Freezer Staples List

To really tame your meal planning (and your budget) schedule one day a month to fill your freezer with staples. You can get some friends to cook with you and split the goodies at the end of the day, or you can do it all yourself. It's completely up to how you like to cook. Me, I prefer to go it alone.

You certainly don't have to cook everything on this list every month. In fact your family may use twice as many beans as mine and no seitan.

What to put on your  list:
  • Beans - freeze in 1 1/2 cup portions (which equals 1 can)
    • Pintos
    • Kidney
    • Black
    • Chickpeas
    • Lentils - for last minute stews or sides
    • Aduki 
  • Seitan
    • chopped
    • sliced
    • specialty flavored 
      • Mexican
      • Italian
      • Chinese
  • Sausage
    • patties
    • links
    • crumbles
  • Grains
    • rice
    • quinoa
    • barley or other long cooking grain
  • Quick Breakfasts
    • waffles
    • pancakes
  • Preserved Seasonal Veggies (cheaper and easy to stash in the freezer too)
    • diced tomatoes
    • strawberries
    • blueberries
    • bell pepper strips
    • pumpkin and other winter squashes