well for later use. Other foods that do not freeze well include mayonnaise, cream sauce, and lettuce. Recommended storing times for frozen foods vary and are usually based on food quality.

Freezer meals require planning

The USDA MyPlate website is a good source of information on meal planning. This site has healthy eating tips, resources, and information about the MyPlate Food Groups and recipes. The University of Kentucky Extension's Fact Sheet Make-Ahead Meals, written by S. Bastin, provides tips for managing your kitchen when preparing meals for the freezer.

Kitchen management tips include:

1. Organize the kitchen. Make sure equipment and utensils are easy to access and arranged efficiently. The fact sheet author suggests storing utensils in the same place after each use to avoid the need to search for kitchen equipment.
2. Use equipment to save time. Time-saving equipment such as a microwave or food processor can help prepare items faster. When shopping for new items for your kitchen, look for equipment that can be used for more than one job, such as bakeware that can be used to store items in the freezer and reheat them in the oven.
3. Clean as you go. Save time in the kitchen by cleaning up spills when they happen and washing equipment as soon as you finish using it.
4. Encourage family members to help prepare meals. Determine steps in the recipes or kitchen activities that family members can assist with.

Bastin suggests that most casseroles use pre-cooked ingredients and will not require baking before freezing. She recommends freezing casseroles in shallow containers just right for a family meal or individual servings. Foods freeze and thaw faster in shallow containers. Toppings can become soggy, so freeze separately.

Other suggestions from Bastin include steps for freezing and serving make-ahead meals. Hot casseroles should be placed in a shallow pan of ice water and cooled quickly to room temperature. Use freezer-grade packaging to protect food from freezer burn. This can include heavy-duty foil, moisture-and vapor-proof paper, or freezer containers. Labels meals with the content of the dish, the date frozen, and the number of servings. Adding information about the recipe or how to prepare the dish is also helpful.

Frozen meals should be used within three months for the best quality. Thaw casseroles in the refrigerator overnight, then cook according to the recipe. Casseroles can also be cooked from frozen; include additional time. Use a clean food thermometer to ensure the casserole reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C).

For best practices related to freezing specific types of fruits and vegetables, check out our Let's Preserve: Freezing Fruits and Let's Preserve: Freezing Vegetables fact sheets. 

References:

Bastin, S. (2011). Make-Ahead Meals. University of Kentucky-College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. Retrieved September 1, 2022.

LaBorde, L.; Zepp, M.; & Hirneisen, A. (2023, May 22). "Let's Preserve: Freezing Fruits". Penn State University.

LaBorde, L.; Zepp, M.; & Hirneisen, A. (2023, June 8). "Let's Preserve: Freezing Vegetables". Penn State University.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.) Plan Your Weekly Meals. MyPlate.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.) Freezing Food Safety. Food Safety and Inspection Service.