When it comes to tricks to help save time, money and stress, freezer cooking is at the top of my list. Freezer cooking can completely change the dinner time hour in your home. With a little bit of planning ahead, you can have have delicious, healthy meals for your family from the freezer instead of taking a spin through the drive through… again.
Do you find yourself constantly overwhelmed at dinner time? Help tame the dinner time madness with these tips for great freezer dinners!
Make a menu.
You hear it all the time, but that’s because it works. A menu means you can shop once and do prep work as you put the food away. You’ll probably find that you don’t have to look inside the fridge multiple times a day only to decide that thinking about what will be for dinner is just too much, again.
While I like to plan a week’s worth of meals, you may want to just plan enough meals to get you until your next shopping day. I recommend planning to double 1 – 2 meals so that you can put the extra into the freezer. Perfect for days when you don’t have time to shop or prepare a meal from scratch because of activities.
Prep before putting food away.
The fastest way to create many meals for the freezer at once, is to go shopping in the morning and spend the afternoon completing the prep work. This is great for working parents or families with a lot of activities during the week.
Chop all of the ingredients for one meal and load right into freezer bags for a complete recipe.
When you are cooking and baking, double your recipes to cook once but eat twice! This is a great way to reduce your workload because you can cook once and clean once.
This works really well for casseroles, tomato based sauces, cookies and muffins, and soups. I love to make a big batch of spaghetti sauce and freeze the extras. The same goes for taco meat.
Cooking double is the least stressful way to build a large stash for your freezer with very little extra effort on your part. No all day cooking or menu planning but you will be building a stash of meals for busy nights.
Protect from freezer burn.
While freezer cooking is amazing for saving you time and money, you will find that things may get freezer burnt causing unnecessary waste.
To prevent freezer burn, remove air from packaging and use multiple layers around your food to keep it fresh longer. Never let air get into your packaging. Label your meals well so you do not need to open anything to find the meal you want.
As spring rolls in, the garden can go in with it! This year, start your garden off right by planning for success. Some plants are a must for a productive garden that you will love as you feed your family from your own hard work.
Here are 10 things you should grow in your garden this year:
Lemon Grass.
Lemon Grass should be at the top of your list for your garden this year. This ornamental plant can be grown nearly anywhere in a pot. It keeps bugs away, bringing you peace from those pesky things. It can also be used to season and add flavor to foods. This Fresh Lemongrass Tea looks so refreshing!
Tomatoes.
This versatile plant can be used for so many dishes and even as a snack. (Sprinkled with salt and pepper…yum!) Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and are easy to grow. I especially like growing cherry tomatoes in containers.
Bell peppers.
With more vitamin C than an orange and plenty of flavor, bell peppers are a great addition to your garden and freeze well for later.
Bush beans.
Bush beans can be grown under plants that grow tall. Beans put nitrogen into the soil making them perfect companion plants to Carrots, Beets, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Kale, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Strawberries and Swiss Chard.
Pumpkin.
Pumpkins make a great ground covering plant that can shade the roots and stems or taller plants helping them thrive in the summer heat while providing you with great food in the fall harvest.
Basil.
This herb repels bugs and other pests helping to protect your garden while providing you with a tasty food for your table. Basil also makes a great edible edging plant for flower beds, helping maximize space. This Cold Pesto Pasta Salad is a great way to put basil to use.
Strawberries.
You will find in most areas the selection of fruit you can grow is limited. Strawberries are a great fruit that will grow nearly anywhere making it the perfect addition to your garden. They keep coming back better year after year and make a great potted plant.
Spinach.
If you’re looking for a green filler plant for your garden, spinach is just the plant for you. Spinach is high in vitamins and minerals, grows well in shaded areas with just a few hours of sun per day, and has nearly limitless ways to use in the kitchen.
Oregano.
Oregano is a classically Italian herb packed with medicinal qualities as well as a potent flavoring for your favorite dishes from pasta to pizza. This plant also makes a good filler plant that provides great food for your family.
Radishes.
When it comes to quick growing veggies that can help feed your family in less time, radishes are a great way to go.
I’d love to know what you like to grow in your vegetable garden every year. Let me know in the comments below!
The Early Tide Straw Hat is a one-size, fit-all that’s perfect for traveling. This packable classic can be stuffed in the beach bag, the backpack or tossed in the backseat; it’s the hat you’re never without.
I just wanted to let you know that you can pick up the eReader files for FREE when you buy The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle for $29.97 before midnighttonight.
You’ll still be able to buy the bundle until Monday, but you’ll have to pay an extra $10 to get all the specially-formatted versions to make it super easy to use the bundle on your eReader.
P.S. I think this is a great bundle with life-changing resources. But what’s really awesome is the 30-day happiness guarantee. Try it out, and if you’re not satisfied, just ask for a refund within 30 days.
(Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Read the disclosure policy here. Thank you for your support!)
Have you indulged in some poor spending habits lately? If so, then it's time to get your budget back on track. I find once I'm on the spending train, it's hard to get off! However, I do manage to disembark eventually with a few tips I've used over the years. Take a look below at these 7 surefire ways to get your budget back on track and find your way to financial freedom.
7 Surefire Ways to Get Your Budget Back on Track
1. Go on a spending freeze.
First and foremost, if you're stuck in the vicious spend cycle, you have to just stop. Begin by vowing not to spend any money for 10-14 days. In this time, use what you have on hand and refuse to buy anything new. See how much money this spending freeze can save you. You might be surprised! You might also be surprised to find that you can be content without spending money on "stuff" because you've discovered new ways to occupy yourself.
Following your freeze, track your spending for 10-14 days. If you spend so much as a dime, write it down. At the end of your tracking period, see where your money is going. This visual data will help you see where serious cuts need to be made.
3. Start cutting!
Use the data from your spending tracking to see where cuts need to be made. Get serious about seeing these cuts through. Find ways around these purchases and then stick to it. Some examples may be eliminating eating out, turning cable off, buying less clothing for your kids or giving up monthly magazine purchases.
4. Bring friends on board.
If you need to get your budget back on track, be honest with your friends. Let them know about your goals so they aren’t trying to convince you to spend money when you shouldn’t. This way, you will also have a support system in place.
5. Celebrate small victories.
When you complete your spending freeze or tracking, or make bug cuts, celebrate! Plan a family fun day or go on a cheap date. Or, if you can, put aside $5 into a vacation fund each time you save $50. Knowing there is a reward each time you accomplish something, can be enough to keep you pressing onward.
6. Track your progress.
Each time you make a successful cut or save a dollar or two through your hard work, write it down. Track your savings so you can see how much your hard work is paying off. At the end of the week, check out your total savings and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back.
7. Don’t quit.
Even when you see the savings add up and the budget gets back on track, don’t stop! It will be important that you keep these tips in mind and perform regular check ups on your budget to stay on track.
See how simple it can be to get your budget back on track? With these tips and a bit of hard work you'll soon be seeing a difference in your budget.
Do you have any tips that help you get your spending under control? Please share in the comments!
