If freezer meals haven’t become a regular part of your life yet, then this post is for you.
Ask yourself:
Do you want to eat healthy?
Do you value family meal time?
Are you too busy to cook every night?
Do you want to save money on your grocery bill?
Do you want to quit buying so much fast food?
If yes, then it’s time to start utilizing the convenience of freezer meals.
Research shows that it’s well worth it to invest in regular family meal time:
- People who eat frequent family meals eat more fruits and vegetables and have a higher intake of essential vitamins and minerals such as calcium, fiber, iron, Vitamin C, and B Vitamins. They also consume fewer fried foods and soft drinks.
- Toddlers who eat frequent family meals have improved language and literacy development.
- Teens who have dinner with their families five or more times a week are almost twice as likely to earn A’s in school than teens who have a family dinner two or fewer times per week.
- Teens who have frequent family dinners are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs.
- Teens who eat frequent family dinners are also less likely to have sex at a young age, get into fights and be suspended at school, and have a lower risk of suicide.
- Shared mealtimes help build strong family connections, not to mention lasting memories.
- Children can learn basic cooking skills and appreciate a variety of foods when included in meal preparations.
- Home-cooked meals cost far less than takeout and restaurant meals.
If you are intimidated by the prospect of making freezer meals, envisioning long days of browning 20 pounds of hamburger and children crying at your feet, then it’s time to-rethink the process. While there is value in creating a lot of meals at one time, it isn’t necessary. Start simply by following the advice in my Ultimate Guide to Freezer Meals post (you can read it HERE.) Each week as you plan your menu, include a meal that freezes well. (For menu-planning tips, click HERE, and for healthy freezer meal recipes, click HERE.) Just double that meal, and put one in the freezer for a rainy day.
And in case you are wondering, I have a personal testimonial of freezer meals. I have been using them for the last eight years, and have noticed that dinner is more on time, and I am less stressed out in the late afternoons and evenings, when I have a stash of freezer meals on hand. I also avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store for dinner ingredients, which saves me lots of money in the long run (because everyone knows you always pick up something extra when you go into the store…especially when you’re hungry!)
And finally…the health benefits. You will not succeed at establishing a healthier lifestyle if you don’t have a plan – including a last-minute back up for those nights when you ran out of time to prepare the healthy dinner you had planned. It is too easy to slip back into old habits – ordering a pizza, making pancakes, or some other go-to dinner you need in a pinch. If healthy eating is a priority for you, then freezer meals can only make it easier for you. Be sure to check out my new cookbook, Healthy Eating The Happy Gal Way, for over 130 recipes to help you develop a healthier lifestyle. They are delicious, they are easy, and many of the dinners make great freezer meals! Click HERE for more information.
One more great resource to try is Once A Month Meals. These are complete freezer meal menus, customized to your personal preference (traditional, vegetarian, healthy, etc.) This is a great resource for freezer meals, so be sure to check it out HERE.
