Last month my sister started a Make Ahead Meal Group with her friends in her neighborhood, and asked me if I wanted to join too. This has been so awesome! Each person makes and freezes 12 meals (you make 12 of the same recipe) and then we all meet once a month to trade meals. So yesterday I came home and crammed both my regular freezer and chest freezer with meals that I just have to throw in the oven or crock pot. There are rules to the group so that everything stays fair. For example, you have to spend at least $80.00, you can't experiment on the group with a new recipe, and each meal has to feed 6 adults. Since these meals are so big and are supposed to feed 6 adults, they each last us for a long time. (Everyone with a 2 year old knows how much they eat, and obviously McKenna doesn't eat anything but baby food yet.) So I'll make a new one for about 2 or 3 nights in a row and then we'll just rotate the leftovers for lunches and dinners.
It is pretty stressful planning, shopping for, making, freezing, and transporting 12 frozen meals each month. If you think about it, I've just fed 72 people all at once. But the reward is sooooo worth it. When I think about all the time I've saved planning menus, writing grocery lists, going to the store once or twice a week- and out here there isn't a store within 20 minutes of my house; I just love doing this meal group. Now I mainly just have to go to the store for milk and produce. HOORAY!
Here is a picture of about half of the meals that I got yesterday.
7 comments:
That is a pretty cool deal. That would be good for me since I work full time and don't really have time to cook. Good Job!!!
Hooray for you! I have heard of people doing this and wish I could find a group of people that would be interested in doing with me. What a fabulous idea. Personally I hate grocery shopping - so this would be a dream come true!
Boo Yeah! I was just talking to a girl who was thinking about doing this exact thing with the whole making meals and what not. By the way, you should check out by blog as well. www.davechrismurph.blogspot.com
That sounds like such a cool idea! I loathe shopping and so does Lee, so it pretty much takes an act of congress for us to haul out to the grocery store anymore...I might have to investigate this delightful alternative. :)
Cute blog and cute kids! I'm glad I found you and look forward to reconnecting after way too long!! :)
Check out our blog at jasonandmaryhealy.blogspot.com
P.S. I think this cooking in bulk idea is a grand idea!! I want to do it too.
Hmmm... how do you get one of these things going? Announce it to the Relief Society maybe? I'm going to have to think about this. This would be such a great group to be involved in! Thanks for sharing!
Great idea...sounds kind of complicated, but maybe worth it. We should do something soon and when we do I will bring my pitchfork...you could not be more wrong about my beloved Edward...JK JK
Amanda
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