How can you maintain a keto diet with a hectic schedule. What are the best keto freezer meals to prepare in advance. Which meal prep techniques ensure successful keto-friendly frozen dishes. How do you properly store and reheat keto freezer meals.

The Benefits of Keto Freezer Meals

Keto freezer meals are a game-changer for those following a ketogenic lifestyle. These make-ahead dishes offer numerous advantages, particularly for individuals with busy schedules or those who find daily meal preparation challenging. By dedicating time to prepare multiple meals at once, you can ensure a consistent supply of keto-friendly options throughout the week or month.

Time-Saving Convenience

One of the primary benefits of keto freezer meals is the significant time savings they provide. Instead of cooking every day, you can batch-prepare several meals in one session, freeing up valuable time during busy weekdays. This approach allows you to maintain your keto diet without the stress of daily meal planning and preparation.

Portion Control and Nutritional Consistency

Freezer meals offer excellent portion control, which is crucial for maintaining ketosis. By pre-portioning your meals, you can easily track your macronutrient intake and avoid overeating. This consistency in portion sizes and nutritional content helps you stay on track with your keto goals.

Essential Tips for Successful Keto Meal Prepping

To maximize the benefits of keto freezer meals, consider the following tips:

• Follow recipe instructions carefully, noting whether to cook before freezing or freeze uncooked
• Maintain variety in your meal plan to prevent diet fatigue
• Prepare multiple meals simultaneously for efficiency
• Invest in quality freezer-safe containers and bags
• Label meals with contents, date, and cooking instructions

Choosing the Right Containers

Selecting appropriate containers is crucial for the success of your keto freezer meals. Disposable foil pans with lids are excellent for casseroles and dishes that go directly from freezer to oven. For soups, stews, and marinades, heavy-duty freezer bags are ideal as they save space and allow for easy thawing.

Top 10 Keto Freezer Meal Recipes

Here are ten delicious and easy-to-prepare keto freezer meals to get you started:

1. Keto Chicken Alfredo Casserole
2. Low-Carb Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
3. Cauliflower Rice and Shrimp Skillet
4. Keto Chili with Ground Beef
5. Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts
6. Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
7. Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
8. Low-Carb Taco Soup
9. Creamy Tuscan Garlic Chicken
10. Keto Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Proper Storage and Freezing Techniques

Ensuring proper storage is key to maintaining the quality and safety of your keto freezer meals. How can you maximize the shelf life of your prepared dishes? Here are some essential tips:

• Cool cooked meals completely before freezing to prevent ice crystal formation
• Remove as much air as possible from freezer bags to prevent freezer burn
• Use airtight containers or double-wrap meals to protect against odors and moisture
• Freeze meals in individual portions for easier thawing and reheating
• Label all containers with the meal name, date prepared, and reheating instructions

Is vacuum sealing beneficial for keto freezer meals? Vacuum sealing can significantly extend the shelf life of your meals by removing all air, which prevents freezer burn and maintains food quality. While not necessary, it’s an excellent option for those who plan to store meals for extended periods.

Thawing and Reheating Keto Freezer Meals

Proper thawing and reheating are crucial for food safety and maintaining the texture and flavor of your keto freezer meals. What’s the best method for thawing frozen keto meals? The safest approach is to transfer the meal from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it. This slow thawing process helps preserve the quality of the food.

Reheating Methods

Depending on the dish, you can reheat your keto freezer meals using various methods:

• Oven: Ideal for casseroles and baked dishes
• Microwave: Quick option for individual portions
• Stovetop: Best for soups, stews, and stir-fries
• Slow cooker: Great for large batches or when you’re short on time

Can you reheat meals directly from frozen? While possible for some dishes, it’s generally best to thaw meals first for even heating and to maintain food quality.

Meal Planning Strategies for Keto Freezer Meals

Effective meal planning is essential to make the most of your keto freezer meals. How can you create a balanced and varied meal plan? Consider these strategies:

• Plan for a mix of proteins (chicken, beef, fish) to ensure dietary variety
• Include a range of vegetables to cover different nutritional needs
• Balance your meals with appropriate fat sources to maintain ketosis
• Prepare breakfast options alongside dinner meals for comprehensive planning
• Schedule a monthly or bi-weekly meal prep day to maintain your freezer stock

How often should you rotate your freezer meals? Aim to consume frozen meals within 2-3 months for best quality, though many can last up to 6 months when stored properly.

Customizing Keto Freezer Meals for Dietary Needs

Keto freezer meals can be easily adapted to accommodate various dietary restrictions and preferences. How can you modify recipes to suit specific needs? Consider these approaches:

• Dairy-free: Use coconut milk or almond milk instead of cream in sauces
• Vegetarian: Substitute meat with tofu, tempeh, or additional vegetables
• Egg-free: Use flax eggs or chia eggs as binders in recipes
• Nut-free: Replace almond flour with coconut flour or ground sunflower seeds

Can you adjust the macronutrient ratios in keto freezer meals? Absolutely. By modifying ingredients or portion sizes, you can tailor meals to fit your specific macronutrient goals while maintaining the convenience of freezer cooking.

Troubleshooting Common Keto Freezer Meal Issues

Even with careful planning, you may encounter some challenges with keto freezer meals. Here are solutions to common problems:

Texture Changes After Freezing

Some vegetables may become soggy after freezing and reheating. To mitigate this, try blanching vegetables before freezing or slightly undercooking them in the initial preparation.

Freezer Burn

To prevent freezer burn, ensure meals are well-wrapped and stored in airtight containers. Use meals within the recommended timeframe and organize your freezer to use older meals first.

Uneven Reheating

For even reheating, thaw meals completely before cooking and stir or rotate dishes during the reheating process. Using an oven instead of a microwave can also help achieve more consistent heating.

By addressing these common issues, you can ensure that your keto freezer meals remain delicious and satisfying, supporting your ketogenic lifestyle with convenience and ease.

30 Keto Freezer Meals To Make Ahead That Are Seriously Easy

3315
shares

• Facebook

Life can get a little crazy sometimes, especially when you’re trying to stay on a diet.  These keto make ahead meals are going to make your life so much easier!

If you want convenient dinners, then keto freezer meals are definitely the way to go. You’re going to love all these make ahead keto meals!

Imagine prepping days or weeks of keto recipes ahead of time and freezing them.  Grab your keto dinner out of the freezer and pop it in the oven, it’s really that easy!

Before I get to the keto make ahead freezer meals, I want to share some helpful tips with you guys.

Make Ahead Keto Meals – Helpful Tips

Tip #1 It’s really important you read and follow all the recipe directions closely. 

You’ll find that some keto diet make ahead meals instruct you to cook the recipe, then freeze.  For other recipes, you assemble everything first and freeze without cooking.

Following directions will ensure you get the yummiest meal and don’t waste any ingredients.

Tip #2 Make sure when you’re planning out your meals you have enough variety.

It’s tempting to cook a double batch of a freezer meal on this list and have it for dinner all week.

While this may work for some people, doing this may lead to you getting bored fast on your keto diet.

This eCookbook bundle has 120 delicious keto recipes that have only five ingredients and five net carbs.

Having so many easy keto recipes on hand that you can make in a pinch will guarantee you’ll never get bored and will see the weight loss results you want.

Tip #3 Prepare a couple (or more) freezer meals at a time.

If you’re already in the kitchen prepping one freezer meal, why not prep a couple more?

Set aside time every week to batch-cook a few meals.  You could have all your keto meals for a week covered in one meal prep session!

Now, if you’re new to meal prepping, making a week’s worth of meals might be a little overwhelming.   If you’re a keto meal prep newbie, maybe just make one to two meals at a time.

Tip #4 Having some great freezer meal supplies on hand will make your meal prep a breeze. 

Easy Keto Meal Prep Essentials

Below you’ll find my top picks for freezer meal supplies.  I don’t know how I would meal prep for the week without these items!

Disposable Foil Pans & Lids

BUY HERE on Amazon

These are great for prepping enchiladas, casseroles, or anything that you want to pop into the oven.

For meals that have a ton of sauce or marinade, I recommend storing in freezer bags rather than these containers (more on that later).

What I love about these pans is there is virtually no cleanup.  If you hate scrubbing pans, this is the way to go. Another bonus is your glass casserole dishes are not tied up in the freezer.

Storing your freezer meals for awhile?

I recommend wrapping some plastic wrap or foil around the pan in addition to the top to prevent freezer burn.

Ziploc Gallon Freezer Bags

The best way to store soups or meals with a lot of liquid and marinade is in freezer bags. Prepping your meals in freezer bags is awesome because it is such a space saver.

Don’t forget to label your bags to keep everything organized!

BUY HERE on Amazon

Plastic Bag Holders

OMG, this is the best invention ever!  If it’s hard for you to put ingredients into your freezer bag without spilling, you will be so thankful for this product.

This clever little contraption keeps your bag open, freeing up both hands to pour your ingredients in.  I love these and no longer have to rely on my husband to help me hold bags open!

SHOP HERE on Amazon

Tip #4 Don’t forget to label your freezer meals, this one’s important! 

Make sure you have some permanent markers handy to label all your meals. You probably know already to label your meals with what they are and the date you prepped it.

But, I’m going to share with you a couple of my labeling tips that are super helpful.

• Write the cooking directions out as well.  For example, “Bake 40 minutes at 400°.”  I do this because so many times I would prep a meal, then when it came time to cook it would have to pull up the recipe again. In some cases, I couldn’t find the recipe lol.  Save yourself some time and headaches and jot down the cooking directions.
• Label them with the serving size and net carbs or carbs.  Again, this will save you from having to pull up the recipe.

Tip #5 Make these recipes work for you.

Don’t love a certain ingredient?  That’s okay.

You don’t have to write off an entire meal just because of an ingredient or two.

Make a few tweaks here and there to cater the meal to your taste.  Now I wouldn’t alter the recipe a lot, but little things like substituting mushrooms for olives should be just fine.

Tip #6 Have someone meal prep with you (if possible).

This one, of course, may not apply to everyone but still wanted to mention it. Meal prepping goes so much faster with a little bit of help.  If possible, enlist someone else to help you.

Have your significant other, family member, roommate, or children (if old enough) help you prep ingredients. Turn on some music and prep all your meals together, who knows it might be fun!

Keto Freezer Meals

These make ahead keto dinner recipes are perfect for busy weeknights.  From freezable keto soups to easy keto casseroles and chicken dishes, you’ll be sure to find some easy make ahead low carb meals everyone will love.

If you’re a really busy person on a keto diet, these make ahead keto meals to freeze are going to really save you time!

1. Warm Keto Taco Slaw

GET RECIPE from Peace, Love & Low Carb

5.6 Net Carbs Per Serving

Read: Ultimate List of Keto Meals: 300 Keto Recipes

2.

Make Ahead Keto Teriyaki Chicken

Get Recipe from Joy Filled Eats

5 Net Carbs Per Serving

3. Easy Low Carb Taco Pie

Get Recipe from All Day I Dream About Food

1.95 Net Carbs Per Serving

4. Ketogenic Coconut Curry Chicken

Get Recipe from Wholesome Yum

6 Net Carbs Per Serving

5. Fajita Bowls With Cauliflower Rice (Easy keto meal prep recipe!)

GET RECIPE from Kirbie’s Cravings

10 net carbs per serving

6. Keto Creamy Ranch Chicken Freezer Meal

Get Recipe from Real Balanced

3.6 Net Carbs Per Serving

7. Keto Sloppy Joes Stuffed Peppers

GET RECIPE from Low Carb Maven

7.6 Net Carbs Per Serving

8. Keto Diet Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Get Recipe from ruled. me

6 Net Carbs Per Serving

These mini pot pies have a very small amount of carrots and peas. The net carbs of this dish are  still low enough that you could stay within your net carb goal for the day.

Some of you still eat things like this here and there as long as it fits into your carbs, so I still wanted to list this recipe.

If you stay away from all non-keto foods, I would recommend maybe leaving out these ingredients and/or making a substitution.  Mushrooms would be a pretty yummy replacement.

9. Ketogenic Bacon Covered Meatloaf

Get Recipe from Ditch the Carbs

1 Net Carb Per Serving

Read: 20 Low Carb 30 Minute Meals

10. Freezable Keto Cauliflower Pizza Crust

GET RECIPE from Low Carb Maven

6.56 Net Carbs Per Serving (For Crust Only)

When it comes to making pizza, making the crust is the most time-consuming part. Save yourself some time and premake your pizza crust!!

When a craving for pizza strikes, simply grab your frozen cauliflower crust out of the freezer and add sauce and toppings.  You’ll have a deliciously crispy thin crust keto pizza in no time!

11. Garlic Beef  Zucchini Noodles (Easy low carb meal prep!)

GET RECIPE from Kirbie’s Cravings

9 Net Carbs Per Serving

Quick Tip: These not only make great dinners but are great if you want some easy keto meal prep lunches for work as well!

12-17. 6 Keto Make Ahead Meals To Freeze

• Crack Chicken
• Ranch Chicken
• Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
• Italian Meatballs
• Korean Barbecue Beef
• Pot Roast

Get Recipes from Real Balanced

Freezable Keto Soups To Make Ahead

18. Low-Carb Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Get Recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen

6.3 Net Carbs Per Serving

This is one of my favorite make ahead keto recipes that is freezer friendly!

19.

Keto White Chicken Chili

GET RECIPE from Hey Keto Mama

4 Net Carbs Per Serving

This keto chili has been pinned over 600,000 times on Pinterest and has tons of amazing reviews!

20. Keto Cabbage Roll Soup Recipe

GET RECIPE from Peace, Love and Low Carb

10.5 Net Carbs Per Serving

Make Ahead Keto Casseroles

21. Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Get Recipe from Joy Filled Eats

4 Net Carbs Per Serving

Read: 30 Keto Casseroles To Prep Ahead Of Time

 22. Keto Diet Cheeseburger Casserole

GET RECIPE from Wholesome Yum

2 Net Carbs Per Serving

Quick Tip: Bulk keto meals means less trips to the grocery store!

Buy all your keto ingredients in bulk, then have meal prep day to prepare everything.

23. Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Get Recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen

6 Net Carbs Per Serving

Read: 40 Easy Keto Casserole Recipes That Busy People Will Love

 24. Savory Italian Chicken Egg Bake

Get Recipe from ruled.me

2.35 Net Carbs Per Serving

25. Low Carb Shepherd’s Pie

Get Recipe from Ditch the Carbs

8.6 Net Carbs Per Serving

Low Carb Freezer Crockpot Meals

26. Keto Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Chowder

Get Recipe from Peace, Love and Low Carb

5.7 Net Carbs Per Serving

Note: Two people left comments on this recipe saying it freezes well. One person said that when she was reheating, she just added a little more cream.

27. Keto Crockpot Philly Cheese Steak

Get Recipe from stockpiling Moms

Net Carbs Not Listed

Read: 50 Keto Diet Slow Cooker Meals For Weight Loss

28.

Low Carb Slow Cooker Meatballs

Get Recipe from howtothisandthat.com

Net Carbs Not Listed

29. Buffalo Ranch Chicken Keto Freezer Meal

Get Recipe from Stockpiling Moms

Net Carbs Not Listed

30. Keto Pulled Pork

Get Recipe from Real Simple Good Life

2 Net Carbs Per Serving

(To freeze, Erica recommends freezing this in the extra juice.)

Bonus Low Carb Make Ahead Meals To Meal Prep For The Week

This video I found from Jamerrill Stewart of Large Family Table walks you through making a bunch of keto freezer meals for the week!

She is like the freezer meal queen!

Here is the post where she gives you all the keto freezer recipes. 

I still recommend following along with her video though for some great tips, plus it feels like she’s in your kitchen chatting and cooking with you.

It’s a great video for keto meal prep beginners since she really guides you through everything step by step.

(By the way, all but three keto recipes are dairy-free, just in case you don’t do dairy.)

• Low Carb Beef & Cheddar Cauliflower Bake
• Keto Red Pepper Meatballs over Cauliflower Rice
• Peppered Lemon Chicken
• Low Carb Taco Soup
• Low-Carb Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Keto Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
• Italian Sausage and Peppers
• Bake Lime & Cilantro Chicken

 More Easy Keto Meal Ideas & Recipes:

• 80 Keto Recipes For Keto Diet Beginners
• 20 Amazing Low Carb Dinner Ideas For Your Ketogenic Diet
• Ultimate Keto Snack List: 150 Snacks to Keep You in Ketosis
• 30 Keto Lunches You Can Throw Together in 5 Minutes
• 45 Easy Ketogenic Breakfast Ideas

More Easy Freezer Meals (Not Keto Friendly)

• 31 Best Freezer Meals To Make Ahead For Dinner

Hope you liked these 

Make Ahead Keto Meals To Freeze!

3315
shares

• Facebook

Annie Brown

Annie Brown is a frugal living expert and the founder of Savvy Honey.

Her expert advice has also been featured in Yahoo Finance, BuzzFeed, GOBankingRates, Woman’s Day, MSN, The Spruce Crafts, and more.

21 Simple Make Ahead Keto Freezer Meals [Low Carb Freezer Recipes]

When I started the keto diet seven years ago, making keto freezer meals was the last thing I had on my mind! I had no idea that prepping my meals ahead and batch cooking ingredients on the weekends would contribute significantly to my weight loss.

That was 148 pounds and 100 meal prep Sundays ago.

This post may contain affiliate links that help keep this content free. [Full Disclosure]

When you start a low carb diet like keto, you spend a lot of time learning what you can and cannot eat, reading labels at the store, and calculating macros.

A lot of time.

Which is enough work even if you don’t have a full-time job or a family to feed.

Add in an actual life, plus trying to stay on a budget, and you’ve got a trifecta of reasons to give up before you get started.

Don’t give up! I lost the weight, and I learned how to meal prep and freeze food after my 40th birthday.

If I can do it, you can too!

By planning and making your meals ahead you’ll save money, time, and always have a freezer full of go-to breakfasts, snacks, and dinners for whenever hunger hits!

If you’re new to freezer cooking, read this post about how to get started step by step & download the Freezer Foods Cheat Sheet!

Busy Mom’s Guide To Healthy Freezer Cooking On A Budget

Need A Customized Keto Freezer Meal Plan?

Click Here for Make-Ahead Meals The Easy Way!

If you’re ready to get this keto freezer meals party started now, I have a fabulous collection of make-ahead recipes that will make meal prep day, busy mornings and crazy weeknights easy!

Note: All of these meals freeze well even if they don’t call themselves a “Freezer Meal”!

See the notes with each recipe for any special instructions.

Keto Freezer Meals – Breakfast

Super Easy Breakfast Muffins

This easy breakfast recipe takes about 10 minutes to put together & comes in at 1.5 net carbs per muffin. To freeze: Cool & then wrap each muffin in plastic wrap & store inside ziplock bags. They will keep for up to 3 months! Get the recipe here

Mini Quiches with Almond Flour Crust – Make Ahead Meal Mom

Cheesy Broccoli Muffins – Paleo Hacks

Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Image: Food Faith Fitness

Freeze this make-ahead low carb casserole with sausage, eggs, and cheese for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Only 2 net carbs per serving! Get the recipe on Food Faith Fitness.

Easy Baked Eggs

Forget hard-boiled! Use your oven to bake eggs – with or without anything extra – and freeze them for those mornings when you have zero time. (Also known as every morning for me:) Get the details here on Word To Your Mother Blog

Favorite Breakfast Sandwich

Image: Hey Keto Mama

Each breakfast sandwich contains 4 net carbs and freezes well by wrapping individually in plastic wrap & freezer bags for up to 3 months. Get the recipe on Hey Keto Mama

Cream Cheese Pancakes

Keep these low carb pancakes ready at all times! [Each one contains 2 net carbs.] Make a few batches on meal prep day & freeze in ziplock bags! Keep them separated by placing a piece of wax paper between each one! Get the recipe here.

Breakfast Biscuits with Sausage & Cheese

Made with keto-friendly fathead dough, each breakfast biscuit stuffed with sausage & cheese contains 2 net carbs. Freezes fabulously for up to 3 months wrapped individually. Get the recipe on How To This & That

Keto Breakfast Pockets

Easy to customize and freeze ahead these Keto Breakfast Pockets from Joy Filled Eats only have 4 net carbs each! Reheat in seconds in the microwave on busy mornings when there’s no time to cook! Get the recipe on Joy Filled Eats

Breakfast Muffins With Sausage

These Keto Breakfast Muffins with Sausage are the perfect low carb, high protein breakfast recipe-with under 2 net carbs per muffin! Make a batch or two & freeze individually for super bust mornings! Get the recipe here

Low Carb Frittata – Life Made Keto

Breakfast Casserole

Image: Wholesome Yum

This keto sausage, egg and cheese casserole is easy to put together with only 6 ingredients & 1 net carb per serving. Freeze the leftovers or individual breakfast portions for up to 3 months. Get the recipe on Wholesome Yum

Keto Freezer Meals Dinner

Beef & Broccoli – Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

Image: Life Made Keto

A much healthier, low carb alternative to take-out, this beef & broccoli recipe also makes meal prep day easy by using the crockpot & the microwave to steam the broccoli! To Freeze: Place the beef & the sauce in one freezer bag & keep the broccoli separate in another. Thaw in the fridge or add 2 hours to the cooking time in the crockpot! Get the recipe on Life Made Keto

Crockpot “Crack” Chicken

Slow cook this cream cheese, cheddar and bacon ranch shredded crack chicken in the crockpot, or bake it in the oven – either way, this recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.

Loaded Cauliflower Soup – Instant Pot

T

Missing loaded potato soup? Try this low carb, loaded cauliflower soup recipe that is practically effortless to prep in the Instant Pot-or on the stove in case you haven’t picked up a pressure cooker yet! To Freeze: Add all of the ingredients to your Instant Pot, but leave the cream cheese & cheddar out. After the soup cools store in the freezer for up to 3 months. *Don’t forget to add in the cheeses on serving day! Get the recipe on Kalyn’s Kitchen

Cheeseburger Casserole

Image: Wholesome Yum

This one dish skinny cheeseburger casserole has only 2 net carbs per serving & is the perfect make-ahead & freeze meal! To Freeze: Assemble the casserole & bake-leave the mustard, ketchup and extra cheese for serving day. Let it cool & store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Get the recipe on Wholesome Yum

Kalua Pork – Crockpot Recipe

Image: Happy Money Saver

Combining two of my favorite things: crockpots & bacon. Make that three-it’s also EASY! And freezer-friendly! Wait, I think that’s 4 things. Math isn’t my thing, but bacon wrapped meat IS! Freeze this one before you cook it in an airtight freezer bag & be sure to thaw before cooking! Get the recipe on Happy Money Saver

Stuffed Taco Peppers – Slow Cooker

Image: Ruled. Me

Everything you love about a taco stuffed neatly into a low carb pepper! This recipe makes 6 peppers with 4 net carbs each. Go ahead & double up on this one. They taste fabulous! To Freeze: Freeze uncooked by stuffing the peppers on an uncovered baking sheet until they’re nice & frozen. Then transfer them into a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Allow these to thaw before you cook-and they’ll taste like you just whipped them together! Get the recipe on Ruled.Me

Meatloaf – Wholesome Yum

Baked Chicken & Cauliflower Rice

If you’re looking for an easy and inexpensive low carb recipe for lunch or dinner check out this chicken & cauliflower rice recipe! It comes together quickly, freezes well and contains only 5 net carbs per serving. To Freeze: You can freeze the chicken & rice separately in airtight ziplock bags or together in a covered container for up to 3 months. Get the recipe on I Breathe I’m Hungry

Chili

Image: Low Carb Spark

Make this low carb no-bean chili in the crockpot, Instant Pot or stove! Each serving contains 7 net carbs. Get the recipe on Low Carb Spark

Chicken Fajita Soup

Image: Peace Love and Low Carb

Keep this flavorful low carb soup on hand for busy weeknights. Each serving contains only 4 net carbs. Freeze in Ziplock bags for up to 3 months. Get the recipe on Peace Love and Low Carb

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Love a casserole? Me too! Especially when it only has 3.7 net carbs per serving & is easy to put together! This low carb Chicken Cordon Bleu is a favorite for weeknight meals & it freezes well for up to 3 months! Get the recipe on i Save A to Z

Mini Chicken Pot Pies – Ruled.Me

Keto Hot Pockets – gnom-gnom

Cream Cheese Stuffed Meatballs – Ditch The Carbs

Moroccan Meatloaf Cups

Image: Sweet Peas and Saffron

Take ground beef to the next level with this freezer-friendly recipe for Moroccan Meatloaf Cups! Only 15 minutes of prep time & 5 carbs per cup! Freezing Tips: Save the Pesto for serving day! Freeze cooked by giving them time to cool & wrap in plastic in a freezer bag. OR freeze unbaked in the muffin tray & once they’re frozen pop them out & into freezer bags for up to 3 months! Get the recipe on Sweet Peas and Saffron

Easy Keto Meatballs – Make Ahead Meal Mom

Asian Turkey Meatballs – Wholesome Yum

Homemade Pizza

Don’t you love the convenience of frozen pizzas? Having a few in the freezer makes me feel more prepared for life-especially with three kids! Convenient? Yes. Healthy? Not so much. Enter The Homemade Keto Pizza with 3 net carbs! Prep a few on meal prep day & save your SSS These cost a fraction of what you’ve been paying at the store! Get the recipe on This Mom’s Menu

Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower Mash

This low carb version of the traditional Shepherd’s Pie is topped with delicious mashed cauliflower and cheese & is loaded with healthy vegetables. Each serving contains 6.8 net carbs. To Freeze: Cook the pie & allow time for cooling. Then freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container or covered foil pan. Thaw overnight in the fridge & bake for 20 minutes or bake for an hour from frozen. Get the recipe on Ditch The Carbs

Mexican Zucchini Lasagna

Taco meets lasagna in this protein-packed, low carb recipe that uses zucchini instead of noodles. Freeze baked in an airtight container or foil pan for up to 3 months. Get the recipe on Food Faith Fitness

Italian Stuffed Sausage Mushrooms – Wholesome Yum

Sausage & Kale Mock Lasagna – Kalyn’s Kitchen

Chicken Enchiladas – Wholesome Yum

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms – Freezer To Oven Meal

If you don’t care for zucchini, but you love lasagna (And who doesn’t?) Use Portobello Mushrooms as a perfectly freezable low carb substitution for noodles! These stuffed mushrooms contain only 9 net carbs per serving & freeze well for up to 3 months. To Freeze: After they’ve cooled wrap each mushroom in wax paper to keep them from sticking to the aluminum foil that you’ll wrap around each one. Then freeze in an airtight container. No need to thaw before baking! Get the recipe on Sweet Peas and Saffron

Need More Keto Freezer Meals?

Before I figured out how important meal planning on the keto diet was, I had no idea how to cook & freeze anything. I knew making meals ahead would save my schedule & stress level at dinnertime, but it also sounded like way too much work.

Enter Once A Month Meals. They make freezer cooking easy and painless! 

What Once A Meals Does For You:

Seriously Easy Freezer Cooking: They’ve done the hard work for you! All you have to do is choose a menu & the number of servings you need & they’ll make your grocery list, freezer labels, and instructions for you. 

Lots of Variety: It’s hard to get bored when you have so many options – from Instant Pot menus to easy crockpot “dump & go” meals for every eating plan: low carb, keto, paleo, clean eating, gluten-free, dairy-free, & more.  

Delicious Kitchen Tested Recipes – The Once A Month Meals recipes are from fabulously talented food bloggers who know what’s up – are kitchen-tested by Once A Month Meals to make double sure they’re delicious & freezer-friendly.

Click Here: for 60 More Keto Freezer Meals for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Once A Month Meals will save you money, time & stress – all while helping you prepare healthy food for your family! With over 11,000 freezer-friendly recipes & hundreds of meal plans & menus – Once A Month Meals will be your new go-to secret weapon!

Try it for free right here

Did I Miss Anything?

Which recipe from today’s line-up are you going to try first?

Or maybe I didn’t mention one of your favorite make-ahead keto freezer meals?

Either way, please let me know by leaving a comment below! 

More Keto Recipes & Tips

Rebel Keto: How I Stopped The Blame Game, Lost the Weight, and Wrote a Book About Keto

Easy Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole

The Game-Changing Keto Shrimp & Grits Recipe

Busy Mom’s Guide To Healthy Freezer Cooking On A Budget

Keto Air Fryer Recipes: 50 Healthy Ways You Can Use An Air Fryer On The Keto Diet

50 Ketogenic Diet Recipes For Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner You Need To Meal Plan & Prep Ahead On The Keto Diet

500+ Low Carb – Keto Recipes

Save these Keto Freezer Meals!

125 ideas with step by step photos | Menu of the week

Simple step by step recipes for a keto menu with photos. Delicious lunches and dinners from meat, poultry, fish, mushrooms, eggs, green vegetables, without cereals, legumes, potatoes and other root crops. As well as keto pastries and desserts. Each recipe lists calories and cooking time.

The keto diet involves minimizing carbohydrates in the diet, almost completely eliminating them. But fat, on the contrary, should be a lot. What gives such a diet? Read more..

Trifle with avocado and blueberries is the most delicate dessert that is suitable even for a keto menu.

“Butterfish” is most often sold salted or smoked, but this fish turns out very tasty if you cook its steak in a pan and add a side dish of vegetables with green olives.

Scrambled or scrambled eggs are cooked with vegetable oil and butter and have a very mild taste and pleasant texture.

Provencal chicken with olives, tomatoes and rosemary is the first choice dish for the festive table, because it tastes very unusual and spicy, and what a flavor!

Literally everyone likes the harmonious combination of sweet cherry tomatoes, bitter arugula and tender mussels in this salad.

This meaty cauliflower casserole recipe is a must-save for keto dieters and those who just love delicious food.

Mushroom and Spinach Idey – a simple and delicious dinner with a keto diet. Those who are not on a diet will also like the recipe.

Keto salad with salmon and avocado is a tasty and quite satisfying dish, I often cook it as a full lunch or dinner.

Cheesecakes according to this recipe are baked in the oven, they are not only low-carb, but also gluten-free, with coconut flour and sugar-free, suitable for a keto diet.

Chicken drumsticks with mushrooms, olives and aromatic herbs I cook in the oven and very often.

If it seems to you that only a chef in an expensive restaurant can properly fry a delicious steak, then I want to assure you that this is not so.

Delicate and so fragrant cheese muffins with parmesan, bacon and broccoli are good for breakfast or a healthy snack.

Dishes originally from Texas and Mexico are called “Tex Mex” in cooking.

Easy-to-prepare salad with chicken and quail eggs is suitable for those who adhere to proper nutrition, keto diet and just love tasty and healthy food.

Salmon poke – what is this dish and how is it eaten? Poke is a dish of Hawaiian cuisine, its main ingredient is raw fish, which is cut into cubes, vegetables are added, sometimes rice, if desired, is seasoned with soy sauce.

Shrimp and Coconut Milk Fish Chowder is a Brazilian dish.

Salad with chicken, avocado and cherry tomatoes is one of my favorites. The recipe contains hearty meat, a lot of vegetables, spicy herbs and no mayonnaise, only natural dressing based on lemon juice, vegetable oil and honey.

Grilled juicy beef steak with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes – a dinner option that you will definitely please a man on February 23rd.

Egg rolls with avocado and tomatoes are a bright breakfast option for everyone who adheres to a healthy diet.

The most unusual fried egg resembles a cloud, it is prepared quickly and simply in the oven.

Bacon Spinach Scramble is a delicious breakfast or snack. The classic scramble is made with only eggs, but there are many options with vegetables, mushrooms, cheese, or greens.

A salad that can be prepared as a light, healthy, but complete dinner is a salad with beef, vegetables and leek.

I cook steamed broccoli soufflé as a healthy breakfast for the whole family.

Bowls with appetizing and balanced ingredients are gaining popularity more and more.

The keto diet involves minimizing carbohydrates in the diet, almost completely eliminating them. But fat, on the contrary, should be a lot. What gives such a diet? Carbohydrates are our main source of energy. When they are not there, the body begins to convert fats into energy. Thus, we force our body to break down and burn internal fat. Not bad, right? 🙂

According to reviews, the keto diet is considered one of the most effective for weight loss. But, of course, like any other diet, it is not suitable for everyone. If you have any chronic diseases, it is better to consult your doctor first.

Keto menu excludes sweets and starchy foods, cereals, legumes, sweet fruits, root vegetables and other vegetables with a high content of carbohydrates. The diet should be dominated by fatty meat, fatty dairy products, nuts, mushrooms, butter, green vegetables should be chosen – cabbage, peppers, zucchini. The daily rate of carbohydrates per day is up to 20 g.

In this collection you will find recipes for delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners suitable for a keto menu. Main dishes, salads, appetizers, as well as pastries and keto desserts. It will be delicious even on a diet.

How I prepare food for a month in advance

Erika Efremova

prepares food for a month

Author profile

For five years now I have been regularly preparing food and sending them to the freezer. I spend one day off a month on this.

In 2016, I gave about 1,000 R per day for groceries, which is 30,000 R per month. Over the past six years, prices have risen, and now, with this approach, I would probably spend 1,500 R per day – 45,000 R monthly.

To save time and money, I started cooking a month in advance: I make ready-made meals and semi-finished products, such as stuffed peppers, marinated meat, or cut vegetables. When I want to eat, I cook them in 15-20 minutes. I simply defrost dishes like pancakes and pilaf.

In this approach, I see solid advantages. Preparations make my life easier: I don’t stand at the stove all day, but I always eat healthy and varied. I buy most of the products with home delivery – this saves my time and effort. I go to the vegetable base for vegetables and fruits: if you buy in bulk, you can save a lot.

In this article I will tell you how I plan to buy groceries for a month, what kind of food I freeze, and how much time and money it takes to prepare.

The photo shows about half of my blanks for a month. The bags contain vegetables: carrots, broccoli, greens. From semi-finished meat products – stuffed peppers, meatballs, chicken cutlets, lazy cabbage rolls, pickled turkey. In containers – adjika and sauerkraut. All this will soon go to the freezer

Why I started making preparations

Six years ago my diet could hardly be called correct and economical. I bought groceries every day and cooked for once. In the morning I hurriedly had breakfast at home. During my lunch break, I went to a business lunch at a cafe near the office. I spent an average of 6,000 rubles a month on lunches.

After work, tired and hungry, I would go to the store and put something in the basket that I could eat quickly: yogurt, frozen pancakes or ready-made salads. Each time I gave 800-1000 R at the checkout. Then these products were often lost in the refrigerator, spoiled, and they had to be thrown away.

If I wanted homemade food, I spent a lot of time: I cooked a full dinner like soup and cutlets with mashed potatoes for at least 1.5 hours. I did not like to stand at the stove for a long time and have dinner late. I wanted to eat right, but at the same time not kill cooking all evening. A couple of times my husband and I ordered healthy food from restaurants, but we did not like the quality or taste. In addition, it is expensive to use delivery every day: dinner for two cost about 2500 R.

/navarila/

How to start cooking food to go and not score

Once on YouTube I watched a video about cooking food in advance. The blogger told how she makes preparations for the next month in one day, and then simply defrosts the dishes. She showed in detail how she makes semi-finished products and ready-made dishes for freezing: meatballs, pastries, preparations for soups. It inspired me and I decided to try it too.

What difficulties did I encounter

I did not immediately come to the system that I adhere to today. For the first time, I bought at Auchan – I took a lot of vegetables, fruits and various meats. At the same time, the first problem arose: it was very difficult to bring all the packages home alone, even by car. I spent almost 4 hours buying groceries and going back and forth, so I didn’t have the strength to cook.

The next day I started making blanks and realized that I had made the second mistake. I didn’t make a list, so I forgot to buy some groceries, like cheese, herbs, and vinegar. I had to go to the store near the house. I also found a few products that I bought impulsively, and as a result did not know what to do with them.

10 foods you can stockpile and save

I also quickly ran out of ideas and didn’t know what to cook. I had to spend time looking for recipes, because the meat needed to be frozen as soon as possible: it could go bad. I planned to spend 2-3 hours, but instead I cooked almost the whole day. As a result, the blanks turned out, but they were only enough for two and a half weeks.

Despite the first difficulties, I liked making blanks. I was pleased with the thought that now after work I would not have to go to the store and I would spend a minimum of time cooking.

The next month, I approached the issue more responsibly and made a menu and a list of products in advance. I already went to Auchan with my husband to help him carry the packages. In 2018, we had not yet used grocery delivery services: it was new and we did not trust them. I thought that assemblers could put a delay or cheat with the weight of the goods. Then we decided to try and now we order delivery regularly.

What do we eat now

There are three of us: me, my husband and our four-month-old daughter. I breastfeed her, so I only cook for my husband and I. We like Russian cuisine, and the basis of the diet is soups, cereals, vegetables, fish, poultry and beef.

I almost never freeze food for breakfast, because everything can be prepared quickly. I make preparations only for lunches and dinners.

Breakfast. My husband has scrambled eggs and toast with cheese, I have oatmeal or semolina, Greek yogurt. On weekends, when we have breakfast together, I can make syrniki or reheat pancakes with ham and cheese: I cook them in advance and send them to the freezer.

/recept-zavtrak/

Breakfast like in a cafe: 6 recipes and their cost

Lunch. I have lunch at home, and my husband brings food to work in containers. My husband has a very satisfying lunch: salad, soup, bread, and the second – meat or fish with a side dish. Before dinner, he is not hungry. I gorge myself on a bowl of soup and tea with dessert. I eat fruit for lunch.

We have lunch with the same dishes for a couple of days in a row, and sometimes we also have dinner. We have enough pots of soup for about three days, we eat meat or fish in two. That is, on average per week I cook soup twice and three times hot with a side dish.

Dinner. In the evening we eat together a fresh vegetable salad and the second one that was for dinner. If you want something different, we can order sushi or pizza a couple of times a month. I cook dinner in two minutes: I cut a vegetable salad while the main meal is heated in the microwave.

There is no cafe near my husband’s work, so everyone brings food from home. The photo shows a typical lunch of my husband: chicken soup, bun, pasta with schnitzel and cabbage, carrot and tomato salad

I made a table with an approximate menu of our family for the week. I didn’t include breakfast in it, as usually it is always the same: scrambled eggs, toast with cheese, porridge and yogurt. On Saturdays, we rarely have lunch and dinner at home, because we usually go to visit relatives and friends or go for a walk all day and eat in a cafe.

Our typical weekly menu

Monday

Lunch

Chicken meatball soup; steamed vegetables; buckwheat; turkey marinated in sour cream

Dinner

Buckwheat; turkey marinated in sour cream; cucumber and tomato salad

Tuesday

Lunch

Chicken meatball soup, hedgehogs in tomato cream sauce, puree

Dinner

Hedgehogs in tomato cream sauce e, puree, Greek salad

Lunch

Borscht, hedgehogs in tomato sauce cream sauce, puree

Dinner

Hedgehogs in tomato cream sauce, puree, cabbage and grated carrot salad

Thursday

Lunch

Borsch, pasta carbonara

Dinner

Restaurant pizza – 4 cheeses and meat

Friday

Lunch

Borscht, carbonara pasta

Dinner

Carbonara pasta , cucumber and tomato salad

Saturday

Lunch

We do not eat at home

Dinner

Eating away

Sunday

Lunch

Fish soup stuffed with peppers

Dinner

9000 2 stuffed peppers,
canned corn, cucumber and yellow pepper salad

What kind of food do I prepare in advance?

I try to prepare as much as possible in advance. Here’s what I freeze:

1. Chopped vegetables: onions, carrots, potatoes, pumpkin, beets, green beans, zucchini, broccoli, tomatoes, sauerkraut.
2. Meat and fish semi-finished products, slicing sausages for hodgepodge.
3. Ready meals: pancakes with fillings, cutlets, pilaf.
4. Mushrooms.
5. Berries.
6. Green.
7. Broths for frying and gravy.
8. Tomato paste, adjika.
9. Lemon for tea.
10. Gingerbread and pie dough.

I try to cook semi-finished products from meat and fish. Most often I make chicken schnitzels, meatballs, stuffed peppers, kupaty. Then I just take them out of the freezer and cook, bake in the oven or fry. I also include marinated meat among semi-finished products. For example, I marinate chicken and turkey in sour cream with spices or in honey and soy sauce.

/recept-france/

How to cook French cuisine at home

This is how chicken legs marinated in soy sauce look like. They can be defrosted in advance in the refrigerator or put frozen in a frying pan and immediately start frying. Most often my husband eats them when I leave for a couple of days.

I add frozen vegetables to soups or make a full-fledged side dish out of them – I bake them in the oven. I also prepare dried fruits myself using a dehydrator: I simply cut the fruits into slices and place them on the grids. They dry out overnight. I use dried fruits as a snack and instead of sweets for tea.

I have an Oberhof Fruchttrockner B-53 dehydrator. I bought it at a promotion for 14,000 R. It is quite large and heavy – I usually keep it in the pantry, but on the days of harvesting it moves to the kitchen

There are foods that I do not freeze:

1. Dairy products: cheese, cream, sour cream, cottage cheese.
2. Store-bought canned food.
3. Cabbage.
4. Cucumbers.
5. Bacon.
6. Purchased sauces.
7. Eggs.
8. Fruit.
9. Desserts.
10. Bread.

It seems to me that these products lose their taste after freezing. I tried to freeze cheesecakes – they fell apart. There is simply no need to freeze bread: if you buy it for the future, it will take up the entire freezer. Although I know that many people freeze bread and then reheat it in the microwave.

For some dishes I use both frozen and fresh products. For example, for borscht I take frozen beef, defrost it in the refrigerator, cut it and make broth out of it. Then I put frozen vegetables: onions, carrots, potatoes, beets. But I add fresh cabbage – I cut it before cooking.

/list/slipsheesya-nevkusnoe-nechto/

I freeze food for a week and don’t cook on weekdays

Not all dishes can be made from blanks. For example, for carbonara pasta, I do not freeze anything. Right before meals, I cook pasta, cereals, salads, boiled potatoes and mashed potatoes.

How do I make a menu for the month

First, I make a menu in Excel. In the table I write the day of the week, the name of the dish and what you need to buy to cook it. I don’t list the standard vegetables — potatoes, carrots and onions — in the composition of the dishes: we buy them in bulk, and we always have them at home. In the same table, I compile the final list of products for the month.

Our menu and list of products for the monthXLSX, 12 KB

I fill out the table in advance for the next month. Let’s say I start compiling the menu for April already in March. I enter the data gradually – when I have time or if I want to write down an interesting recipe.

I cook standard dishes like chicken soup, cutlets, mashed potatoes and cabbage rolls from memory. If I want something new, I can look for recipes in cookbooks. But more often I use recipes from the Internet: I save videos on YouTube or posts of food bloggers on social networks.

I write the days in the table conditionally. The order of cooking can change depending on the mood. All products are frozen, and nothing will spoil in a month. The final list of products for the month. Items that are always in the order are highlighted in orange, the rest may change depending on the menu. I save posts with recipes in a separate collection in social networks. Over time, I delete those that I didn’t like. I leave only recipes for dishes that I will cook again, and those that I plan to cook for the first time. I also have cookbooks. I use them less often than recipes from the Internet. I turn to books when preparing to receive guests, as well as before the holidays, to find new interesting recipes

Where do I buy groceries

I make preparations in one day, so I immediately buy a monthly set of groceries. The list that I made in Excel in advance helps me not to take too much and not forget anything. I buy products at wholesale depots and order from supermarkets with home delivery.

Wholesale bases. I take vegetables and fruits at the Food City or Fruit Mania wholesale depots. I started shopping there in 2020. Before that, I ordered vegetables for home delivery along with other products from stores, because I simply did not know that they were tastier and cheaper at the bases. And they often offer to try the product for free.

/ovoshebaza/

How to buy products at wholesale stores

I buy from reliable sellers: they recognize me and always give discounts. For example, at the time of writing the article, potatoes in Pyaterochka cost 38 R per kg, on the basis of Food City – 30 R, and for me, as a regular customer, – 26 R. For a month I buy 6 kg of potatoes for 156 R. In Pyaterochka it would have been more expensive – 228 R. It seems like a trifle, but a good discount comes from all vegetables and fruits. But you have to be vigilant with new sellers so that they don’t give you weight. Ask to show you the scales or take a steelyard scale with you.

26 Р

I pay for a kilo of potatoes as a regular customer

Often at the bases they can give a bunch of greens or a lemon for large purchases or just “beautiful eyes”. In the previous purchase, I took a box of tomatoes and peppers, two cabbages and 3 kg of cucumbers from one seller. He gave me a lemon. I bought two melons, assorted nuts, kiwi and plums in another tent. They didn’t give me anything as a gift, but they treated me with nuts and dried fruits.

I spend 2300-2500 R per month on vegetables and fruits from the wholesale base. In the summer I fit in 1000 R, because almost all vegetables and berries are given by the mother-in-law from her garden. I buy only fruits and berries that we don’t grow: mangoes, bananas, pineapple, kiwi, blueberries, watermelon.

It is not difficult for me to go to the base: the road takes 15 minutes by car in each direction, and in total I spend 2-3 hours for everything. Most often, we travel together with my husband. Although it happens that I buy alone. But this is not a problem either: the Food City base has carts, like in a supermarket. You can put all the packages in them and take them to the car.

I bring so many products for a month from the wholesale base in the summer, when my mother-in-law gives some of the vegetables and berries from her garden. One of the sellers put me a lemon along with tomatoes. A trifle, but nice

Delivery from supermarkets. I order the rest of the products with free home delivery from Perekrestok, Metro or Globus. There I try to catch stocks for wholesale purchases. To do this, I use the Edadil application or simply look at the section with promotions and sales on hypermarket websites.

I spend about 7000 R per month on a large purchase of products in supermarkets. This amount does not include household chemicals and alcohol.

Order from the supermarket for a month: meat, fish, cereals, dairy products, canned food, sauces. It is convenient that the products are delivered to the door to the apartment. I would not have dragged these packages myself. It happens that there are changes in the order. For example, the selected item is out of stock. The store informs about this by e-mail or by phone. The product is either not included in the check at all, or a replacement is made for something similar

I had no problems with the quality of the products. But it happens that something is confused during assembly. Somehow they brought the wrong chocolate. I wrote to technical support, and they returned the money to me. There were also major mistakes: the check included 50 kg of pork shank for 8914 R, although I didn’t order meat at all. But in this case, the money was returned without any problems.

To save money, I use the Letishops cashback service, and I also get cashback with the Tinkoff Black card. For example, in January I bought groceries at Perekrestok for 5136 R. Letishops returned 100 R to me, Tinkoff — 51 R.

To get cashback, I go to the Letishops website and select the Cashback Food Delivery & Groceries category. There is a list of partner stores and the size of the cashback, it can constantly change for the same store. I choose a store where the percentage of cashback is higher.

/dostavka-produktov/

How do I save on grocery delivery

In March 2022, when I am writing this article, the Letishops service stopped working. When it will work and whether it will work at all is unknown.

I also order products from Vkusvill twice a week. I buy there what cannot be frozen without loss of quality: bread, cakes, cottage cheese, fresh vegetables like cucumbers or lettuce. On average, I spend 2000 R per week.

Every two months I order two 19 liter bottles of water. I pay 630 R for them – it’s cheaper and more convenient than buying liter bottles.

I spend 17,815 R per month on food

Products from Vkusvill

8000 R

Products from the supermarket

7000 R

Vegetables and fruits at the wholesale base

9 0002 2500 R

Water

315 R

How the harvest day goes

Before having a baby, I used to shop for groceries and cook on the same day. Now I can’t leave my daughter for such a long time, so one day I go to the vegetable warehouse, and the next I order groceries at home and make preparations. If I’m not distracted, then I fit in 2.5 hours.

I don’t have special kitchen appliances for blanks – I manage with ordinary knives, cutting boards and a grater. I usually do several at once. Let’s say I formed cutlets, put them on a frying pan. While they are frying, I cut vegetables or make schnitzels.

2.5 hours

per month I spend preparing food

I cut vegetables in different ways. For example, for soup, I grate carrots, cut potatoes into cubes. And for the stew, I cut the carrots into circles or sticks, and I cut the potatoes in half or into quarters. I use almost all vegetables for preparations, leaving only a few fresh potatoes for mashed potatoes, carrots and onions for salads.

I cook pilaf according to a “lazy” recipe – in a frying pan. It turns out not as tasty as in a real cauldron, but I don’t have special dishes yet. First, I fry the chicken pieces, put the carrots and onions. Simmer for 10 minutes, add three cups of rice and five cups of water to the same pan. Salt, pepper and season with a special set of spices for pilaf. I cover with a lid, and after 25 minutes the pilaf is ready. When the dish has cooled down, I transfer portions into three packages and freeze. After defrosting, the taste does not change, and the rice remains the same fragrant and crumbly.

/list/multicook/

How to get the most out of your multicooker: 12 non-obvious recipes

When boiling chicken, I pour out a little bit of the broth and freeze it. Then I add it to the gravy for meat or vegetable stir-fry for soup. I freeze this broth in small plastic containers from soy sauce, which were left after the delivery of the rolls. I keep sauces like adjika and tomato paste in containers.

I put ready-to-cook food, cooked food and chopped vegetables in bags and distribute them flat: this way the food defrosts faster and everything fits in a small freezer.

For freezing, I like 2.5L zip bags from Ikea. They are more convenient than ordinary polyethylene: they do not tear, do not stick. I use each pack three or four times. After use, I wash with a sponge and dishwashing detergent, and dry it. A set of 25 costs 149 R. I usually buy several of these sets at once, and I have enough of them for a long time. For example, last time I took 10 sets – during this time they have changed design, and my stock of bags has not yet ended.

Every few months I make gingerbread cookies. I make gingerbread from half the dough right away, and freeze the rest. When I want them again, I just defrost the dough at room temperature, cut out gingerbread cookies and bake them in the oven. The dough can also be frozen in IKEA bags, but I’m used to wrapping it in film or regular bags.

/recept-cookie/

How to make cookies at home: 5 recipes with cost calculation

How I store food in the freezer

We have a standard Samsung with a 112 liter freezer. There are three drawers in the freezer. To prevent the workpieces from spoiling, the temperature there must be -18 ° C and lower.

Here’s how I organize my freezer:

1. Top drawer – small containers of sauces and broths.
2. Middle drawer – semi-finished products and ready-made meat dishes.
3. Bottom drawer – vegetables.

I do not sign packages and containers, because you can already see what is in them. I don’t worry about the expiration date: we don’t store anything for more than a month. It happens that a third of a bag of carrots or potatoes remains. Then I use them next month. But if you freeze food for a longer period, I recommend writing the packaging date to keep track of freshness.

The bags I use are sealed tightly so nothing leaks and there is no smell in the freezer. It is enough for me to wash it once every six months.

/guide/moi-poryadok/

How to store food in the refrigerator

For two of us, my husband and I have enough of our freezer in the refrigerator. For those who cook for a large family and freeze food, a free-standing option may come in handy. There are two types: freezers with shelves, as in conventional refrigerators, and chest freezers – deep freezers of horizontal storage that resemble a chest. It seems to me that vertical ones with shelves are more convenient for home preparations: everything is visible – you don’t need to take out all the packages to select something.

On harvest day, all three chambers of our freezer are completely clogged. I stack packages on top of each other in two rows. But at the top there is even room for ice, shrimp and ice cream. This is how our refrigerator looks like – at the bottom there is a freezer with three drawers. Source: shop.samsung.com Prices for freezers start at R17,000 Source: ozon.ru

How I cook with frozen food

Not including breakfast, I cook about four times a week, two or three a few days. Each time it takes no more than an hour.

On the day of cooking, I no longer have to spend time peeling vegetables or cutting meat. I take out frozen food and start cooking without first defrosting – I send everything to the oven or to the pan. If this is a ready-made dish, for example cutlets, then I defrost overnight in the refrigerator. The maximum that is required of me is to cook a simple side dish.

For soups, everything is also cut and frozen in advance – I just pour vegetables and pieces of meat from bags into water. Everything else is cooked without my participation, I just go to the stove several times to mix the food. In the meantime, dinner is cooking itself, I take care of the child or other household chores.

Let me tell you how I cook using our typical lunch as an example. Let it be soup with meatballs, steamed vegetables, buckwheat and turkey marinated in sour cream.

/stay-home-food/

Onion soup, shakshuka and navy pasta: 9 ideas for inexpensive quarantine meals

Steamed vegetables. I take out pre-cut vegetables from the bags: potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, carrots, broccoli. I pour everything into a baking dish, add oil, salt, spices and sour cream. I mix and send it to the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 150 ° C.

Turkey. The day before, I take out a turkey marinated in sour cream from the freezer and send it to the refrigerator overnight. Then I shift the defrosted turkey from the bag into a baking dish. I add oil. I send the turkey to the oven with the vegetables. I cook for 45 minutes: 30 minutes at 150 ° C, then I take out the vegetables and bake for another 15 minutes at 180 ° C.

Buckwheat. While vegetables and turkey are cooking in the oven, I cook buckwheat. I like cereals in Uvelka bags the most. I dip three bags of buckwheat into boiling salted water and cook for 20 minutes. Then I drain the water and transfer the buckwheat from the bag to a separate bowl.

Meatball soup. I cook soup in parallel with buckwheat. I add frozen meatballs from raw minced chicken to boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes until the meatballs float. Then I pour frozen vegetables from the bags into the pan: potatoes, onions, carrots, broccoli. I don’t fry onions and carrots: I don’t like the taste of butter in soup. I cook vegetables for 20 minutes, add vermicelli, salt, spices. After 10 minutes, I pour out the frozen greens and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

/recept-spain/

How much does it cost to cook Spanish dishes at home

In total, I spend about an hour preparing four dishes. Without preparations, I would have to wash and cut vegetables, pre-cut and marinate meat, cook meatballs. This would take at least another 20-30 minutes. Thanks to the blanks, I save about 2 hours a week – that’s 8 hours a month, that is, a full-time work day.

For non-prepared soup, I only have vermicelli This dinner I cooked in less than an hour. I transfer the meat to a dish with vegetables to save space in the refrigerator. All this food is enough for two or three days

Cheat sheet

1. Make a menu for the month.