Freezer Cooking Day 1

Have ya'll heard of freezer cooking? I'm sure you have and many of you have probably done it before. I myself have done a few freezer cooking days and have always benefited from the results! I decided to do one a few months ago just as a way to make it easier to decide what to make for dinner and also to help with my work schedule. It's really nice having something ready to go when I get home! I decided I would document the day with what recipes I decided to make and how I accomplished making them all. I hope it helps inspire you if you've thought about doing a freezer day before, or at least gives you some new recipes to try!


In order to keep myself from going insane, I prepared all of these meals over 2 days (Saturday and Sunday). On Saturday I did meals that required cooking (stovetop or oven) and then on Sunday I did the meals that didn't require any cooking. I really like splitting it up this way and I was able to make a TON of food and still keep my sanity. I am in no way an expert at doing this, but this is what worked for me! So here is what my Saturday cooking day looked like!

Here's a full list of everything I made (links to recipe by clicking on the title)
- Tortilla Soup (I left out the chicken to make it vegetarian and split into 2 meals)
- Bean and Rice Enchiladas (I made 2 batches, one regular and one with chicken added)
- Twice Baked Potatoes (I left out the green onions and made a total of 16 potato halves)
- Macaroni & Cheese (I made 2 batches. Prepare as directed until baking time. Then wrap and freeze.)
- Chicken Chili (Cook as directed minus spinach, then store in freezer bags)
- Granola (3 batches, store in airtight containers)

Here's how I mapped out my game plan:

Step 1: Drink coffee before starting. If you don't like coffee drink something with caffeine. It's going to be a loooong day!

Step 2: Since I used Saturday as my day to prepare anything that required the stove or oven, I started with the things that would take the longest. The most involved recipes are the tortilla soup, enchiladas, and the twice baked potatoes. 

I threw the potatoes in the oven first, since they had to bake for 1 hr

I started cooking my rice for the enchiladas

And lastly I got my tortilla soup going on the stove

 By the time my soup was finished, the potatoes were done and the rice had cooked and cooled. I bagged up the soup into freezer bags (split into 2, quart sized bags) and into the freezer and cut my potatoes in half to cool off a bit.

Step 3: I started boiling the water for my macaroni noodles, threw 2 chicken breasts in the oven (for enchiladas and chicken chili) and made the filling for the enchiladas.

Macaroni noodles

Chicken baking for enchiladas and chili

Enchilada filling

Step 4: I finished the macaroni and cheese, and placed it into foil pans and into the freezer. I put my hubby to work wrapping the first batch of (meatless) enchiladas and I started getting my ingredients together for the chicken chili.

2 pans of Mac and Cheese ready for the freezer!

The hubby helping me out!

Chopping away for the chicken chili

Step 5: Remove chicken from oven and shred. Add 1 chicken breast to the enchilada filling and set the other aside for the chicken chili. Start the chicken chili, husband finishes wrapping the 2nd batch of enchiladas and while the chicken chili simmers, make granola.

Chicken Chili simmering on the stove

Making 3 batches of yummy granola!

Step 6: While granola is baking, finish the chicken chili and divide into freezer bags (I split it into 2, quart sized bags like the tortilla soup). Start washing those dishes!!

Step 7: When all three batches of granola are finished, have the husband finish the dishes and clean-up and put your feet up and REST! More to do tomorrow!