September 02, 2010
Make-Ahead Meals: The How and Why
We're a busy family. With four kids, two soon to be in school full time, a preschooler and a newly turned two-year-old, our evenings are full of music lessons, sports practice and homework. While I work from home, I am constantly managing deadlines in between boo-boo kisses, diaper changes and art projects. My husband has an hour-long commute each way, leaving before the kids wake up in the morning and coming home just in time to help get dinner on the table.
Because feeding my family real food on an everyday basis is a priority for me, I need to be at least moderately organized when it comes to meal planning and considering my menu. Part of this is through stocking my pantry, but another important aspect is planning ahead, especially for those times when I know we're going to be busy running here and there and the square on the calendar looks more black with pen marks than a white day waiting to be filled.
On days when the schedule is particularly crazy or when the day just didn't go as previously planned, having meals ready to pop in the oven in the freezer can be a lifesaver. Those meals keep us together around the table as a family and out of the drive-thru.
If you're looking to stock your freezer with a few make-ahead meals, here are a few tips:
- Bulk it up. Rather than making a single dish at a time for tossing into the freezer, try instead getting two or three ready. Properly sealed and stored food should keep up to three months and longer in the freezer, and you'll be killing three birds on those hectic nights with one stone.
- Use local produce. Local and fresh produce is cheaper when it's in season. Buy a bushel of tomatoes next time you see them at the market and take an hour or two to prep a few pans of lasagna. The lasagna will taste fresh even after it's been frozen, and you'll benefit from a home-cooked meal.
- Tie it in. For make-ahead meals to work for me, they often need to be part of what I'm doing already. So, when I set out to put three meals into the freezer, rather than carving out the time to make those three meals, I simply multiply that night's dinner by four. We eat the first batch right away, and the rest get stored for a later date.
- Fill it up. To avoid freezer burn on products and ice crystals forming, be sure to fill all of your pans to freeze completely. By eliminating that air bubble, you'll eliminate the opportunity for them to grow there and your food will taste fresher longer. Be sure to label your meals with the name and date as well so that you're using them in a timely manner.
Here are a few of my favorite make-ahead meals that have saved me in the past:
- Chicken Empanadas: Easy to make double and triple batches, and the filled pockets freeze well and bake up perfectly.
- Baked Stuffed Manicotti: This one is an oldie but a goodie. I like these more than lasagna even because they're just a bit lighter, and pairing them with an easy chopped salad or steamed vegetable makes for a perfect complete meal.
- Chicken Salad: Always a favorite, I make mine after we roast a large chicken or turkey. Leftovers can be frozen with dressing on, thawed in the fridge, and then just add in a fresh chopped onion or green pepper before serving. A few pieces of crumbled bacon on top make this easy meal extra special.
