Cooking can be very time-consuming, especially if you wish to prepare delicious meals made with fresh ingredients. Cooking multiple, varied dishes for a main meal can be even trickier, and something that takes practice to get right. But there are plenty of selections that can be prepared ahead of time and baked the day of, or cooked beforehand, frozen, and thawed later.
“Make-ahead meals” are a great option for the busy, over-scheduled and economically-conscious, because they allow you the freedom to create and prepare them when you have time, and can be quickly re-heated on hectic days. The preparation is up to you. You can assemble various ingredients beforehand, store in the fridge and simply pop it in the oven whenever you choose. Or you can cook the whole meal, freeze it, and reheat later.
Some easy “make-ahead” food options that can be re-heated are casseroles and soups. Others, like pasta salads or main-dish green salads, don’t even require baking or re-heating. Casseroles and soups, especially, benefit from being prepared in advance because standing time lets the flavors blend well together. Investing in a slow-cooker is a great idea if you wish to prepare larger quantities of meals ahead of time, since many slow-cooker dishes, like stews and chili, can easily be frozen or refrigerated and reheated.
“Make-Ahead” Meal Ideas
- Casseroles, like tuna noodle casserole, creamy chicken and rice dish, au gratin style potatoes, and enchilada bakes
- Chilled pasta and rice salads, anti-pasta salads, and cold casseroles and coleslaws
- Stews, sauces, and chili
- Wraps and burritos
- Meat dishes, like Chicken Parmesan and meatloaf
- Vegetarian dishes, such as veggie casseroles, vegetarian lasagna, and baked ziti
- Baked goods, like muffins, cakes, and buttermilk biscuits
Freezing Foods
If you’re going to take the time and care to prepare large quantities of meals to be eaten later, you certainly don’t want these dishes to be damaged by freezer burn, which affects the taste and texture of foods. To also avoid the possibility of your frozen foods absorbing the smells or tastes from other foods in your freezer, be sure to secure and wrap them tightly in specially-designed freezer bags and airtight containers. Wrap foods in freezer bags that are made to be moisture- and vapor-proof and store meals in properly sealed containers that keep out moisture, leaving as little air as possible. Meats and baked goods can be wrapped tightly in foil before they are bagged. Be sure to label the food and write its date using tape.
Thawing Foods
Thawing foods at room temperature, excluding breads and other baked goods, can be risky, since bacteria can accumulate in thawed foods. It’s safest to thaw prepared meals in the refrigerator (smaller frozen foods can thaw in a few hours, while larger dishes may take as much time as overnight). You could also place frozen foods in a leak-proof bag and run it under cold water, or thaw foods in the microwave on the defrost setting.
In addition to saving time, preparing meals beforehand and freezing them is economical, since it ensures that foods will stay fresh and can be eaten days, or even weeks, later. With a little creativity, you can cook and prepare a varied selection of foods, making mealtime both simple and interesting.
