Utilizing YOUR freezer for meals while saving money, time and reducing waste

I have crossed quite a few people lately who have been interested or semi-interesting in freezer meals and I am more then happy to share what I know with people but often talking about it isn't enough. So I've decided to write what I know down here so I can send people here to get info on what I can share about utilizing your freezer for dinners. And if I forget I can always come back here and look too.

Here are some reason's why freezer meals is a good idea:

-you can save money each month by shopping in bulk and wasting less and with meals in the freezer you are less likely to eat out.
-cooking your own freezer meals is healthier then buying stuff like tv dinners or other packaged and preserved meals
-It is very nifty for when you have sick or pregnant friends or friends that are just unable to make meals for themselves or their families.

Sounds great right? Well with my experience this isn't quite as easy as it sounds. It does take a lot of discipline and effort. Are you disciplined enough to spend the amount of time needed to cook in bulk in order to save money and make the time spent to freeze to meal worth it? Are you disciplined enough to eat what you have and not necessarily what you want or are craving at the time? Do you have enough freezer space? How good is your knowledge of what freezes well and what doesn't? These are potential stumbling blocks that if you can overcome it will open up a world of frugality with your time and your money.

So how long do things last in the freezer? Because we aren't using preservatives to make stuff have a longer shelf life we are limited in how long things last in the freezer and retain their nutrition. This sounds disappointing but things actually last for a good 2-6 months depending on what it is. Here are some general guidelines:

Breads and doughs- 2 months
Frozen desserts and drinks- 2 months
Main Dishes- 3-6 months
Salads(not water based), sides and soups- 3-6 months

Stuff will last longer in a freezer compartment that isn't exposed when the freezer door opens. Stuff stored in the door wont last as long.

So what freezes well? What doesn't? Find out in the post entitled What freezes well and what doesn't? Or click the link.

p.s. I'm by no means an expert in this stuff. What I know is what I have experienced and learned along the way. If you want to learn more from a person who has been educated in this check out this website. This woman is a native Utahn and has made appearances on Good Things Utah, Studio 5 and KJAZZ. She also does classes at Thanksgiving Point. For recipe's designed just for freezing I would purchase one of her books.