Looking for freezer cooking plans? After you download this plan, check out these other free printable plans.
I realized sometime last week that April is a month of survival for me. There’s a lot going on in our household this month, so I devised a plan to make the month’s meals a little bit easier.
- I planned a month’s worth of dinners.
- I schemed easy lunches the kids can help make.
- I filled the freezer with ready-to-eat breakfasts.
Saturday night we invited the neighborhood boys over for pizza and a viewing of The Hobbit. I knew better than to try to feed the masses homemade pizza; Costco did the cooking. Once the movie started, I got cooking!
It was so exhilarating to be able to post this picture to instagram later that night:
Not only did I plan out several week’s worth of baked goods to add to our Breakfast Bar, but I did so in a way that was cheaper and healthier than if I had bought all these items at the store. Yay for freezer cooking.
Here’s what this month’s cooking plan entails:
- Cinnamon Apple Oat Cakes, 2 batches
- Eggs Florentine Casserole (baked, cut into portions, wrapped and frozen), page 275, 1 batch
- Herbed Pork Sausage Patties, page 173, 2 batches
- Breakfast Sliders, page 280, 2 batches
- Spiced Whole Grain Waffles, page 262, 1 batch
- Pumpkin Spice Scones, 1 batch
- Honey Multi-Grain Rolls, page 317, 2 batches
- Coconut Mango Banana Smoothie, 4 batches
Some recipes are from the Life as MOM and Good Cheap Eats recipe archives. Some are from my cookbook.
Each month since the book’s release, I’ve shared a free printable cooking plan. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. These plans will help you add variety to your freezer and put the recipes in the book to good use.
In case you missed the downloads, you can find them here:
- Protein-Style Dinners – a menu plan filled with paleo and Whole30-friendly recipes
- Cold Weather and Company Dinners – get cozy at home with your folks or invite people in, this cooking plan has you covered
- Cozy Winter Breakfasts – stick-to-your ribs oat dishes, granola, fruit-filled energy bars, and a variety of baking mixes
- Holiday Baking – a plethora of cookies and quick breads as well as a Pretzel Berry Cheesecake
- Busy Nights – lots of casseroles and one-dish dinners to make supper times easy on busy nights
Our house smelled so good that night! I’m thrilled that breakfasts will come together a little easier in the coming weeks. I plan to serve a variety of choices each morning from the above as well as fresh fruit, homemade juices, yogurt, and eggs.
If you’ve not yet started to make your own homemade convenience foods, I can’t encourage you enough to give freezer cooking a try.
Aubrey Ives says
Great job, Fish Mama! I love having breakfast made ahead. My hubby usually is the one to get breakfast for our two early risers. Made ahead breakfast really helps him out. I was wondering how you deal with the smoothies. Do you freeze the smoothies already blended and let them thaw? Or do you just freeze the smoothie components? We love smoothies and have them a lot, but I have not found the best way to freeze and/or thaw. You have inspired me to get into the kitchen tonight!
Jessica Fisher says
You can do it either way. But, it’s easiest to blend them, pour into containers, and freeze. They should thaw in about 30 minutes on the counter, depending on how cold your house is.
saira says
Wow! I’ve just come across this really love the idea. I used to freeze my weekly cooking wen heavy pregnant n dragged hubster to help out. This was a weekly routine on Sundays. Now many yrs down the line… I’m planing written meals on my whiteboard makes life much easier. So wanna go bk to freezing home dinners n Mk more time fr kids. I’ve got 5 kids under 9 so yes every moment of free time is a blessing ?
Jessica Fisher says
I think so. It saves on mental fatigue as well. Who wants to cut fruit first thing in the am?
Shandon-dy R Diehl says
The eggs Florentine can be baked and then portioned and frozen?
Jessica Fisher says
They can, but they taste best baked fresh. I prefer to freeze it unbaked and then bake later.