Freezer Meals for the Slow Cooker
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Time-saving ideas to Prep Meals in Advance
I love the idea of freezer meals and freezer cooking for the slow cooker! On a random weekend day during nap time I can prep a few meals. Once prepped I store them in the freezer, in freezer bags. I then have several meals ready to go during the week. The only required prep is placing the meal in the fridge the night before I plan to cook it. This means No Prep Dishes To Wash (knives, measuring cups and spoons, cutting boards, etc) when you actually cook the meal!!
I take my freezer meals out of the freezer and put them into the fridge the evening before I’m going to cook the meal. This allows the meat to thaw before putting it in the slow cooker. The jury seems to be out on whether or not it’s safe to put frozen meats directly into the slow cooker. Apparently, slow cooker temperature doesn’t get as high as some other appliances. To be safe I choose to just defrost my meal overnight in the fridge first.
Helpful Products
I have found a couple of products that make the prep work even easier for freezer cooking. I recently upgraded my Slow Cooker after 10 years because the lid broke! I am loving my new Kitchen Aid Slow Cooker. It is a 6-quart size and it perfect for my family, and lots of leftovers! Ziploc Gallon Freezer bags are my preferred bags. I’ve never had an issue with leaking in the freezer or while defrosting in the fridge. I also grabbed a couple of these handy bag holders from Amazon. They hold the bag open for you while you add your ingredients. The exact ones I purchased a few years ago are no longer available. These actually look nicer than mine so I may need to upgrade and replace my old ones!
I have an entire Pinterest board of freezer cooking ideas I plan to work my way through, so I will definitely share what I learn. I will also pass along any successful meals that I can recommend from my family to yours.
Has anyone else tried freezer cooking and found it to be helpful?
