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recommend some ho' made frozen lunches

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
I never seem to have time to prepare lunch the night before or the morning of, but frozen stuff seems to work great. if I forget to bring my lunch to work, it stays frozen and can be used at a later date.


a few months ago we had a bbq/party and I was left with a big bowl of bean/corn salad and a bunch of chicken. I cooked the chicken and made burritos with it and the salad, wrapping both up in flour tortillas with some added cheese. these worked great.

I would like to make a bunch more of these as well as some other items. only, I can't think of too many things that will work.

well, so far, asides from the burritos I have come up w/ various types of chillis.


any other suggestions for items that will work well frozen?
 

Crazy Sweeper

more COWBELL!
Jun 4, 2004
644
0
In a box
This doesn't really answer your question but I make a weeks worth of lunches on Sunday (like a big pot of chilli), and I'm set for the week.
 

berkshire_rider

Growler
Feb 5, 2003
2,552
10
The Blackstone Valley
pnj said:
any other suggestions for items that will work well frozen?
Pasta sauce. Especially homemade. I make it by the crock-pot, and freeze extra portions. I guess you would still have to boil the pasta ahead of time.

What works for me is things I cook for dinner during the week, I make more than enough that night of things that will keep in the fridge for a few days, and bring the leftovers in for lunch on different days. Friday's I order out - couple of slices, sammwich, or chinese.
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
when I cook a large meal, I definitly take or freeze the left overs for later...

can you freeze pasta? seems like that would be weird. doesn't matter much really, I'm not a big pasta fan..:)

how does rice work when frozen? seems like it may get weird....
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
Crazy Sweeper said:
This doesn't really answer your question but I make a weeks worth of lunches on Sunday (like a big pot of chilli), and I'm set for the week.
what do you make besides chilli. I think chilli would work great frozen.
 

berkshire_rider

Growler
Feb 5, 2003
2,552
10
The Blackstone Valley
pnj said:
when I cook a large meal, I definitly take or freeze the left overs for later...

can you freeze pasta? seems like that would be weird. doesn't matter much really, I'm not a big pasta fan..:)

how does rice work when frozen? seems like it may get weird....
Frozen pasta would defintely be weird. Maybe not if it was homemade mac-n-cheese, or some sort of casserole. Lasagna? How about the microwaveable minute rice? Or frozen meatballs and sauce? Just reheat and bring in a roll or some italian bread. Do you make your own soups?
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
Crazy Sweeper said:
This doesn't really answer your question but I make a weeks worth of lunches on Sunday (like a big pot of chilli), and I'm set for the week.
We do the same. We find that if we are cooking every sunday then we don't really need to freeze as the food should stay good for 5 days in the fridge in a tupperware.

But, soups work great frozen, chili (as you found out) is a winner, pasta does work frozen as well.
 

pnj

Turbo Monkey till the fat lady sings
Aug 14, 2002
4,696
40
seattle
I make my own chilli, and sometimes soups. but not in the summer when it's all hot outside..:)

one thing I like about freezing my meals is, I often seem to forget to bring them. this way, they don't go bad.

the frozen burritos I did months ago. I still have some left.:thumb:

I need to start bring lunch everyday though, so I thought if I made a bunch of different things, I wouldn't have to eat say, burritos, for 2 months strait...:)
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,811
2,132
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
Chili and Soup both work well frozen. I have a good Zuccini soup recipe and a couple of tasty chili recipes as well. Pasta and rice don't really freeze too well, but you could always bring in a box of minute rice and use it in a pinch.

Other frozen foods...
eggplant parm.
lasagne
homemade mac-n-cheese
scalloped potatos with ham

As for summer foods, I generally eat random amounts of fresh fruits and veggies with yogurt & cottage cheese or sandwiches.