What You Need to Know About It
Quickly gaining in popularity, freezer cooking is the answer to individuals who have no time to cook daily. With this method, you save time and guarantee proper nutrition.
Also known as once-a-month cooking, freezer cooking is fast becoming popular among individuals who enjoy home-cooked meals but do not have the time to prepare them on a daily basis. It is believed that this method of cooking was conceptualized out of the need of most homemakers to ensure their children eat nutritious and delicious foods at dinner time. Also, there are studies which showed how unhealthy commercial frozen meals are and most people would like to avoid health problems with just a bit of planning and extra effort.
You would be surprised at how convenient your life would be if you learn this method of cooking.
Basic Principle Simply put, freezer cooking requires you to plan meals which can last you from anywhere between two weeks and one month. You need to refer to several recipes to know exactly the amount of ingredients you need to prepare. For instance, if you are planning on preparing spaghetti in meat sauce for at least five times in a month, you would be chopping at least ten (10) onions, preparing enough sauce, cooking the pasts and browning the beef before storing each one in well-sealed containers and placing them in the freezer. When the time comes to cook the meal, all you need to do is to take out the ingredients and mix them. You can even choose to use the ingredients for other recipes such as tacos or beef chili. Other individuals cook the meat sauce and simply divide them into portions.
Advantages There are several benefits to freezer cooking. Obviously, the first thing you get to enjoy is the convenience. You can prepare 60 burritos and store them in your freezer. If you feel hungry, you can easily put them in the microwave and re-heat them. Also, if you look at your food or meal budget, you will notice how much you have saved. This is because you will no longer rely on commercial frozen food dinners or take outs. Of course, there is also the issue of proper nutrition. If you have kids and a full time job, you only need to look for freezer recipes and you will no longer need to worry about the quality of meals your family consumes at dinnertime. All you need to do is set aside one or two days for shopping, planning and cooking and you virtually do not have to cook for the rest of the month.
DisadvantagesHomemakers who tried freezer cooking usually complain about preparing too much or too little. Again, it will require a tremendous effort on your part to plan the meals. Make sure you also choose recipes which are versatile in case your family did not like what you prepared. In any case, you can always try to invent new recipes or modify existing ones to fit your family’s preferences.
There is also the issue of not having enough freezer space. If you are serious about learning this cooking method, you might want to invest in a chest freezer. This freezer is actually designed for people who like to buy and store food in bulk. But if you want to enjoy convenience especially in terms of organizing the content of your freezer, you should go with the upright type since it will allow you to see everything in one look. Be sure to use zipper storage bags and plastic containers to maximize freezer space.
Summary: There is no doubt that freezer cooking can help you prepare delicious and nutritious meals for your family and even guests. This method of meal preparation and cooking is quite popular for it spells convenience and efficiency. You get to save much time as well as money and there is no need for you to worry about what to feed your family for the rest of the month. If you are new to this method, there are plenty of online resources which feature tips and recipes. Also, it would be wise to start small before you plan on preparing a month’s worth of meals. You should first master the art of planning and storing before you can truly appreciate the benefits.