Best make ahead or freezer meals for large families?

[hsbeth]

A friend is growing her family by three via adoption soon and I'd like to bless her with some freezer type meals. They'll be a family of 9, so input from larger families with recipes/quantities would be especially helpful. Links are also appreciated.

 

I'd like to keep it somewhat healthy, but they don't have any dietary restrictions. I know she'll likely receive lots of meals in the beginning, so some meals that are freezer friendly would be great.

 

I'm going to give her a few dozen of my individually frozen muffins. I'd love to do some soups/stews and maybe a casserole or two. Any tried and true breakfast recipe that isn't a baked good?

 

Can you freeze in disposable containers? Which ones work best?

[Jennay]

Chili is a good meal to freeze and easy to make in large quantities. I freeze in gallon size freezer bags (doubled the opposite way so the openings of the bags are at separate end) . This cookbook is nice - it gives ingredients for a basic recipe, then 3X, 6X and 9X. http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Panic-Dinners-Freezer-Great-Tasting/dp/0800730550/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371303354&sr=8-1&keywords=don%27t+panic+dinner%27s+in+the+freezer

[Zoo Keeper]

My family loves this cheeseburger soup; I double the recipe (use two big pots on the stove, do not try to do it one bigger one). I do not double the meat (I'm cheap), I just add in more potato, and whatever other veggies are hiding in the fridge. My family likes this with shredded sweet potato, but the carrot called for in the original is good. This soup is very filling, especially when served with bread/muffins/biscuits, and a double batch gives us enough leftovers for a light lunch. I've never tried freezing this soup; it doesn't stick around that long... Maybe this site might have some tips?

 

This thread has lots of ideas for soups/stews.

[SailorMom]

Almost any casserole can be frozen well - so go crazy there.

Other than casseroles, soups and chili are great (as you mentioned). If you freeze them in gallon bags flat on the freezer shelf, they can be stored in a 'file cabinet' sort of manner, and very easy to get to.

Another thing I like to do is to marinate chicken or kebab meat, but not cook it. Just put the meat in the marinade and freeze flat. Then - when they take it out to thaw in the fridge, it marinates as it thaws. All they have to do is grill or broil it.

Homemade marinades are so much better and healthier, but take a lot of time - so this is a great way to do it.

Breakfast sandwiches (egg muffin types) freeze well, as do breakfast burritos.

 

[readinmom]

lasagna (you can buy the foil pans at dollar store)

tuna casserole

mac and cheese

spaghetti sauce

I have made meatloaf, lined the pans with waxed paper, frozen them, pop them out and put in Ziploc bags

 

I started following this when I first started: http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/02/my-freezer-cooking-master-plan.html

[Susan in TN]

Another thing you could try is cooking meats and freezing them for the family to use on their own in casseroles - like portions of 1 lb ground beef or turkey, cooked chicken or turkey, meatballs, etc.

 

Soup with a loaf of crusty bread is a favorite here. Also pulled BBQ beef/pork sandwiches (meat frozen separately from buns, of course).

[Quiver0f10]

lasagna , chicken pot pie, shepherd's pie, meatballs and BBQ sauce, beef stew, taco meat ( she can just grab out shells and cheese etc)

[Plink]

You can make waffles or pancakes and freeze them - just make sure they are toaster sized and the kids can feed themselves. A batch of frozen cookie dough for snacks would be a very nice treat to add in too.

[hmvaughan4]

My boys love frozen sausage biscuit sandwiches. Chicken pot pie also freezes well.

[VeritasMama]

Once a Month Mom has menus to make a months worth of freezer meals at a time. You put how many people you are cooking for into the workbook file and it gives you the quantities you need for the shopping list and recipes. It has started charging for their menus, but you can still access their older menus (from 2011 and before) for free.

 

Www.onceamonthmom.com

[8circles]

For breakfast, how about baked oatmeal? There are lots of recipes online & some have been posted here, too. I think Mrs Mungo is supposed to have a good one. I haven't made it in a while so I don't have my recipe handy. But easy to make, hearty, freezes well.

[unsinkable]

i make a beef roast and freeze it in sandwich-sized servings. DD and I love it for lunch. We just get some fresh rolls and heat up our portions in a frying pan.

 

I use a 5-6 lb roast, a can of beer, a can of au jus (Campbell's) and an envelope of good seasons italian dressing mix. I cook it in the crockpot until it shreds apart.