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After discovering the convenience of having pre-cooked ground beef in the freezer, I fell in love with the concept of “meal starters” that can be cooked ahead and frozen for later. Pre-cooked chicken, either shredded or chopped, has become one of my favorite meal starters to keep on hand.
How to cook chicken for the freezer:
Layer chicken in a slow cooker until it is about two-thirds full. Add a cup of water (or more, if you prefer more liquid). Cook on high for about four hours, or on low for about eight hours. Every slow cooker seems to have a mind of its own, so you may need to adjust the cooking time.
When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove to a plate or tray to cool. After the chicken is completely cool, chop or shred as desired.
Transfer chicken to freezer bags or freezer containers. You can check some of your favorite recipes to determine the amount to put in each bag or container.
Label each freezer bag with a permanent marker; if you are using plastic containers, you may want to use a different method for labeling. Lay flat to freeze.
Cooking chicken for the freezer is so simple, but is is such a timesaver on busy evenings!
What foods do you freeze to use as “meal starters”?
Rice is one of those foods that most people assume will not freeze well. However, both brown and white rice freeze and reheat beautifully!
How to cook rice for the freezer:
Measure out the amount of rice you plan to cook, and add the minimum recommended amount of water. For white rice, the typical ratio is 1-1/2 cups water to 1 cup rice.
When the rice is done cooking, allow it to cool to room temperature. Stirring occasionally will allow it to cool more quickly.
When completely cool, package the rice in quart-size freezer bags. After filling the freezer bags, remove as much air as possible and seal. Label each bag with a permanent marker. Lay flat in the freezer to freeze.
How to use pre-cooked frozen rice:
Pre-cooked rice can be used straight from the freezer. You may need to run hot water over the bag just until the solid chunk of rice thaws enough to break up a little. Transfer rice to a microwave-safe bowl with a lid; add a teaspoon or two of water. Microwave until heated through. Fluff before serving.
The frozen rice tastes just as if it had been freshly cooked. And it’s super easy, too!
I am totally convinced that menu planning is beneficial for our busy family. I’m equally convinced that I don’t enjoy planning a menu. Not at all.
No wonder, then, that I was so excited when Mystie offered me a copy of her new ebook, Simplified Dinners, to review. Try out a new method to simplify menu planning? Save time and mental energy? Definitely interested!
Simplified Dinners begins with a master pantry list that contains every single ingredient needed to prepare every meal in the ebook. By stocking your pantry according to the master pantry list, you will always have the ingredients on hand for a variety of meals, all without needing to plan a detailed menu.
Next the ebook lists dozens of meal ideas, arranged by category:
Slow Cooker Roasts
Skillet Cutlets with Pan Sauces
Stovetop Pasta Dishes
Simple Stir-Fry
Quick and Easy Soups
Main Dish Salads
and many more
Each category begins with basic cooking process for all meals in that category, followed by several meal variations with specific ingredients listed. These meal ideas are not exact recipes; rather, they are helpful guidelines with plenty of room for personalization.
Finally, Mystie shows you how to make a general menu plan based on meal types. Each week the same category of meal is served on the same day of the week; you’ll only need to choose a different variation each week. And remember, with a well-stocked pantry, you’ll always have all the ingredients on hand to make any variation that appeals to you on a given day!
Would you like to try this method for yourself? Mystie has offered to give away a copy of her Simplified Dinners ebook to one of my readers! I’ve offered several different ways to enter the giveaway below.
It’s no secret: I hate planning a weekly menu. In my thinking, it ranks right up there with cleaning the bathroom. It’s just not on my list of fun things to do.
Veteran menu-makers agree, however, that planning a menu is a crucial step in keeping a grocery budget in check. It helps keep us “eating within our means,” so to speak. Here are four benefits of meal planning:
1. A menu plan helps prevent those last-minute trips to the grocery store.
We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Right in the middle of preparing a recipe, we find that we’re “out” of something. And off to the grocery store we go. Extra miles, extra time . . . and it could have been prevented with a well-planned menu.
2. A menu plan is useful for planning meals based on weekly sales.
It just makes sense to plan weekly meals based on the best deals in the local stores. If you aren’t planning ahead, you are undoubtedly spending more money by just preparing whatever “sounds good” at the moment.
3. A menu plan curbs impulse shopping.
Very few people can just run into the grocery store and come out with one or two things. Let’s face it–we all grab a few extras while we’re in there, especially if we’re already hungry. Taking time to come up with a well-planned menu and grocery list eliminates the need for those extra stops at the grocery store, saving extra dollars that would certainly have been spent on impulsive purchases.
4. A menu plan helps get balanced meals on the table consistently.
If you have already planned out meals for the week and purchased all the ingredients, there will be no need for last-minute fast food due to lack of planning. Big savings!
If you are a reluctant meal planner like me, you’ll want to be here tomorrow to find out how I am simplifying the menu-planning process–and to find out about an exciting new giveaway! If you haven’t already, please take a minute to subscribe for free daily updates from Contented at Home. You can also follow on Facebook or Twitter.
And so, without further ado, here’s my evening meal plan for this week:
Monday–Creamed ham with potatoes and green beans Tuesday–Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta, vegetable Wednesday–Meatloaf, baked potatoes, vegetable Thursday–Meatloaf Shepherd’s Pie Friday–Sloppy joes on whole-wheat buns, cole slaw, carrots and dip Saturday–Leftover buffet
Have some great menu-planning tips to share? Leave a comment–I’d love to learn from you!
Ground beef is one food that I always have in my freezer. It is versatile and family-friendly, making it a staple in my cooking.
When I finally noticed how frequently I was browning a pound or two of ground beef to add to various dishes, I started cooking a large batch and freezing the extra for future meals. Using pre-cooked ground beef from the freezer is such a time-saver on a busy night . . . and it reduces the amount of dirty dishes, too! Cheers from my children!
How to cook ground beef for the freezer:
Add the desired amount of ground beef to a large skillet (I use a Cuisinart Stainless 5-1/2-Quart Skillet to cook six or seven pounds of ground beef at one time). After cooking the meat, drain it well and allow it to cool to room temperature. Stirring the warm meat occasionally will help it to cool more quickly.
When the ground beef is cool, measure it into quart-size freezer bags or containers. The quart-size freezer bags will hold up to two pounds of cooked meat. If you turn down the top of the freezer bag an inch or so while filling, the zipper area will stay clean and will seal much more easily.
Use this handy measuring tip for ground beef: one pound is equivalent to two and one-half cups of cooked ground beef.
After filling the freezer bags with meat, remove as much air as possible and seal. Label each bag with a permanent marker. Lay flat in the freezer to freeze.
I love the convenience of pre-cooked ground beef! It makes my life as a homeschool mom so much easier.
Have you ever cooked ground beef for the freezer? What dishes do you prepare with pre-cooked ground beef?
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Brownies are a favorite at our house, with Mom and kids alike. In fact, Kaylee just made brownies last night. She experimented with using whole-wheat flour (soft white wheat) instead of white flour, and we couldn’t even tell the difference! Yummy!
If your family loves brownies like mine does, you’ll want to download this Free Brownie Recipe eBook. I know Kaylee will want to add these recipes to her collection!
This post contains affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure for more information.
Easter Sunday was such a beautiful start to a new week! Not only was the weather nearly perfect, but we also enjoyed meaningful worship services, a yummy dinner, and a longer-than-usual afternoon nap. Wonderful day!
And now it’s Monday–Menu Plan Monday, to be exact. But this week’s meal plan is somewhat ho-hum. Again.
But wait–there is hope, even for me! I’m excited to be trying out a new method of menu planning/grocery shopping/streamlined cooking. I’ll be letting you in on a few new tips in the next week or two.
Here’s what we’re having this week:
Monday–Pasta with spaghetti sauce and mozarella cheese (by request), green beans, salad
Tuesday–Slow Cooker Hamburger Patties in Mushroom Soup, mashed potatoes, vegetable
Another Monday, folks! This week it seems that I’ve hit a menu-planning slump. I know I’m probably not alone, but in any case, I’d love your suggestions!
We did enjoy our meal this evening, and I’m making a rough meal plan, with the understanding that I may change it if creativity strikes.
Well, I started off the week by baking five loaves of whole-wheat bread and a double batch of blueberry muffins. We are loving the freshly-milled whole-wheat flour! Yummy!
Here’s what’s on our meal plan this week:
Monday–Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Tuesday–Hamburgers in mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetable
Wednesday--Sloppy joes, cole slaw, baby carrots with dip
to cook six or seven pounds of ground beef at one time). After cooking the meat, drain it well and allow it to cool to room temperature. Stirring the warm meat occasionally will help it to cool more quickly.
or containers. The quart-size freezer bags will hold up to two pounds of cooked meat. If you turn down the top of the freezer bag an inch or so while filling, the zipper area will stay clean and will seal much more easily.
