Well, I had some time on a recent flight to Los Angeles, so I started my list and now here it is! Cuatro (our 4th boy, due to arrive in January) will be joining our family before I know it and I want to be prepared. I won’t start on this list right away, but probably will do extra baking during the holiday season when all the baking ingredients and supplies are super cheap and there are lots of coupons out for them!
I had a “Stock the Freezer List” before Tyler was born and decided to create a new one for Cuatro, including new family favorites and more.
All of these goodies will have to go into our fridge freezer, as we don’t have a deep freezer and I don’t forsee us purchasing a new one before baby comes, but we might! I’ll be doing lots of flat freezing, making the most of the space I’ve got and keeping it neatly organized.
Without further ado…
Quick Breads
- 4 loaves Banana bread
- 2 loaves Zucchini Pineapple Bread
- 2 batches Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel
- Muffins – Blueberry, Banana Nut
Breakfasts
- Cinnamon Rolls – Freeze before baking in disposable trays
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls – Freeze before baking in disposable trays
- Waffles x2
- Pancakes x4 (Not sure what “flavor” yet…but likely something from this list.)
- Breakfast Burritos
- Smoothie Packs
Lunches
Dinners
- Spaghetti Sauce – For Spaghetti and Beef Pies
- Taco Meat & Beans with Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Shredded chicken – including Chicken Taco Bake
- Lasagna Buns – freeze the filling
This is gonna be a tight squeeze…maybe I need to start scouring Craiglist for a small deep freezer?!?
Don’t forget to check my 10 Favorite Freezer Meals list, to add to your stock the freezer list too.
Also, I’ve got my “No-Thought Dinners” List and Fast Five Meals List posted on the side of my fridge. I usually keep the ingredients for all these meals on hand…so when I do feel like throwing together a quick dinner, I’m armed and ready!
And last, but not least! There are lots of great “freez-able” recipes in each of my $5 Dinner Mom Cookbooks!
Marie says
great lists! The link for you “no thought dinners list” doesn’t work though….and the “no thought” part makes it sound like a list I could really use!! LOL
Tonya says
How do you freeze the breakfast burritos?
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
I cook up the eggs/potatoes/bacon (whatever is going inside) and then let cool to almost room temp before wrapping in tortillas. Then I either wrap 2 in foil or plastic baggie and put in the freezer. I reheat them in the microwave…part defrost, part full heat. If you let them thaw in the fridge, the tortillas can get soggy!
GM says
Congrats and Best Wishes for you, Cuatro, and family! Try http://www.FreeCycle.org for requesting a freezer. Craigslist gives me the “willies”, as I seem to get Spam before I ever get a legitimate answer, selling or buying.
FreeCycle is in your local area. All the members ask is that you pick up the item, altho’ some folks will work with you for some things. I have found baby clothes and items, canning jars, plants and even aquarium supplies and creatures (!) on FreeCycle and have given away a whole passle of stuff when I didn’t have enough time or space to have a garage sale.
Good luck!
Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says
Good idea! Will check it out!
Alison at NOVA Frugal Family says
We asked for one for Christmas many moons ago and the whole family chipped in a little and we have had ours for many years. I love it. It keeps things way more frozen the fridge freezer. Of course, if you don’t have a lot of room…it does make sure you use it all in a timely fashion so there aren’t any thawing problems 🙂 I highly suggest asking the family because they also might know someone who has one or thry might decide that it is the best Christmas present/baby gift you can get!!!
Maggie says
Love your website!! I need to start using it more, I usually just glance through the emails… Such great stuff!!! Just curious, is Cuatro the baby’s real name or a nickname? Either way, I LOVE IT!! Wish I would have been organized enough to prepare more when my boys were born many moons ago. We just kinda let things happen and got through it okay. (“Oh, PLAN AHEAD! I get it… Wow, what a concept!”) haha…. Still working on the homemaker thing. I admire those of you who are good at it. Has anyone heard of the FlyLady? Anyhow, keep up the good work!!
Amber says
Great idea! Baby#5 is due in 4mo. Maybe I can get motivated to do some freezing in that amount of time. 🙂
Rosemarie Groner says
I discovered you about a year ago and have been a super fan ever since. I used to eat tons of convenience foods, I started cooking from your books and blog about 6 months ago and I’ve reduced our food budget even further and learned a ton! Just wanted to let you know- On the off chance that you’re still deep freezer shopping, we got ours at Lowes, It’s a 5 cubic foot deep freezer for 169.00, with free shipping and free set up (which is actually just bringing it in and plugging it in but it sounds much better when you say “free set up”). We got it right before our frst baby was born last year and I’ve been stocking it up since. Thanks for all that you do! You’re an inspiration!
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