Freezer Cooking Tips and Information
- The benefits of freezer cooking are very significant in the areas of lowering stress, finances and healthy eating.
o However, don’t underestimate the work! Cooking one recipe multiple times is no minor chore. But compared to cooking supper every night for a month, there is no comparison!
- As many meals as possible should be frozen in freezer bags as opposed to foil pans to save money and space.
- Please use Zip-loc brand freezer bags.
o We have found them to be noticeably better. You can buy these by the case at Sam's for significant savings. I figure out how much the unit price is for one bag, write it on the case, and then charge the group for each bag I use. This gives me the freedom to use them for personal use throughout the month. The last time I bought a case, it came to seven cents a bag.
o Include the price of your bags or pans in your final costs.
- It is absolutely essential that certain information is included with each meal:
o the name of the meal
o the name of the recipient
o your name
o cooking instructions that are found on your recipe sheet
o what the cook should have on hand in order to serve the meal
- Do not bring any meals to the exchange that are not properly labeled. If you are bringing separate cans of beef broth, pizza sauce, etc. for the recipients to have on hand for your meal, please have each item labeled with the recipient's name and what meal it goes with. This brings lots of clarity to what the cook is receiving from you.
- Do not use staples to attach these instructions. Tape them onto your bag before you freeze the bag, using hot/cold duck tape or just slip the instructions in between your two bags when you double bag.
- Bargain hunt by way of Sam’s Club and Grocery Store sale papers! Buying bulk sauces, meats, etc. from Sam’s is a huge savings. If you don’t not have a membership, contact Rhiannon as she shops there each month and will gladly shop for you. (update: please price check between Sam's and Supermarket)
- Write out a shopping list! Do not try to do the math in the store. Double check your list, making sure you have multiplied everything by the number of people we have participating. It is very frustrating to be short of something on cooking day.
- Have personal groceries rung up separately.
- Double bag everything in Ziploc brand bags only.
- We always have room for more cooks. The more cooks, the more meals! This is never a closed group.
- Exchange day is TBA. Kids are always welcome.
- Bring coolers to haul your food home.
- Each person will receive each meal in 2 8x8’s/2 Ziploc bags or 1 9x13/1 Ziploc bag depending on personal family preference. The quantity of the food received is the same, it is just divided into two bags (2-8x8) or all in one (1-9x13).
- When making a meal with chicken breasts, please use Tyson boneless skinless chicken breasts, Member's Mark Chicken breasts or IGA chicken breasts. The group prefers the quality. Replace “fryer parts” with six breasts per meal. Sam’s breasts are on average 85 cents while Wal-Mart is $1.50/breast! NEVER buy Wal-Mart brand chicken breasts. The average Sam’s Member's Mark bag contains 16 breasts- helpful information!
- Ground beef at Sam’s is also considerably cheaper in a 10 lb. tube compared to Wal-mart. Unless otherwise specified, please use 90% lean ground beef only. Also, watch the local grocery store for slashed prices for meat.
- Please email me your totals TBA so I can email back to everyone the amounts that they need to pay in or take out. At the end, everyone spends the exact same amount. I figure the average spent by all the cooks. If you were above the average, you will get money back at the exchange. If you spent less, you will pay in.
- Please be on time to the exchange. The exchange process takes about 20 minutes, therefore being on time gives us even more time with our families.
- Once you have committed to a month's exchange you MUST carry through and bring your assigned meals to the exchange. You cannot back out during the month. Others might have already prepared meals for you. PLAN AHEAD!!! Leaving it for the last week can be very stressful and dangerous!
- One freezer cooking manual pointed out that starting your freezer cooking at 8:00 in the morning looks and feels a lot different than starting at 8:00 p.m. Look at your month and schedule this day of cooking in ahead of time.
- Hunt for great deals, give yourself plenty of time to get your cooking done and look forward to a freezer full of prepared meals!
- Email me any time with any questions you may have.
Love, love, love this pic. Hmmm maybe a gift idea!?!!?
the boys with Mommy's new cousin (yes 31 years apart:) Kenna Jo
THE ICE CREAM TRUCK graced it's presence in Sprague tonight! Such a novelty item!
The boys LOVE minnesota. Except the ride. Patton has been into saying really. For example, about an hour away from my Grandparent's house Patton wined, "Mommy Minnesota is really really really really really really really really far away." It was hillarious.
Having fun on the swing and the foot rest...but the perfect size for a swing for 3 year olds. 
this is a great picture of my Grandpa and my cousin Carter...had to include it.
On our 5 minute sailing trip...the boys had to relief themselves.
Kenner and Carter had a blast together. We enjoyed have someone to show the boys how to swim in the lake, fish, and just plain have some good ole lake fun. Thanks Carter!
Baseball buddies
Patton also loved the jet ski. I love this picture.
Having some fun with Daddy as he teaches the boys how to fish.
Carter, my cousin, looks completely scared...but he must have just been talking or something:) Bubbi was a pro at catching fish (or the hook he used was just the right size).
Pontooning with Great Grandpa!
Playing around with Dad
Nothing cooler than driving around with Great Grandpa
Grandpa makes sure you look just right...with his hat:)
Canoeing with Grandpa. Thanks to Grandpa the boys were occupied from 6:15 am to 8:00 when the rest of the world woke up. Love you Grandpa!
Look what we finished this summer...the summer reading program. Wow do they give a lot of freebies for just completing simple activities:)
Off we go!
Fun times while we waiting for the parade to start...too bad it took so long. We probably would have had enough candy for the entire route had we not waited for an 1 hour for it to start.
Kenner answering a question, "What did you like best?" (About last year's pagent). He said, "Talking." 
Crowning the new Mr. Firecracker
Having a picnic with the new girls in town. They were adorable and nice to be around girls. Wow there is a HUGE difference!
