I want to prepare dinner and freeze for after the baby is delivered. Any recipes?

Question

I am due in about 2 weeks to have my baby girl. I want to make some dinners and freeze them now so that after she comes, my husband and I won't have to stress over cooking dinner. Are there any simple meals I can prepare ahead of time and stick in the freezer? If you don't mind, please email recipes as well (I need to know ingredients and preparation)MSDGBMD2001@YAHOO.. and thanks so much!

When making these certain foods, should I cook them first, freeze them, and then re-heat in the oven? Or should I prepare them, freeze uncooked, and then cook once thawed? I've never done this and need to know what ''order'' it goes in! :) Thanks

Sorry about the e-mail..
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Answer 1

Lasagna works well like this as do many caseroles.

Answer 2

First off, congratulations!
There are definitely recipes you can make ahead of time, but my favorite is a good pasta sauce. Get yourself a huge pot and make a good quantity of it, and when it cools, divide the sauce into many small Tupperwares. Freeze them, so when an evening comes and you're in the mood for pasta, you can just defrost the sauce and only have the pasta to boil. DO NOT make the pasta ahead of time and freeze it -- you'll be sorely disappointed. And I'm sorry I can't share my recipe, as it's a family one.
Try also making cooked poultry in casseroles and baked meat loaf. You can find some easy recipes using Yahoo! search.
Try to avoid storing anything that contains lettuce or greens (they wilt), milk or milk sauces (they curdle and separate), or gravy (also curdles and separates). Cooked or creamed vegetables lose their flavor quickly and can only be stored for a few days. Ham and other cured meats may lose color when frozen and become rancid more quickly than other meats.
If you're worried about the life of your food in the freezer (because 2-4 weeks of it being in there is a long while!) consider investing in a FoodSaver, which is a home vacuum packaging system that REALLY extends the fridge and freezer life of your leftovers. I put web address with the sources for this answer, or you can Yahoo! Search it.
The bottom line is, if you're looking for 100% no-work after your daughter is born, it's not going to happen. You can freeze and store some, but your husband or you are going to need to make at least one part of the meal...but at least you won't be cooking an entire meal.
Best of luck to you, and again, congratulations. :)

Answer 3

CONGRAUTLATIONS on the soon to be born baby and also for thinking ahead.

I did this for my son and daughter a few months ago.

Make a pan of lasagna and after it has been cooked, cut into three portions. (1 for present meal(s), and other 2 either place in freezable dish or two large sheets of foil to wrap and freeze for after the baby.

Make up a meatloaf mixture for three meatloaves. Cook all three almost totally through, remove two from the oven and let cool. Wrap in double foil to thaw and finish cooking after the baby. I also made an entire bag of potatoes into mashed potatoes. (Use sour cream for part of the milk mixture). Divide into portions which you can use with the meatloaf which you are keeping out for dinner and the ones you are freezing.

Cook a ton of chicken breasts, hamburgers, etc. on the grill. Package and freeze some for after the baby. You can thaw, place in mic and it will taste just like off the grill.

Any casserole you regularly make - make multiple portions and freeze a couple for later.

If you cook this way during the next week (making mulitple meals instead of just what you need for dinner tonight) and freeze you will be set.

Check out "make ahead" meals online and you will come up with many ideas, but basically you already know what you and your husband like.

As you already see from other answers pasta dishes freeze well. Chili and soups do too. One of the things I like to do is make Italian Beef in the crock pot.....buy a big cheap beef roast and open a couple of packages of GOOD SEASONING Italian Dressing Mix, pour it over the meat, add water, beer or wine to cover and cook all day. Cool and using two forks shred the meat. You can thicken the sauce if needed and package in zip-locs. Serve in buns, over rice or pasta, etc. Can do the same with pork using bar-b-que sauce.

PS here is a good place to find things online:
http://busycooks.about.com/cs/makeaheadmeals/

Answer 4

Yeah, you will have to cook that food. You can always do frozen dinners, but despite what the packages say, they are not healthy. If you were to do spaghetti, you can freeze pasta for a good month. You can boil the noodles later. Most side dishes can be frozen. If you want to do meals, I suggest you find a Turbo Cooker. Those things are great, but unfortunately they don't sell them anymore. Most meals can be done in less than 30 minutes and they are fairly easy to cook.

Answer 5

Congrats..

Seriously, how many meals are u going to prepare to stuff into the freezer? Any kind of food can be kept in the freezer. But it will not be healthy for you since you would have just given birth to your baby girl. Your health will be your utmost priority. If you don't want to stress over cooking, why don't you employ someone to do it? I think they are many post natal nannies around who do cooking for the mummy during confinement and take care of the baby at the same time. Can check out the newspaper or ask those people around you.

Hope this helps.

Answer 6

DianaD had some great ideas. Good luck to you!

This recipe doubles and triples easily

Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb chicken, white or dark or both
cut into strips and saute in 4 minced garlic cloves and olive oil
season with salt and pepper

while chicken is cooking, mix together:
8 oz. shredded Monterrey jack
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. onion, chopped fine
1/2 c. fresh cilantro, minced
1/4 c. jalapenos chopped
1/4 c. black olives, sliced
salt & pepper
add chicken to mixture when cooled

prep a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray
2 to 3 cans enchilada sauce
1 doz. Small flour tortillas

Pour 1 can enchilada sauce into flat pan; use 2 if needed.
Dip both sides of flour tortillas in enchilada sauce, then fill with a few tablespoons of chicken filling. Roll firmly and place in baking pan, seam side down. (This part is messy but worth it.) Repeat till pan is full. Pour 1 can of enchilada sauce over all. Top with grated cheddar cheese and sliced jalapenos.

Bake 45 min. @ 350 degrees
Freezes well.

Answer 7

stuffed shells, jumbo shells about 15, boil then stuff with a mixure of 15 oz. ricotta cheese 1 1/2 c. mozzerella 1/2 c. parmisian cheese fresh or grated, fresh parsly chopped fine only about 1/4 c., and 1 egg, then you place them in a glass pan with tomato sauce and after that is done spoon on each shell tomato sauce, mozzerella and parmisian and if you like garlice salt. wrap in foil put in the oven for 15 to 20 min. @ 400 degrees

Answer 8

Meatballs and rice are good, 3lbs ground beef, 1 egg, 3 cups rice mix well form balls cover with 1can tomato juice and cook on med heat (on top of stove in dutch oven) about 45mins to 1hr. put in smaller containers and freeze, when ready for them thaw and warm in microwave.

Answer 9

wow, congrats!

Why don't you freeze single pan meals, or a quiche. Easy to warm up and great to combine with a salad.

Answer 10

Hmm, congrats! Well, how about salads, there are many different types so they would never bore you. ALso you can just make some old fashioned spaghetti. I think you know how to make these recipes

Answer 11

congratulations on the baby, but i dont know of any recipes that are good at freezing.