There is something about 5:00 p.m. when everyone is hungry, dinner needs to happen, and suddenly ordering pizza sounds like the easiest option in the world.
I have been trying to get ahead of those moments by doing something very simple: stocking my freezer with homemade convenience foods.
I'm not talking about spending an entire Sunday cooking 25 different meals and putting everything into perfectly labeled meal-prep containers. I don't have the time or the desire for that!
Instead, I have been making a little extra of things we are already cooking and freezing the extras. Over time, those little extras add up to a freezer full of easy meals, lunches, snacks and ingredients.
And when I am tempted to order takeout, I can open the freezer instead.
Make a Bigger Batch of What You're Already Cooking
One of my favorite freezer tricks is chili.
When I make chili, I make a bigger batch than we need for dinner. Instead of putting all of the leftovers into one enormous container, I freeze it in 2-cup portions in freezer bags.
Two cups is a handy amount for us. It is enough for a quick lunch or an easy dinner, and it thaws much faster than a giant frozen block of chili.
I can pull one out when I need a quick meal, heat it up, and dinner is practically done.
You can do the same thing with:
- Taco meat
- Sloppy Joe filling
- Spaghetti sauce
- Pulled pork
- Shredded chicken
- Soup
- Stew
- Meatballs
- Beans
- Enchilada filling
- Cooked ground beef
The key is simply making extra while you're already cooking.
Make Extra Pizza Dough
Today I made a triple batch of beer pizza dough.
We are having pizza tonight, so one batch is being used for dinner. But instead of making only what we need for tonight, I made enough to put some away for later.
This is one of my favorite ways to make homemade pizza more convenient.
You can freeze pizza dough in individual portions, let it thaw in the refrigerator, and then you are already halfway to homemade pizza night.
And I took it one step further today.
I made some mini pizzas that can be pulled from the freezer for an easy lunch or a quick dinner for one person.
Those little individual meals can be incredibly useful. Not everyone in the house always wants the same thing at the same time, and sometimes you just need something you can heat up without cooking an entire meal.
Freeze a Whole Homemade Pizza
I also made one whole pizza to freeze.
One of my favorite parts of freezer cooking is finding ways to reuse packaging instead of buying special freezer containers.
For this pizza, I reused a Sam's Club pie container. I saved both the plastic shell and the metal pie tin and used them to package my homemade pizza for the freezer.
It is basically homemade frozen pizza without buying another disposable freezer pizza.
When we need an easy dinner later, I can pull it out, heat it up, and we have pizza without calling for delivery.
That's the kind of convenience I am looking for.
Freeze Cookie Dough Instead of Cookies
I also freeze cookie dough.
Rather than baking an entire huge batch of cookies every time, I portion the dough into one-dozen packages and freeze them.
Then, when we want fresh cookies, I can pull out one package and bake them.
This is especially nice during the holidays, but it is also handy year-round.
It means I can take advantage of making a big batch of dough without ending up with several dozen cookies sitting on the counter tempting everyone.
And there is something pretty wonderful about being able to say, "We need cookies," and finding homemade cookie dough waiting in the freezer.
Freeze Leftovers in Single Servings
Another thing I have been doing is freezing leftover meals in portions that actually make sense for us.
For example, I recently froze half of a chicken pot pie in single-serve slices.
Instead of freezing the entire half together, I separated it into individual servings.
That way, someone can grab one when they need lunch or dinner without having to thaw the whole thing.
This is especially helpful for leftovers that might otherwise get forgotten in the back of the refrigerator.
The Goal Isn't a Perfect Freezer
I don't want my freezer to look like one of those beautiful pictures where every container is identical and everything has a perfectly printed label.
My goal is much more practical.
I want my freezer to make feeding my family easier.
If I have a busy day, I want options.
If I'm tired, I want options.
If we have unexpected expenses and eating out isn't in the budget, I want options.
And if everyone is hungry at 5:30 p.m. and nobody can agree on what sounds good, I definitely want options!
Freezing homemade food gives me some of the convenience of frozen and fast food without having to pay restaurant prices.
Think of Your Freezer as Your Own Convenience Store
One way I like to think about it is that I am slowly turning my freezer into a little homemade convenience store.
Instead of buying:
Frozen pizza → I make and freeze pizza.
Frozen cookie dough → I make and freeze cookie dough.
Takeout chili → I freeze homemade chili.
Frozen individual meals → I freeze portions of meals we already enjoy.
It doesn't have to happen all at once.
The next time you make soup, make a little extra.
The next time you make pizza, double the dough.
The next time you make cookies, freeze some of the dough.
The next time you have leftover casserole, freeze a serving or two.
Eventually, you'll open your freezer and realize you've built up a pretty impressive collection of homemade convenience foods.
Homemade Convenience Food Can Save Money
I think this is especially important when grocery prices are high.
It's easy to think that saving money means making everything completely from scratch every single day.
But sometimes the real money saver is making homemade food convenient enough that you don't reach for your wallet when you're tired.
Because let's be honest: sometimes takeout isn't purchased because we don't have food.
It's purchased because we don't have an easy plan.
A freezer full of homemade food can solve that problem.
You don't need to have a perfectly planned menu for every night of the week. You just need a few things waiting for you.
A bag of chili.
A couple of homemade pizzas.
Some mini pizzas.
A package of cookie dough.
A serving of chicken pot pie.
Maybe some taco meat or soup.
Suddenly, "What are we having for dinner?" doesn't feel quite so overwhelming.
Start With One Extra
If your freezer is currently empty, don't feel like you need to spend an entire weekend filling it.
Just start with one extra.
Making chili? Freeze two portions.
Making pizza dough? Make a double batch.
Making cookies? Freeze a dozen worth of dough.
Making a casserole? Put one serving in the freezer before everyone eats the leftovers.
Little by little, those extras become your emergency stash of homemade convenience food.
And the next time you're staring into the refrigerator at 5 p.m. wondering whether you should just order pizza, you might remember that you already have pizza waiting in the freezer.
That's a pretty good feeling.
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