Victor
Batch Cooking the Meats
When preparing food ahead of time, it is essential to make items that can withstand freezing and reheating. Certain meats will not go through this process well, but many work perfectly. The principle in my method is to prepare the meats that will work well this way ahead of time with batch cooking, to be thawed and reheated later. The food quality is just as good, whether you prepared it 2 hours ago or prepared it 2 months ago, froze it, and then reheated it for the meal. The flavor and texture are usually better as the meats have rested and the flavors married.
Base your meal plan on the meat types and recipes. Once the meats are prepared and cooled, it is crucial to vacuum seal and freeze them quickly if you don’t plan to eat them in the next few days. Doing this gives you a long-term storage method for the primary perishable component of your meal that is the most expensive.
Have a Plan
Your grocery shopping must start with a plan, not just a list. Your plan should consist of all the meals you plan to make with the groceries you purchase. But what does a plan look like? A well-developed strategy for shopping should maximize the use of the items you buy by using them in meals that use all of what you are buying. Here is an example. If the smallest package of chicken thighs you buy is 3 lbs, you must have a plan to prepare that cut of meat for more than just one meal unless you have a family of 8. If you don’t plan a second or third meal to use all that chicken, you will leave it in the fridge too long. It will spoil, or you will freeze it before cooking it. Read How to Freeze Meat from the Grocery Store and learn why this is a bad idea.
So plan your meals around the meat you prepare and the pack size of that cut. You will notice that my meat prep recipes use the entire package of meat based on a certain number of meals made from one package of meat. I also purchase my meats at Sam’s Club, so I have built my yields around those pack sizes.
Cook Meats Quickly After Purchased
After you have come home from grocery shopping or received your delivery of groceries, it is time to start preparing your perishable items. For example, I advise cooking all your meat within 24 hours of bringing it home unless you will cook fresh in the next 24-48 hours, such as steak or seafood.
By preparing your meats quickly after purchasing them, you eliminate most chances of the meat spoiling because of non-use. When you cook the meats in this timeframe, all your meats will be prepared, vacuum-sealed, and frozen within 48 hours. These meats can stay this way for months or more if they are sealed correctly with the correct equipment.
Storing You Prepared Meats and Building Food Reserves
Once your meats are cooked and prepared according to the meals you plan, vacuum-seal them to store in the freezer. Store the bags as flat as you can, allowing you more efficient storage in your freezer and making it quicker to thaw them when you decide to use them. Because the vacuum-sealed bags will last in the freezer for months or years, try to shop again before you completely consume the meats prepared. You start to build up a reserve of prepared meats if you don’t consume them all in the cycle.
I prepare meals for 5 of the seven days of the week. I use this as a guide, not a rule, but it gives me a plan for how many meals I will need to prepare in a month. For example, based on a 4-week menu plan, I need 20 family portions for the month. If I can reserve one batch each week before I go shopping, I will have built a month of meals in reserve in my freezer in about five months. This is very comforting if you have a tight budget or if a natural disaster, emergency, or pandemic strikes. A month’s worth of prepared meals certainly boosts your spirit and comfort level.
A System Is In Place
Once your meats are prepared, vacuum-sealed, and stored in the freezer, you will start to use them to assemble your meals. When it is time to go grocery shopping, you can take an inventory before you shop. If you prepare your meats based on the recipes of the meals you plan to eat, then you will have stock in the freezer of family-sized meal portions ready to use. Having these different meats prepared gives you options. Some people can plan to have certain foods each day, but I can’t. Well, I can plan for it, but I won’t follow it unless I just have to. One week I may decide to eat more chicken meals, and the following week I may be in the mood for beef meals. When it is time to go grocery shopping, I don’t have to figure it all out, and I just have to see what is missing in the freezer.
First, you have to keep the freezer organized, but when you take inventory of what meats you have left, you have to purchase what you need to replenish what is missing. Once you have that list, add the other meal components from the pantry list and fridge list, and your shopping list is complete.
