Once a Month Freezer Cooking Homeschool Tips

help with meal planning

Once a Month Freezer Cooking Homeschool Tips

Once-a-month cooking is a fantastic time-saving strategy every homeschooling family should know about! The idea is so simple: commit one day each month to intensive meal planning and prep, and gift yourself 30 delicious meals that can be thawed, reheated, and served up in minutes!

Families who have tried once-a-month cooking have great things to say about it. Some of the benefits they’ve noted include:

 

  • Cost savings
  • Less food waste
  • Healthier eating
  • More free time
  • Less stress
  • Fewer last-minute runs to the grocery store

Mark Your Calendar

How does it work? First, and this is important, find a day when a family member or a sitter can take care of the kids. You’ll need an uninterrupted stretch of time to prepare your meals.

Find your recipes

The possibility for recipes is endless, but not all ingredients freeze well. Ingredients to avoid include:

  • Pasta
  • Potatoes
  • Dairy items
  • Fried foods
  • Onions
  • Seasonings

To make meal planning easier, look online for recipes and tips or pick up one of the many make-ahead cookbooks available in bookstores. A few of my favorites are:

  • The Make-Ahead Kitchen: 75 Slow-Cooker, Freezer, and Prepared Meals for the Busy Lifestyle by Annalise Thomas
  • Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik
  • Freezer Meals: 365 Days of Quick & Easy, Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Families by Julianna Sweeney

 

Get Organized

The night before you plan to cook, be sure you have everything you need including ingredients, sharpies for labeling, containers, recipes and sharp knives. Leave nothing to chance!

Have Fun

Before you start chopping, stirring, and simmering, put on music that you love or listen to an inspiring podcast. Make this monthly event something you look forward to.

I love to cook. Preparing healthy, tasty meals is important to me. But I know I’m not the only one who yearns for a break from the kitchen sometimes. I hope you have fun with this fabulous time saver.