make ahead meals

Best Money Tips: How to Master Make-Ahead Meals

Amy Lu — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 10:30:09 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found helpful articles on how to master make-ahead meals, unexpected tips to prepare for any interview, and financial mistakes that newly single people make.

9 Make-Ahead, Freezable Hot Breakfast Recipes

Elizabeth Lang — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 10:36:42 +0000

There's nothing quite like a hot breakfast — cold cereal just doesn't cut it. Besides tasting great, a hot breakfast is more likely to keep you full until lunch. Unfortunately, preparing a hot breakfast takes longer and uses more dishes than cereal and milk. And if you buy pre-made frozen breakfast meals, they are both expensive and filled with a lot of unnatural chemicals.

Thankfully, there are many breakfast recipes that you can make ahead and freeze. When you're in the mood for a hot breakfast, you can take it out of the freezer and warm it up. I've put together my favorite make-ahead and freezable breakfast recipes below. (See also: 5 Awesome, Easy-to-Freeze Meals)

If you prefer weekend brunch to hot weekday breakfast, these recipes also can be made ahead for an upcoming brunch and frozen. The day before the brunch, let the meal defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven on brunch morning. And to make the casserole-style recipes single-serving size, cut the casserole before freezing, wrap the pieces in tinfoil, and freeze individually.

1. Baked Garlic Cheese Grits

This garlic cheese grits recipe from Paula Dean is far from healthy but is possibly one of the tastiest breakfasts you will ever make. It's simple to make and will freeze for weeks.

2. Pancakes

Pancakes are a great make-ahead dish, and everyone knows that pre-made store-bought frozen pancakes are expensive and loaded with preservatives. Instead, use this basic fluffy pancake recipe to make fluffy, delicious pancakes with just a few ingredients. Let them cool, and then put a piece of parchment paper between each serving of pancakes so you can easily take it out and put it in the microwave.

3. Breakfast Burritos

Breakfast burritos don't need a recipe. The best part about breakfast burritos is that you can add whatever you want to the eggs, mix it up, and put it in a tortilla, and it will taste wonderful. I like scrambled eggs, fried onion, and refried black beans. Wrap the burritos up, freeze them, and heat them up for a hearty breakfast. I like to add a little salsa first thing in the morning after the burrito has been warmed up, since adding it right before eating keeps the tortilla from getting too soft.

4. Waffles

Just like pancakes, pre-made frozen waffles are expensive and filled with preservatives. You can make your own waffles cheaply and easily freeze them and pull them out when you're ready. I like this recipe for easy waffles. For something a little different, add some blueberries or chocolate chips into the batter right when you put it on the waffle iron.

5. Quiche

Make your own pie crust for the best (and cheapest) quiche. Add whatever vegetables you have in the fridge along with some cheese, and you can make a large variety of quiches. Remember to cut it after the quiche has cooled and freeze in individual portions. Two of my favorite quiche recipes are spinach and bacon quiche and cheese quiche.

6. Baked French Toast

Honestly, my all-time favorite brunch recipe is this recipe for orange pecan French toast. It's just like the French toast my aunt used to make at Christmas time. This particular French toast is like the other casseroles in this post, which can be baked, cooled, and then cut into individual pieces, or made for one big brunch.

7. Breakfast Cookies

This breakfast cookie recipe from Myscha is an all-time favorite. Who doesn't love eating cookies for breakfast?

8. Breakfast Bars

They're not quite cookies, but the ingredients in these breakfast bars make them similar to cookies. They are unbelievably easy to make, cut up, and store.

9. Individual Breakfast Pies

These individual breakfast pies can be made in large or small muffin tins, then microwaved as needed. This recipe calls for breakfast sausage, onion, bell pepper, eggs, cheese, and biscuit dough. What combination could be tastier than that?

Do you make hot breakfast most days? Would you make more breakfast it was easier and less time-consuming?

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This article is from Elizabeth Lang of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

What to Stock in Your Freezer Before Baby Arrives

Camilla Cheung — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:48:20 +0000

I have less than two weeks before my baby girl is due, so things are really coming down to the wire. Most of the preparations for the baby are done — the nursery is decorated, the newborn clothes are washed, the diapers are stashed, and my hospital checklist is taped to the front door. Now, I have the luxury of time to stock up on a supply of food for after the baby arrives. Based on talking to other moms and devouring pretty much every Internet article on the topic, I’ve started to organize my freezing frenzy into a few simple categories. (See also: 24 Tips for Having a Baby Without Going Broke)

Proteins

Breastfeeding moms say that high-protein snacks and meals are all-important in those first months when your body is consuming vast amounts of energy to produce milk for your little one. Anticipating this, I’m cooking and freezing plenty of protein-rich foods.

Bolognese Sauce

Cook a big batch of meat sauce and freeze it in individual-size Tupperware or plastic baggies. Stack them in your freezer, and you’ll have something quick to microwave and throw on some pasta or even on a slice of toast for a quick protein-rich meal.

Quiche

Quiches freeze well, and it’s pretty easy to make several of them at once. Bake them in individual foil pie pans, and then freeze them for an easy meal. Even your non-cooking partner can figure out how to warm up a quiche in a preheated oven for 25 minutes while baby nurses.

Chili

A healthy beef or turkey chili, bulked up with beans, freezes really well. Be aware, however, that some babies are sensitive to beans or tomato sauce, so make sure you freeze a variety of foods.

Stew

When cooking dinner, make a double batch of beef or chicken stew, and freeze leftovers in individual portions.

Burritos

Make your own gourmet version of frozen burritos for a meal you can grab and eat. Heat them up in the microwave or oven (definitely go for the oven for better-tasting burritos).

Baked Goods

In addition to protein-rich meals, you’re going to want snacks throughout the day. Muffins and quick breads freeze well — just thaw them, and they’re just as moist and good as they were when you made them.

Muffins

Stock up on fiber-rich muffins that are hearty and will fill you up. Oatmeal muffins are a great choice because oatmeal is said to help your breast milk come in. Corn muffins and whole wheat muffins with antioxidant-rich berries are also delicious and healthy.

Quick Breads

Breads with fruit and vegetables in them will help you get fiber and nutrients and stay moist when frozen. Banana and zucchini bread, as well as carrot cake, are good choices. Cakes made with oil instead of butter are quicker and easier to make big batches of, and are healthier too.

Breads

Place a few loaves of your favorite sliced bread in the freezer so you don’t have to go shopping for it when it runs out. You can thaw the entire loaf, or just pull out a couple frozen slices and pop them in the toaster for a quick PB&J sandwich. You can also freeze your favorite flour tortillas and artisan breads for thawing later. Pre-slice bagels and freeze them so they’re ready to be warmed up in the toaster.

Granola Bars

If you like to make your own granola bars, be sure to freeze a stash of them for a quick postpartum snack. Beef them up with nuts and dried fruit for a more nutritionally complete snack (or meal, in some cases).

Cookie Dough

Just because you know you’re going to miss fresh-baked cookies in those first few weeks.

Soups and Casseroles

Soups and casseroles are great dishes to stock up on because they can be complete meals in one dish. You’re likely to receive a lot of lasagnas from helpful friends, so think about other casseroles that you can freeze for a little variety.

Soups

Pureed soups that are bulked up with a potato or two (and perhaps a smidgen of cream) are filling and healthy. Try a creamy cauliflower soup, leek and potato, butternut squash or pumpkin, lentil soup, or a filling edamame soup. Chowders are also hearty — try making an easy corn chowder with cream of corn, bacon or ham, veggies, and chunks of potato. Freeze them in individual-sized containers for easy reheating. I run them under the hot water tap for a minute, pop the frozen soup into a saucepan, and heat it up on the stove.

Casseroles

Tuna casserole, chicken and rice, shepherd’s pie, baked ziti with sausage — these dishes are entire meals in one dish.

Store-Bought Frozen Foods

I’d love to be able to stock my entire freezer with homemade foods, but given that D-day could come along any time now, I made a run to Costco and a few of my favorite grocery stores to stock up on premade frozen items.

Frozen Ravioli and Tortellini

Big bags of frozen stuffed pasta are cheap and easy to cook — they cook even faster than dried pasta and because they’re stuffed, they don’t need a whole lot more other than a jar of sauce.

Frozen Meatballs and Sausages

Precooked meatballs are a favorite in our house because all you have to do is thaw them and throw them in some sauce. Sausages, even uncooked ones, are also easy to cook once thawed — 12 minutes in a covered skillet with a bit of water and the bratwurst is ready. I separate the meatballs and sausages into meal-size portions in plastic baggies for the freezer. To thaw them quickly, I submerge the plastic bag in a cold water bath.

Frozen Vegetables

I’d prefer a fresh salad every time, but in a pinch, good quality frozen veggies can be steamed, stir-fried, or tossed with some pasta. No grocery store trip required.

Frozen Dumplings

Whether it’s a giant bag of potstickers or simple cheese and potato pierogies, dumplings are just as good after they’ve been frozen. Steam or fry them, and add a salad or some steamed veggies for a quick meal.

Burgers

Get your partner into the habit of grilling you a meal by stocking hamburgers, salmon burgers, and veggie burgers in the freezer.

What quick meals do you have stocked in your freezer?

This article is from Camilla Cheung of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Find Time for Home-Cooked Meals

Annie Mueller — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:00:10 +0000

One of the biggest money drains, especially if you have a large family, is the food required to keep everybody happy and healthy. I hear a lot of talk about how people want to make more home-cooked food, eat healthier, and quit spending so much on take-out or restaurant meals. But I also hear busy moms talking about how they simply don't have the time to make a home-cooked meal. (See also: Teach Yourself to Cook)

I hear you, busy moms (and dads). I'm busy myself, with three kids under four, a thriving freelance writing business, and baby number four due in just two months. We also entertain friends (as in, feed them) regularly. I certainly don't have the time or the energy to just hang out in the kitchen baking up gourmet breakfast goodies or complicated, multi-course dinners. That's just not going to happen in my life.

For several reasons (such as an unavoidable tendency to thriftiness), however, I do cook most of what we eat: things like chicken pot pie from scratch, homemade soups, crescent rolls, curries, pasta, traditional Southern dishes (I'm from Mississippi), salads, fish, and, yes, the ubiquitous casserole. Breakfast foods and the occasional meal out are the exceptions. I don't, however, spend hours in the kitchen. Here's how I roll with home cooking.

1. Find Convenience in the Process, Not the Products

Convenience foods are going to cost you more; you're paying for that labor supplied by someone else. The other day I saw a pre-washed, foil-wrapped raw potato "ready for baking." It was $1. For a single potato. Six inches away, you could pick up a 5 lb. bag of potatoes for about $4. Convenience is costly when you depend on someone else to provide it, but you can build convenience into your cooking process and save yourself time and money.

For example, think through how you cook. Are all your supplies in a logical, easy-to-reach place? Do you waste time searching for the stuff you use most? Do you have to wash a pile of dirty dishes before you actually start cooking? Do you make fifteen trips to the refrigerator when you could have gotten all your ingredients out, set them on the counter, and gotten to it?

Most of us don't really think in terms of efficiency in the kitchen, but how we move, prep, and clean up can greatly increase or decrease the amount of time it takes to prepare a meal.

2. Get Really Good at a Few "Base" Dishes

I can whip up a white sauce in about 10 minutes without measuring anything; however, if I'm going to make a dessert of any kind, I need a recipe. That's because I don't make many desserts, but I use white sauce as a base for chicken pot pie, alfredo sauce, casseroles, and soups like crab and corn chowder. It behooves me to be able to quickly and easily get a white sauce made so I can then morph it for my desired meal.

I am, by no means, a gourmet cook. I'm good at what I know, and I know the things I love to cook and eat. If you analyze your own eating patterns, you'll notice that you gravitate toward the same types of foods whether you're eating out or at home. Have a thing for chicken fingers? Learn how to make them like a pro at home and have them anytime for a fraction of the cost. Figure out what you like, break those meals down into a few base recipes or processes, and practice till you're (almost) perfect.

3. Double Up on the Time-Consuming Tasks

It takes a lot more time to boil and debone a whole chicken than it does to simply bake a few boneless, skinless chicken breasts. But you'll pay three times as much (or more) for the prepped chicken breasts than you will for the whole chicken, plus you'll miss out on the ability to make your own chicken broth. It doesn't add much time to boil two whole chickens, debone them, and then freeze half the meat for later use. Look at that: You just created your own convenience food.

There are many time-consuming tasks that we shirk in the kitchen because we don't think in terms of doubling up. But when you're peeling and washing vegetables for a pot of soup, you can do a little extra and have enough ready for tomorrow night's stir fry. Yes, you still have to put in the time to do the tasks, but you don't have to put in that amount of time for every home-cooked meal.

4. Plan Your Menu, but Keep It Flexible

It helps to have a menu plan, not only so you'll have adequate food in the house to feed you for the week, but also so you can think ahead and double up on preparation. I usually plan a menu of seven "main" meals for a week, and I pick one for the night as I have the time or inclination. Wednesday nights are busy for us, so I always plan on something leftover, simple (like sandwiches), or entirely made-ahead (like a slow-cooker meal). For days and nights when you know you have a time crunch, putting a little extra thought into your meals can make home cooking entirely possible.

You don't have to be a slave to your menu, however; if you're just not feeling that pasta dish you planned for Friday, switch it up to what you do feel like eating. A big part of making home cooking more fun is working it so it appeals to your own appetite. Hey, if you're cooking, I say you get to make the calls on what you're eating.

5. Spread Out the Tasks

Take the boiling a whole chicken example. If you're going to stand around in the kitchen waiting for a chicken to boil, then wait for it to cool, then debone it and use the meat, you're going to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It's easier to just do one step at a time, as it suits you. I can put the chicken on to boil or make bread dough and then walk out of the kitchen and on to something else, coming back when I need to turn off the burner or punch down the bread dough. Of course, this works best if you're at home (as I am). But even if you're heading out the door in the morning, you can do things like throw your meat and vegetables in the slow cooker, or use a little time the night before to get your next dinner mostly prepped.

6. Buy Time When It's Worth It

Pie crust is relatively easy to make, but it's also relatively cheap to buy. There's nothing wrong with cutting corners when it works for both your time and budget. Use your kitchen skills to their best advantage, and spend a little bit more on the things that take you too long to do. I could work on making a superb pie crust, I guess, but I don't need to make it that often, so I'm not going to spend my time there. Instead, for the few times I do need it, I don't mind spending a little more for that time-saver. The key is knowing when it's worth your time to spend the money, and not just going blindly with the convenience foods because you're more used to them.

7. Don't Stress About Filling the Plate

If your idea of a home-cooked meal is a main dish, two sides, a salad, and a starch, no wonder you don't want to spend that much time in the kitchen. Let it go. We are no longer living in 1955. Throw out the Jell-o mold and quit worrying about how many colors show up on a dinner plate. Focus on one-dish meals that incorporate a lot of vegetables, or serve a salad with some protein in it (boiled eggs, beans, cheese) as your main dish. Simplicity can open up a whole new world of home-made, delicious, healthy, and better-for-your-budget meals.

Home-cooking pros out there, what tips can you share? And for those who aren't sure, what's stopping you? Share your ideas and questions in the comments, and we can all benefit.

This article is from Annie Mueller of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: