Stocking Up: Filling your freezer, retaining your sanity

Are you tired of running to the grocery store at the last minute because you just can’t wrap your head around meal planning?  Learn why so many people subscribe to a stock-up mentality.

It saves time and frustration. It’s logical to consider stocking up so you don’t have to go to the store all the time with your crazy kids. Some moms go to the grocery store daily, while most moms rarely even have time to SHOWER daily.

Most parents hate finding that they are out of something AT THE TIME they need it, like bread, or coffee, or chocolate. It’s comforting to most moms to know there are a dozen rolls of toilet paper and cans of chicken noodle soup tucked away in the pantry.

It saves money. It’s true that if you have meals already prepared and frozen you won’t be tipping the pizza guy on a weekly basis or heading for those golden arches every night. The savings from buying the staple items in bulk at a place like Sam’s Club can really add up. Also check out sites like http://www.mygrocerydeals.com or http://www.groceryguide.com before you head to the grocery store.

Full Meal Stock Up — At home. Buy the cookbook Once-a-Month Cooking and try their two-week cooking plan. It should take you about five hours to pack your freezer with 14 meals. It definitely would take you longer to cook these meals if you make them on a nightly basis. The reward comes when you can pull something out in the morning to thaw, knowing dinner will be ready to pop in the oven as you rush off to after school ball practice or swim lessons.

Full Meal Stock Up — Off site. Meal prep stores are all the rage, and for good reason: they provide the containers, food, supplies AND clean up after you! Try it with several friends and make it a fun night out while accomplishing something at the same time. In about two hours you can make 10-12 meals for a family of four to six.

Stock Up Delivery. Schwan’s (http://www.schwans.com) will make small deliveries as often as you like, and you can order online. They offer prepared meals like chicken enchiladas, six-cheese tortellini and sliced beef with mashed potatoes, as well as side dishes and, of course, dessert. They even have 100-, 200- and 300-calorie products, as well as a $1 per serving menu and 30-minute meals.

Bottom line: Stocking up will make you feel secure and take you to a happy, calm, peaceful place in your mind knowing that you don’t have to pack your kids into the van and run to the store at 5:30 to buy buns for the hamburger patties you’ve thawed. Any system that allows busy parents the opportunity to slow down a bit and spend more time with their families is worth considering!

Sidebar:  Stocking Up Resources

Books:

·       Once-a-Month Cooking: A Proven System for Spending Less Time in the Kitchen and Enjoying Delicious, Homemade Meals Everyday by Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson

·       The Freezer Cooking Manual from 30 Day Gourmet: A Month of Meals Made Easy by Nanci Slagle

·       Frozen Assets: How to Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month by Deborah Taylor-Hough

Meal Preparation Information/Stores:

·       EasyMealPrep.com

·       MealAssembly.net

Freezer Cooking:

·       DinnersInTheFreezer.com

·       30DayGourmet.com

Miscellaneous:

·       Coupons.com

·       SmartSource.com

·       TheGroceryGame.com

·       TheKerrieShow.com