Making the most of your freezer!

The freezer can be an asset to a working mother. Not only can we reduce the number of trips to the supermarket, we can prepare food ahead of time for getting meals on the table quickly and easily. Here are some ways I have tried to maximize the use of my freezer:
Making Extra: While I have all the ingredients available, I double my recipe and freeze the extras. This is good for families who don't want leftovers within days of eating the original meal. It doesn't take a lot of additional work and comes in handy for a quick meal. You can easily cook 8 pieces of chicken rather than 4 or make a super huge pot of soup .
Plan a Cook-A-Thon: I sometimes get ambitious on the weekend and cook up a bunch of dishes specifically for the freezer. I plan my menu and buy the ingredients accordingly. I try to make dishes with similar ingredients, such as ground beef, so I can take advantage of the savings on family packs. You can have spaghetti sauce on one burner and chili on the other with meatloaves in the oven. It never hurts to have some baked goods in the freezer in case you have unexpected company or you have to bring treats for "goody" day at work.
Freeze for Convenience: Not only do I freeze quantities of food for a family meal, I also do single portions. For instance, I will buy a big bag of bagels and freeze half of them in individual wrappings. It also helps prevent the bagels from going stale--which can happen by the time we are reaching the end of the bag. For breakfast, I can take one bagel out of the freezer, defrost it in the microwave and then pop it in the toaster. My teenagers are always hungry so I freeze one or 2 hamburgers in a bag. You can take leftovers and freeze them in single servings for those nights that someone needs to eat ahead of the rest of the family or you happen to be eating alone.
Seasonal Savings: I try to take advantage of fruits & vegetables when they are in season. You can get larger quantities and save money. Green and red peppers can be sliced and frozen on cookie sheets before placing in freezer bags. By doing this, they won't stick together and you can pull out what you need from a resealable freezer bag. If you are only using the freezer compartment in your fridge, you may want to consider buying a chest or upright freezer. The rule of thumb is 5 cubic feet per each family member. In my fridge freezer, I only keep small items that are used often --such as ice cream, coffee beans, popping corn, popsicles, nuts, and single portions of bagels or hamburgers.
I hope I have been able to give you some ideas on the possibilities of using your freezer. With a microwave, it is very easy to defrost food in a short time. It makes me wonder how people years ago managed with just a simple ice box! Maureen Fleury