Convenient meals can be a lifesaver at times. Whether you want a quick dinner for the family between work, school and the children’s games or if you need something that you can heat for lunch in the break room microwave oven, a gourmet frozen meal can be a tasty time saver.
There may be times when you have no choice but to grab a frozen meal from the grocery store, but many times, you have another option. If you have a chance, make your own frozen meals.
By making your own frozen meals, you get to choose what goes into your food. If there is an ingredient that someone in your family will not eat, you can leave it out or prepare an individual portion without that ingredient. In addition, you are in control of the amount of sugar and sodium that is added to your meals.
While most people simply choose their family’s favorite recipes to cook, others like to experiment a little here and there. If you are in the mood to experiment the try one of these, Broccoli Beef, vegetable soup, corn chowder, chicken curry or beef stew. They work very well in the freezer.
Pasta and rice do not do well in many of the freezer recipes. The double cooking of the meal tends to over cook these starches. If you are using recipes with these ingredients, freeze the sauces and cook the starch separately. A rice cooker is a quick easy way to cook rice and fresh pasta cooks in boiling water in only three minutes. You can find fresh pasta in the deli section of most grocery stores.
To get that freezer stocked try cooking meals that are two to four times the normal size. The excess should go directly to the fridge and not to the table. If it is on the table you will be tempted to over eat and the quality declines. It needs to be chilled as soon as possible for the best flavor.
Another option is to set a couple of days aside for shopping and cooking. Shop one day and cook the next. You should be able to prepare several meals at once for your freezer. Plan to double and triple those recipes so that you quickly fill the freezer.
One of the best options for storing your food in the freezer is a vacuum sealer. Choose the sealer that has a heat seal to preserve the quality of your food. The bags are very heavy weight and prevent freezer burn. They can be used to heat food in the microwave or as a boil-in bag in a pot of water.
If all of this sounds like a lot of effort, take heart! There are professional chefs who will take all of the work out of a gourmet frozen meal.
Don’t count on your local grocer to carry truly wonderful food that you can love. Instead, take a look online for a high quality gourmet dinner delivered to your door, frozen and ready to heat, serve and enjoy.
