The freezer is our friend!

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.