Holly M Nelson

A "Victoriously Organized Woman", Sally Tomlinson, asked about freezer cooking for lunches. She doesn't like the school lunches; and neither do I, to be honest. I know there are only a few weeks of school left, but maybe you can use these ideas for the summer, also. Hopefully you will remember to come back to this during "Back to School" time. Maybe I'll just have to remember to do a "repost".

I have never frozen meals for the boys lunches. When Sally asked about it, I thought it was a great idea! You can do the cooking on the weekend. Or you could cook a little extra a few times a week to put in a special container for their school lunches. I actually do this for my husband to take meals to work. He does not like to go out to eat. It drives him crazy to spend almost $10.00 at Lenny's. He'd much rather spend it on a date night with me. Okay, We'd spend much more than $10.00, but you know what I mean. When it adds up. 

The ideas that came to mind when freezing are the sports night meals and the freezer cooking that I posted about a few weeks ago. I believe kids need lots of protein; and fresh fruits and veggies for school lunches. *When freezing, do not freeze buns with the burgers. They will get soggy. Just freeze the main entree.
~ For the Baked potato- freeze the chili topping and defrost the night before or morning of the lunch.
...more of my favorite ideas below the meal ideas...
 
   Here are a few of the ideas:

   Easy On-The-Go Meals:

(We do these meals at many sports events and take them as picnics in baskets and coolers. There are many days that we leave as soon as the kids get off the bus and do not get home until 10 pm!!)

Ball game chili:

1 Put chili in thermos, take fritos or doritos(small bags or large), and plastic spoons.

 2. Put chili in the small bag of fritos or doritos. or put all in plastic cups.

3. Stir and eat

 

Mini Burgers:

1. Make burger patties the size of a silver dollar. cook. wrap in foil.

2.Take square rolls, cheese, chips, fruits, squirt ketchup.

3. Make mini-burgers and serve with chips and fruit 

Egg Burritos:

1. Make scrambled eggs. Mix in bacon, cheese, peppers(opt), (whatever your family likes).

2. fill tortilla with eggs, top with cheese. roll up. Wrap in foil.

3.Serve at game with salsa and chips.

 

 Hoagie Sandwiches:

1.  Buy hoagie buns.

2. Top with favorite meats, cheeses, condiments.

3. Slice in sections, do not seperate. Wrap in plastic wrap.

4. Serve with chips and fruit.

 

Pizza sandwiches:

1. Mix butter and itlaian seasoning spread on both sides of bread.

2. On bread put mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, a little pizza sauce(tomato sauce and italian seasoning).

3. Top with another slice of bread. grill both side on grill pan or cook in skillet.

4. Wrap in foil or eat on go.

Footlong Sub Sandwich:

1. Purchase one from Subway or...

2. Cut open fresh french loaf bread. Add desired toppings.

3. Pre-cut. Wrap in saran, plastic wrap.

4. Serve a picnic during sports practice or game with fresh fruit, chips, nuts, veggies.

Chicken Salad:

1. Top a fresh salad with grilled or fried chicken. Put in a large bowl with a lid.

2. Take bowls, forks, dressing, drinks, fresh fruit for serving.

Tortilla Wraps:

1. Top a tortilla with your favorite lunchmeat and condiments.

2. Or top with salmon and cream cheese.

3. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in cooler.

4. Serve with fresh fruit and veggies

Burritos:

1. Top a warm tortilla with your choice of  refried beans,  chicken, beef, cheese, onions, etc...

2. Wrap in foil.

3. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa.

Baked Potatoes:

1. Microwave potato for 6-8 minutes. Cut open. Fill with butter sour cream, chili and/or other desired toppings. 

2. Wrap in foil. Don't forget to take forks for serving!!

Soup:

1. Make desired soup. Put in thermos. Serve in coffee mugs.

Hot Dogs:

1. Warm beef hot dogs. Place on a bun. Wrap in foil.  Serve with chips.

Quick Fix Meals at Home:

(* to serve before or after coming home from sports)

Crock pot Chicken~ many ways:

* easiest served with baked potatoes or frozen, oven ready fries.

1. Roast Chicken~Put a whole roast chicken in crock pot with carrots and potatoes. Cook all day on low. Serve with ready serve rolls.

2. Mexican Chicken~Put chicken and enchilada sauce or taco seasoning in crock pot. Cook on low. Serve with chips and salsa.

3. Mushroom Chicken~Chicken in mushroom soup. Cook on low all day. Serve over rice.

4. BBQ Chicken~ BBQ sauce over chicken in  crock pot. Serve with corn on cob, chips, or oven fries.

5.  Northwoods Chicken~ Chicken sprinkled with Northwoods seasoning. Cook on low in crock pot all day.  Serve with veggie or baked potato.

6. Ginger Lime Chicken~ Chicken with lime juice(1/2 to 1 C), ginger and garlic . Cook on low all day.

Other:

1. Crock pot Roast with potatoes and carrots. Put all in crock pot, cook on low all day.

2. Crock pot round steak~ round steak with mushroom soup. Serve with baked potato. 

3. Crock pot meatloaf. Make a meatloaf and form into meatloaf size (like the pan). Put in crock pot an cook on low 6-8 hours.

4. Crock pot pork chops~ #1- pork chops with mushroom soup. Cook all day on low. #2- pork chops with maple syrup, soy sauce, and ginger. Cook all day on low.

5.  Soup~ Put desired soup ingredients in crock pot. Simmer on low until serving.* Taco soup, chicken noodle soup, tortilla soup, chili, white chili, etc...

6.  Baked Potato Bar~ have baked potatoes warm in the crock pot. Set out toppings such as cheese, sour cream, chili, chives, etc...

7.  Meatballs~ have meatball warm in crock pot. Serve over egg noodles. Or serve on a hoagie bun for a sandwich.

8. Taco Salad/ Nachos~ Warm taco meat in crock pot. Serve over tortilla chips or salad with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, onions, dressings, etc...

9. BBQ Nachos~ Shredded beef warm in crock pot. Serve over tortilla chips, BBQ sauce, cheese sauce, onions, tomatoes, jalepenos, sour cream, etc...   

10. Salisbury Patties~ in crock pot with beef or brown gravy, cook on low all day. Serve with egg noodles or baked potato. 

 Steps for the summertime, you can do these crockpot meals for lunch time.
1. Just turn the heat to high. 
2. Make on weekend then freeze. Put in oven right before lunch time.
3. Put the freezer meal back in the crock pot early in the morning to be done for lunch.
 

Steps to Freeze them for School Lunches:
1. Prepare on the weekend. Put in individual size plastic containers and freeze. Write with sharpie on labels the food and date (I use the address labels for the printer). The morning you wan to serve for lunch- defrost in microwave and heat. Put in thermos, if necessary. 
2. Prepare extra food when making a meal. Freeze in individual size containers. And do the same steps above. 

My favorite school lunch entrees:* Defrost and pre heat before packing in their lunches*
~ Baked chicken- many different seasoning ideas. Just like above.
~ Baked pork chops- maple, ginger, soy sauce marinade.
~ Chili
~ Shepherds Pie  
~ Chicken Soup
~ Homemade chicken nuggets
~ Sloppy Joe filling (made with ground turkey)
~ Turkey Meatballs- alone or to make sub sandwiches 
~ Mini Burgers
~ Chicken Nachos- shredded chicken over chips and cheese
~ Pizza Bites- Pre made pizza dough cut into hand sizes. Top with mozzarella and sauce, etc... Fold over. Crimp edges with a fork. Bake then freeze.
~ Burritos
~ Chicken Crescents (recipe on THIS page)