[fawnanddoe]

How many of you are preparing freezer meals? Also, what types of things are you preparing as freezer meals?
I found a great website that has some good recipes at Mom's Budget - Personal Finance & Budgeting Advice for Women
I'm trying to figure out if I should make a week or a months worth of meals.

[journeybirth]

I'd make a month's worth if you have the room. You'd be feeling better after a week most likely, but newborns are demanding, and it seems like they're the most demanding when you're trying to cook dinner!

[JFletcher]

I would have made as many as I could stuff in my freezer if I'd had the time!

Casseroles and anything that fits into a rectangular pan, like lasagna. Line your pans with aluminum foil before cooking -2 layers!, make sure it hangs over the sides. After cooking, let the food cool enough to handle, then pop in the freezer.After frozen, bring out, turn onto a cookie sheet.

You should be able to wrap the overhanging foil around easily. Label the meal, date it, too. Put into a gallon sized zip top bag or wrap with film. Freezing this way will let you stand the meals on end like a freezer library! You could even label on the 'Spine' of your 'meal book', lol.

Always date. Remember- first in, first out.

[Supernova]

I made a lot of meals and shoved them in the freezer. It worked out great because while I did still cook some meals, it was nice having them as a go-to on days when I was busy or didn't feel like cooking.

I made mostly soups and stews - anything broth based freezes well. Creamy soups don't take well to the freezer.
Macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and other casseroles work well - just make them as you normally would, just don't bake them.

I also found that my crockpot came in handy in those weeks after the baby was born.

[Kadi]

I made double batches of spaghetti sauce, chili ( not great for nursing mothers,) alfredo sauce and other freezer friendly meal items for a few weeks before my due date. I only made a week or two worth since I still needed room in the freezer for stored breast milk.
At my shower, we always had a sign up sheet for anyone who was willing to bring over dinner one night and see the baby. We didn't even touch the frozen food until two weeks later! It was so nice!

[doulamegan]

I think freezing as much as humanly possibly is a GREAT idea. Also though, organizing (or asking a friend to organize) meal angels who will bring you food will mean you can avoid cooking for even longer. A great new site to organize this easily is mealbaby.com.

[Mommyto3bugs]

I am a c-section mommy so I am usually down a little longer (because I over do it with everything but cooking LOL)

I plan to have at least 2 weeks worth of dinners frozen AND another 2 weeks worth of easy crockpot meals.

[JFletcher]

Oh, one other thing that will really help:

When you bring in groceries go through them and prepare anything that can be prepared ahead of time. Chop onions, cut celery, break up large meat packs, even cook meats and freeze them.

When we're fighting a finance slump (which happens often because writing income is feast or famine), I will cook a ton of hamburger, then freeze it. I should say turkey burger, because that's what we use now...but anyway...cook it, wash all grease from it, then freeze in a gallon bag. If you have a small family, freeze it in the smaller bags.

You'll be amazed at how much faster meals come together.

Another thing, my husband bought me a Seal a Meal and I adoooooore it. My first week of having it, hubby teased that I would have sealed him up if I didn't stop sealing things. But really, it is great! Things do not get freezer burned and fresh veggies stay tasty.

[septembermom]

I plan on doing this with some meals to make things easier. But I also know we'll end up eating out (picking up something healthy) as well so I won't go too crazy on what I make and store.