Kitchenware You Need Before You Start Your Monthly Freezer Meals
If you have read my post, ” How to Make 15 Freezer Meals in Under 3 Hours,” or been to my house, then you know making freezer meals ahead of time is a technique my family uses to stay organized, eat healthy, save money, and relieve dinnertime stress. Cooking freezer meals ahead of time can also help with weight loss and weight maintenance. Making sure your kitchen is stocked with essential freezer meal products and cookware is the first step.
These make ahead freezer meals have been life changing for me, and I love sharing how I do these freezer meals with you. I also wanted to share some of the freezer meal cookware and products I love to use. Some of them are freezer meal must-have products and some of them just make cooking freezer meals more efficient or fun. I included some of my favorite products that make dinner time easier and fun as well. * Note that I marked essential by the cookware/products that I feel are truly must-haves. The other products will make cooking freezer meals easier or more fun, but are not essential to start.
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So Here is My Favorite Freezer Meal Must-Have Products
1. A Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker: *Must Have*
All in One Slow Cooker and Pressure Cooker:
This is a slow cooker AND a Pressure Cooker, AND a Saute and Steamer ALL IN ONE!
2. Spiralizer
When you are cooking multiple meals at once, then you may not want to slice ALL those vegetables by hand. This Spiralizer does it for you. I also love to sometimes serve my freezer melas with noodles made out of vegetables. The Spiralizer makes the vegetable pasta for you as well!
3. Knives *Must-Have*
If you love to cook then you may want to invest in a really nice knife or two. I like having one really nice knife for cutting meat and one really nice knife for cutting vegetables. Cutco has some of the best knives around.
I also love Kitchen Aids Ceramic Knives set because with these you get no rusting, or odor and taste transfers from food to food. These are also dishwasher safe.
4. Cutting Board *Must Have*
Quality Bamboo chopping/Cutting Board with large opening and 4 plastic drawers
Along with a nice set of knives, you will also need a cutting board, I love this one with the large opening and plastic drawers.
5. A Large Cooking Pot *Must Have*
T-fal B36262 Specialty Total Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Oven Safe Stockpot Cookware, 12-Quart, Black
When you cook your freezer meals in bulk, you need a large pot. I use my pot to cook my ground turkey or lean ground beef all at once. This makes cooking a month’s worth of freezer meals all at once super fast.
6. Large Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl *Must Have*
I also cut down on prep time by mixing in bulk. A large stainless steel bowl works great for mixing large amounts at once.
7. Apron
Black Adjustable 100% Cotton Cooking Kitchen Bib Apron with Pockets for Women Men Chef
Aprons are not only practical but they also make cooking fun. I love this apron with pockets.
8. Freezer Bags and Aluminum Pans *Must Have*
Hefty Slider Freezer Bags (Gallon, 96 Count) and DOBI (30-Pack) Chafing Pans – Disposable Aluminum Foil Steam Table Deep Pans, Half Size – 9″ x 13″
When you cook freezer meals for the month all in one day, make sure you have all the freezer bags and aluminum casserole dishes you need to all your dishes. I like the freezer bags with sliders so that you know they are sealed.
9. Meal Prep Containers
My freezer meals make A Lot so I usually have leftovers. Pre-portioned containers helps me portion control my leftovers for a healthy lunch the next day.
10. Parchment Paper and Aluminum Foil *Must Have*
Reynolds Kitchens Parchment Paper (SmartGrid, Non-Stick, 45 Square Foot Roll)
Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil (200 Square Foot Roll)
These are a must for storing some of my freezer meal recipes!
11. Meat Baller
If you are planning on making and freezing meatballs for some of your freezer meals, then a meatballer will help you save so much time. I use healthy turkey meatballs in many of my freezer recipes.
12. Muffin Tins *Must Have if you are planning on Freezing muffins, omelet muffins, or mini pizzas*
New Star Foodservice 37838 Commercial Grade Aluminum 24-Cup Muffin Pan
I often make mini healthy pizza or omelet muffins and freeze them for later. I like to freeze several at once so I use a large 24-cup muffin tin. You can also use a 12-cup muffin tin or even have fun with novelty muffin tins. My kids love it when I make food using our heart-shaped muffin tin.
These freezer bag racks have made freezer meal dump cooking soooo efficient!!!!
Bonus: Kids’ Dinner Trays
Fred DINNER WINNER Kids’ Dinner Tray, Enchanted Forest and Fun Kids Dinner Plate Home Run Baseball Themed | Your Kids Will Eat Better | Be A Winner & Hit A Home Run At Breakfast Lunch & Dinner. Promotes Healthy Eating!
My kids eat these famiy freezer meals as well. They loved them AFTER they decided to try them. My kids don’t like trying anything new, but these Kids’ Dinner Trays turns eating into a fun game!
How to Make a Month’s Worth of Freezer Meals in One Day
Once you have all the cookware and supplies that you need you are ready to cook! Learn how to cook ALL of your Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day with the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook.
“Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook
The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook not only includes a detailed healthy freezer meal plan and weight loss guide, but this ebook also inlcudes mindful eating strategies and techniques.
The “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook has 22 Chapters full of helpful information and tips including:
- The “What is Preventing You From Living a Healthier Life?” interactive quiz
- The Mindful Eating Guide
- The importance of Faith
- A Complete Healthy Freezer Meal Plan: You will learn how to cook all of your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for a whole month in ONE day. Don’t worry, I don’t just give you a bunch of recipes and tell you to cook them in one day. The ebook includes strategies and “Pro Tips” on HOW to efficiently cook your meals in one day.
The goals of cooking all of your meals in ONE Day are:
- More daily free time,
- A decreased grocery bill,
- Healthier meals for the whole family,
- Less daily stress, and
- Weight Loss/Weight Maintenance
Learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” eBook here.
What Others are Saying about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meal” ebook
“I have lost 17 pounds since I started eating these freezer meals. They are healthy AND taste great!!! We are now eating at home more, which has made a huge difference!” Chad, South Carolina
“As I read this book, I kept thinking, ‘this is so much more than a freezer meal cookbook! Lacy needs to be a life coach! She has such a positive outlook on life!’ “The Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook is so uplifing and encouraging!” Wendy, South Carolina
“I can actually see a decrease in my grocery bill since I started eating these freezer meals, and my kids love them! We are eating healthier now. Plus, we are eating more meals together as a family!” Nicole, South Carolina
Click here to learn more about the “Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals” ebook
Want a Little More?
Click Here to Get a Free 7-Day Mindful Planner Printable and Join the Mindfulness in Faith and Food Family!
Related Post
Make 15 Freezer Meals in Under 3 Hours: Recipes and Grocery List Included
Grocery Shopping Tips for Weight Loss and Saving Money
Over 40 Snacking for Weight Loss Tips
Dietitian Approved Healthy Packaged Snacks
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I love this list! I have considered getting a spiralizer, but I haven’t gotten one yet. I definitely love my crockpot and kitchen aid though! There are still some items I need to get and this list is one I will definitely refer back to!
The crockpot and kitchen aid are my favorites!!!
I used to meal prep all the time and even though I spent an entire Sunday doing it each week, it helped me to control my portions and kept me from ordering pizza! I totally need to start doing this again! Great list of must-haves too!
I love doing it ahead of time too, adn I can totally relate to ordering a pizza if I don’t have food ready. I actually cook all my dinners the month in one day. Next weeks post talked about how I do that.
This was super helpful! I started meal planning/prepping awhile back but stopped because I felt so overwhelmed. Definitely saving this!
I am so glad you found this helpful. I love cooking, but life gets too busy to do anything complicated each week. I started making all my meals for the month in one day, and it has been life changing! All my friends know me as the freezer meal girl. I wanted to share how I do it so I wrote two post: this one and the one coming up next week.
I’ve actually been thinking a lot about freezing meals lately! I feel like my husband and I are so busy that we aren’t always the best at cooking dinner. It would make me feel a lot less stressed to have some meals already prepared that I could heat up! I love the idea of using a meat baller, meal prep containers, and a pressure cooker! The meal prep containers on Amazon always seem kind of expensive. Do you reuse them? If you don’t, do you feel like the price is still worth it to buy them? I’d love to know! 🙂
Hey Coral, great question. It can get expensive to get the containers so I often indvidually wrap food ,like say a burrito for example, in plastic wrap or parchment paper before putting them in a freezer bag. Then I can easily take out a portion. I just take one out and add a fruit or veggie side, adn I am done. When I come home from the store, I wash and put fruit in individaul bags while I am unpacking groceries. Then the fruits are easy to add to the main dish. I like using SteamFresh veggies for a quick veggie side as well. They make adding a side to my freezer meal super quick and easy.
I love my pressure cooker!!
I found this post to be very helpful. We used to freeze a lot of our meals ahead of time, and it is something I really want to get back to doing. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
I love how much simpler my life is thanks to meal prep. My pre-made freezer dinners are what keep me sane after a stressful day at work haha. I really need to get myself a slow cooker, though. That way I can pop dinner on before work and have it pretty much ready for me by the time I get home. x
Yes to everything you said! My stress levels have been greatly reduced since doing freezer meals.
I LOVE the idea of meal prepping. Unfortunately our place is tiny and can’t fit a decent size freezer so we can’t do it often, but once we move to a bigger place I’m hoping to get a huge chest freezer and filling it to the brim of delicious meals!
oh yes, it def. helps to have a nice-sized freezer. I have an extra freezer in the garage. I hope you get your huge chest freezer one day and can fill it to the brim : )
Those kids plates<3!
I want a pressure cooker so bad! It would make freezer meals WAY better
Loving those meal prep containers – those would be SO helpful in my house!
This is a great round up! I love stocking my freezer with food, it’s so nice to have things one hand that are ready to thaw and make. For his often I make meatballs you’d think I’d have a meatballer, it just went on my list of things to pick up.
That is awesome Nicole! Glad you were able to find something useful!
LOVE this so much! I have been needing allll the help I can get in the meal planning department. I really need to get me one of those spiralizers, I hear great things and they look so handy!
Thanks for sharing, lovely!
Thank you so much Meghan! BTW, I loved your first blog post!
Freezer meals are such life-savers! Love all these tips too. 🙂
This is such an important part of eating well! I always focus on clients getting in the kitchen. Thanks Lucy!
Great starter info for freezer meal prep!
I love your list of must-haves! I agree with them all…especially that slow pressure cooker for sure. I am going to keep this in mind when giving gifts 🙂
This is such a great resource…I have so many clients who are intimidated by the concept of cooking in bulk and freezing. Definitely sharing!
I love a good kitchen gadget post! I may have to do a little online shopping now!