Freezer Meal Ideas

I've been a crazy person in the kitchen this week. I get ideas in my head and MUST ACT ON THEM RIGHT NOW.  My latest obsession is stocking our freezer for after our baby's arrival (Expected in just 4 short weeks. Eeek!).  I posted this photo on Instagram and my personal Facebook and had some questions on what I was whipping up.

This past tax season I became a big fan of batch cooking.  I would spend about 3 hours in the kitchen on Sundays making all of our meals for the week.  I discovered quite a few recipes that warm up well.  I found that I actually like cooking. I just don't like cooking after a long day of being on my feet in the pharmacy.  I'd prefer to come home, warm up some already prepared food, work out and then have a few hours of Michelle time.  We also eat a lot healthier this way.  I mean, it's either prepared tomato soup loaded with nutrients or a bowl of cereal. I found that batch cooking cut down on our grocery bill too because I bought exactly what I needed. We also wasted less because we're cheap and hated to throw away prepared food.  We haven't done it much this Summer because it's super easy to throw some meat on the grill and cook a vegetable from the Farmer's market.  With a newborn on the way, I decided to get us prepared.

I have made a batch of Tomato Basil Bisque soup. I should have doubled it. I will probably make another.  It's quite delicious, healthy and easy to prepare.

I also made two batches of Chicken and Wild Rice soup.  This was a favorite recipe of ours last Fall.  Nate and I were both drooling as I was packaging it up.  Fall babies are quite perfect.  Minus the whole being 9 months pregnant in August.  I'm still holding onto Summer for some reason but that could only be because it was 74 degrees today.  But the thought of soup and flannel and baby snuggling is quite appealing.

I also made 2 batches of chili (not shown below).  Our chili is pretty basic.  Tomato sauce, kidney beans, chili beans, whatever spices we feel like throwing in.

I like to freeze soups in freezer bags.  They don't take up a lot of room because you can lay them flat.

While I was making soup, I threw 6 pounds of chicken breasts into the Crock-pot with some chicken stock. I cooked the chicken on low for 8 hours. I shredded it up and packaged it in 1 1/2 cup portions.  This will be handy to pull out for quesadillas or avocado chicken pizza (we use naan in place of the pitas).

I whipped up two pot pies (this recipe makes 2 freezer pans easily, no need to double).  I also made a batch of lasagna and cheesy stuffed shells.  Dollar stores have very inexpensive disposable pans.  Not the most eco-friendly but they don't tie up your cookware.

I have plans this weekend to make enchiladas, calzones, baked potato soup and pork carnitas.  I keep telling myself I need to call this good but I'm also crazy and just might keep going.   I have more freezer meal ideas pinned over on my Pinterest board if you're interested!  I'm hoping to have enough food to get us through the first month with minimal cooking.

I'm keeping track of what I have made in a Google drive document that Nate and I can both access.  This will hopefully allow us to easily know what we have hidden in the freezer.  I don't want my craziness/hard work going to waste!

Do you have any favorite freezer meal recipes?  Do share!