4 Freezable Preparations: Your Allies for Dinners AND Lunches!

Do you know that moment of panic when you have to improvise yet another lunch? Or that feeling of discouragement at 5:30 p.m. when you don't feel like cooking? These daily situations that sap our energy and creativity in the kitchen can fortunately be avoided with a little organization. Here is THE solution that will revolutionize your routine: frozen basic preparations that can be transformed into complete meals in a few minutes and into varied lunches without effort! A simple but incredibly effective approach that will allow you to always have something on hand to feed the whole family, whether for evening meals or the next day's lunch boxes. No more stress and last-minute improvisations!

1. Pulled Pork: The King of Versatility

https://www.zeste.ca/

For express dinners

• Tacos : Reheated meat + warm tortillas + toppings of your choice = dinner ready in 10 minutes!
• Gourmet Burgers : Brioche bun + pulled pork + crunchy salad = a burger that impresses

For lunches

• Tacos disassembled :
• In the thermos: reheated pulled pork
• In the containers: cold tortillas, cut vegetables
• Kids have fun putting together at lunchtime!
• Cold gourmet burgers : Delicious even without reheating

Freezing tip: Freeze flat in “ziploc” bags in portions - saves space and guarantees rapid defrosting!

2. Versatile meatballs: four meals in one

https://www.5ingredients15minutes.com/

For dinners

• Pasta with pink sauce : A classic revisited with meatballs
• Asian bowl : On rice with vegetables and teriyaki sauce

For lunches

• Asian soup in a thermos :
• In the thermos: hot broth + meatballs + rice noodles
• In a container: julienne carrots and green onions
• Vegetable soup or minestrone : Add meatballs for more consistency, perfect meal for the thermos

Freezing tip: Freeze raw meatballs on a baking sheet before transferring them - they won't stick!

3. Taco meat: the lunch champion

https://www.kpourkatrine.com/

For dinners

• Nachos Supreme : For casual evenings
• Mexican Bowl : Rice + Meat + Black Beans + Corn + Avocado

For lunches

• Mexican pockets :
• In the thermos: hot meat
• In the containers: fajita pockets, peppers, lettuce, salsa
• Taco Salad : Topped with Fritos for the Kids' Enjoyment

Freezing tip: A little cooking sauce before freezing = meat always juicy!

4. Greek chicken: guaranteed freshness

https://folksandforks.ca/

For dinners

• Shish taouk sandwich : Pita bread + chicken + lettuce + tomatoes + tzatziki sauce

For lunches

• Cold Greek Bowl :
• Quinoa + chicken + cucumbers + tomatoes + olives
• Tzatziki sauce on the side

Freezing tip: Freeze in marinade for more flavor!

Winning organization

For successful freezing

• Portions adapted to your needs
• Clear labeling (content + date)
• Rotation of portions
• Quality airtight containers

Smart planning

• One day of cooking per month
• Up-to-date inventory (on Octave or with the Les Belles Combines freezer inventory)
• List of essential side dishes always in stock

Safe defrosting

• Ideal: in the refrigerator the day before
• Express: microwave defrost function or cold water bath
• Golden rule: never refreeze a defrosted dish

With these four basic preparations, no more mealtime headaches! You're now equipped for weeks of varied meals, whether for hurried dinners or lunches the next day.

What is your favorite frozen lunch saver? Share your tips in the comments!

To ensure you don't forget anything in your freezer and optimize its organization, get our freezer inventory or use the inventory lists integrated into the Octave application. No more waste and double purchases!

🚀 Find this article and much more in the Octave app : shared calendar, collaborative to-do list, meal planner, centralization of family information and autonomy monitoring - your number 1 ally for an organized family life! 📱✨