There are times that everyone loves a convenient meal. Whether you want a quick dinner for the family between work, school and the children's games or if you need something that you can heat for lunch in the break room microwave oven, a gourmet frozen meal can be a tasty time saver.
At times you may have no choice other than grabbing something quick from the grocery store, but if you have a chance, make your own frozen meals.
If you make your own meals and freeze them you are the chef, so you determine what goes into your family's food. You can leave out those things your family does not enjoy and choose how spicy to make your food. Additionally, you can choose how much salt or sugar is added to the meals your family eats.
While many people just prepare the meals they know their family likes to eat, others like to experiment. If you are tired of the same old family favorites, here are some ideas that freeze well. Vegetable soup, beef stew, chicken curry, corn chowder or broccoli beef.
Pasta and rice do not do well in many of the freezer recipes. The double cooking of the meal tends to over cook these starches. If you are using recipes with these ingredients, freeze the sauces and cook the starch separately. A rice cooker is a quick easy way to cook rice and fresh pasta cooks in boiling water in only three minutes. You can find fresh pasta in the deli section of most grocery stores.
To get that freezer stocked try cooking meals that are two to four times the normal size. The excess should go directly to the fridge and not to the table. If it is on the table you will be tempted to over eat and the quality declines. It needs to be chilled as soon as possible for the best flavor.
Another option is to set a couple of days aside for shopping and cooking. Shop one day and cook the next. You should be able to prepare several meals at once for your freezer. Plan to double and triple those recipes so that you quickly fill the freezer.
While there are many containers that will work in the freezer, one of the best is a vacuum sealer. Choose the sealer that has a heat seal to preserve the quality of your food. These bags will stand up to microwaving or boiling in a pot of water.
At times you may have no choice other than grabbing something quick from the grocery store, but if you have a chance, make your own frozen meals.
If you make your own meals and freeze them you are the chef, so you determine what goes into your family's food. You can leave out those things your family does not enjoy and choose how spicy to make your food. Additionally, you can choose how much salt or sugar is added to the meals your family eats.
While many people just prepare the meals they know their family likes to eat, others like to experiment. If you are tired of the same old family favorites, here are some ideas that freeze well. Vegetable soup, beef stew, chicken curry, corn chowder or broccoli beef.
Pasta and rice do not do well in many of the freezer recipes. The double cooking of the meal tends to over cook these starches. If you are using recipes with these ingredients, freeze the sauces and cook the starch separately. A rice cooker is a quick easy way to cook rice and fresh pasta cooks in boiling water in only three minutes. You can find fresh pasta in the deli section of most grocery stores.
To get that freezer stocked try cooking meals that are two to four times the normal size. The excess should go directly to the fridge and not to the table. If it is on the table you will be tempted to over eat and the quality declines. It needs to be chilled as soon as possible for the best flavor.
Another option is to set a couple of days aside for shopping and cooking. Shop one day and cook the next. You should be able to prepare several meals at once for your freezer. Plan to double and triple those recipes so that you quickly fill the freezer.
While there are many containers that will work in the freezer, one of the best is a vacuum sealer. Choose the sealer that has a heat seal to preserve the quality of your food. These bags will stand up to microwaving or boiling in a pot of water.
About the Author:
For plenty of busy people, making their own dinners in advance is not possible with their full schedules. Fortunately you can find a delicious gourmet dinner online. These meals are filled with high quality gourmet foods as fresh and pleasing as the finest restaurant in your area.
