No More Drive-Thru: 11 Meals to Freeze Ahead
“Will that complete your order ma’am?” You have done it again. The day raced by and one thing piled on another before you knew it you had no time to make yourself a healthy meal. It was either a drive thru meal or prepackaged frozen dinner. Neither is good for but what’s a girl to do? Ditch those processed meals along with the gut rot and guilt for healthy, home-made freezer meals.
Why are these processed meals so bad? They are filled with ingredients that lead to an inflammatory response that is the root of all the conditions we see today. If your diet is filled with sugar, flour, soy, GMO corn, sucralose and artificial sweeteners your body is never getting a break from the harmful stimuli. It is in a constant state of inflammation. That isn’t going to help after a rushed day!
Freezing meals in advance saves you time, money and keeps you healthier. Once you throw that freezer meal in the oven, you just kick back to relax from the day.
How it’s Done
Planning ahead and freezing meals can be an easy way to make sure you have healthy options always on hand. When you make them at home they will have the good, organic ingredients and be full of love.
Most of your favorite meals can be frozen. Make a double batch when you are cooking to make the most of your time. If you are making a crock pot meal, slice up extra ingredients and freeze those so you can throw them in a crock pot at a later date. You can also package up your smoothie ingredients.
When you prep your meals make sure they have cooled down before freezing. Put them in mason jars or glass casserole dishes for easy stacking in the freezer. Avoid the plastic! Different ingredients will have different freezer life but you will be safe for tastiness and nutrients if you eat within 4-6 months. Mark each one with an expiration date or a made-on date. When you are ready to eat your freezer meal, thaw it in the refrigerator and heat at recipe’s temperature.
Ideas For Meals to Ahead Recipes:
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Oatmeal Pancakes
Make your mornings so much easier with these yummy pancakes. Pancakes are so easy to freeze ahead. This satisfying recipe is gluten and dairy free. Multiply the quantities so you have a few to eat and plenty to freeze.
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Sweet Potato Chili
Chili is always a winner for freezing and is sure to warm your belly. This recipe is extra sweet and has plenty of Vitamin A with the sweet potato.
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Black Bean Burger
No meat? No worries! This is a great vegetarian burger recipe that will also make the meat eaters happy. These you can package to freeze individually or enough for the whole family.
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Sirloin Tip Roast
Cacao and sirloin? Absolutely! The richness of the cacao marries beautifully with the spices and brown sugar, giving you a roast with flavor that can’t be beat. Double this batch- one for tonight and one to freeze. Trust us!
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Salmon Veggie Burgers
Get your veggies and your omega- 3’s in one delicious patty. The drive-thru lady is going to miss you. You won’t be thinking of how good it is for you but your gut will thank you later.
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Meatballs
Tasty meatballs! These taste great alone or with organic spaghetti sauce and a spaghetti squash. Just slice the spaghetti squash in half and drizzle with oil to bake at 375 degrees.
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Beef Stir Fry
This recipe for a one pan meal will taste great later too. We like to keep the dishes to minimum when we can!
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Cabbage Soup
Cabbage has so many great health benefits. It is full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory qualities. Makes your belly happy!
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Peanut Butter Chicken
This yummy chicken recipe will taste great with your favorite vegetables. Roast some frozen ones in the oven while you fry these up.
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Chicken Strips
An easy meal of chicken strips for people on the go. Do the prep work in advance so this meal cooks up fast at dinner time. Kids of all ages will LOVE these chicken strips.
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Butternut Squash Quinoa Risotto
This sophisticated comfort food will remind you why you put in a little extra work to freeze those meals. You are going to love this while you relax with a glass of organic wine.
Warm Your Belly with Freezer Meals
These are ideas to get started. Freezer meals are also great idea to give to someone you know who is having a baby, medical procedure or other life transition. They will know you cared and were thinking of health.
You won’t miss the drive-thru or those prepackaged frozen dinners. Before you know it, you will be saving time and eating healthy by incorporating freezing meals into your everyday life. Enjoy!