At the beginning of September I posted some meal options to use the freezer inventory. Now that the month is over (and we are actually in October) this is the final wrap up of how it went. I did not use as much as I intended to, but I am also not going to beat myself up about it. We still ate each night, and the stuff that was in the freezer that we did not use is still frozen!
1. Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad (frozen meat sauce)
2. Hamburgers with fixings, corn, cream cheese and jalapeño side dish (frozen patties, frozen veggies)
3. Bbq ribs, caulitato salad, baked beans (Labor Day meal will buy the ribs already cooked)
4. Veggie meal, cornbread TBD based on produce stand and garden availability
5. Veggie meal, cornbread TBD based on produce stand and garden availability
6. Hamburgers with fixings (frozen patties)
7. Taco salad (frozen taco seasoned ground chuck) Turned into a casserole
8. Taco salad (frozen taco seasoned ground chuck)
9. Chopped salad with chicken (frozen cooked and seasoned chicken)
10. Pizza, tossed salad (frozen mini pizza crusts, frozen pepperoni)
11. Grilled chicken, brussels sprouts, garlic bread (frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
12. Stuffed bell peppers, hash browns, coleslaw, green beans (frozen uncooked ground chuck)
13. Fajita baked chicken (thanks Belinda) (frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
14. Grilled steak, baked potato, tossed salad, (frozen steak)
15. Garden salad, grilled cheese sandwich (lots of cheeses in the fridge)
16. Buffalo chicken, celery sticks, crudités with dip, fruit (frozen chicken tenders)
17. Butter chicken, rice, green vegetable (frozen boneless skinless thighs)
18. Peruvian chicken, mashed potatoes, green vegetable (Frozen boneless skinless thighs)
19. Cedar planked salmon, mashed potatoes, some green veggie (frozen salmon)
20. BLT, cucumber onion and tomato salad (frozen cooked bacon)
21. Grilled lamb chops, rice pilaf, green beans, side salad ( frozen rack of lamb)
22. Lamb leftovers
23. Corned beef, cabbage, potatoes (frozen corned beef)
24. Corned beef leftovers
25. Philly cheesesteak casserole, salad (frozen browned ground chuck)
26. Philly cheesesteak casserole leftovers I made a small one, so no leftovers
27. Soup and cornbread (frozen chicken broth)
This is what we ate:
Monday: I had some vegetables that had to be used immediately. Since it hurts to throw away food, the meal planned itself with no help from me,
Crowder peas, squash, okra, coleslaw
Tuesday: TheHub had been craving Persian food from a nearby restaurant and we had decided it would be great to order some. I called when he was on his way home to place an order he could grab before heading to the house. We had no idea they were closed on Tuesdays, and I had no dinner made.
PB&J for TheHub, sliced tomato and banana peppers for me
Wednesday: I had frozen the corned beef leftover from the prior week to make this dinner.
Corned beef hash (keto variety) leftover cabbage
Thursday: I had been working to get the house ready for weekend guests, and was not about to make a real meal.
Grilled cheese sandwiches, small salad, lots of pickles
Friday: I told TheHub I was not going to cook Friday night.
La Fiesta to the rescue! Chili poblano
Saturday: Everyone went to the ball game except for me. Roll Tide! They stopped and picked up a meal for a late dinner.
Costa's ziti for 4 which actually fed 7 people (with leftovers for another night.)
Sunday: A friend of ours is having a rough go of it right now so I volunteered to take dinner to them. I just made extra of the same for our dinner
Meatloaf, green beans, new potatoes, coleslaw
Used from the freezer:
Nothing
Put into the freezer:
Tuna steaks (Someone at the office gave TheHub too many fresh tuna steaks)
For October:
Instead of planning a menu I am just listing the foods I need to use and will decide on the fly how I want to make them. My primary objective is to use the frozen inventory. How I use it is incidental!
Partial inventory from the freezer: (I got cold and just stopped looking, but I figure this is as good as any place to start. I guess I will see what happens next!)
6 packs of chicken
5 packs of ground chuck
3 packs browned ground chuck
2 duck breasts
2 racks of lamb'
2 salmon filets
6 tuna steaks
1 steak
1 pack cooked beef for Korean beef bowl
3 packs Conecuh sausage
2 packs smoked pork
1 London broil
12 frozen hamburger patties
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.
Looks like great progress to me! We've been eating a lot of Persian food around here (kebabs), as M likes to use the barbecue frequently before the weather cools down/it gets too dark.
ReplyDeleteWe can grill year round unless it is raining as long as we use the gas grill. If we use the smoker, well that is weather dependent!
DeleteGood luck.
ReplyDeletePersian food? Now you have me drooling. And pre dawn it is far too early for that.
Persian food is drool worthy!
DeleteGreat job with eating down the freezer. Sounds like some yummy meals.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that I have ever tried persian food, and I don't think we have any restaurants like that here. I was going to try a new recipe last week that called for saffron until I saw the price.
Saffron is pricy but you usually have to use just a small amount.
DeletePersian food is delicious!
I think you did well with your September meal planning. Looking forward to seeing what you make with what's in your freezer in October. :)
ReplyDeleteUnless there are some super deals out there I just hope I add nothing to the freezer, except maybe something delicious like ice cream!
DeleteAnne,
ReplyDeleteI can see how this tactic will work. One I get the protein settled, I add the vegetables according to what is on hand or on sale.
I changed my approach and took 3 different item out of the freezer and stuck them in the fridge meat drawer to thaw. This way I have some options and can cook what sounds best on any given day.
DeleteAs always, it all sounds good to me. Good luck with your continued freezer cook down.
ReplyDeleteSome days are tasty and some days we just have fodder. It works either way, but I do need to primarily use foods from the freezer so I can overfill it again!
DeleteYour meal plans always look so appetising! And it was kind of you to take food to your friend. It always helps when someone is going through a rough patch!
ReplyDeleteI really don't think taking food is really a kindness. It is just something we do because it is what we are supposed to do.
DeleteI made cabbage soup on Sunday. Today I will fix red beans and rice and pineapple upside down cake. For some odd reason I have gotten into a cooking mode and for me that is very rare. I believe my son-in-law deserves some home cooking.
ReplyDeleteIf I were cooking just for me, I would not cook at all. I can see where you would start cooking again for someone else.
Delete