If you are following a low-carbohydrate eating plan, cooking food that you can freeze for later makes it simple to prepare a quick meal when time is tight. Often referred to as "once a month cooking," freezer cooking involves preparing meals for an entire month at one time and freezing them to thaw and eat over the following four weeks. Many foods that are low in carbohydrates freeze well and make a nutritious addition to a meal plan that involves a heavy amount of freezing. Blending low carbohydrate cooking with freezer cooking is a healthy way to help you stay on track with your eating goals.
Step 1
Make a menu. Write down the low-carbohydrate meals you will cook for the upcoming month so that you can shop for the ingredients before preparation. Meat, poultry, seafood, cheese, butter, and some fruits and vegetables are both low in carbohydrates and freezer friendly. Many low-carbohydrate cookbooks are available for new ideas. Beef stew, vegetable and chicken casseroles, vegetable soup, seafood soup and crustless quiche are easy to prepare and freeze meals that are low in carbohydrates.
Step 2
Use ingredients that can be cooked in bulk and are used to prepare many of your low-carbohydrate meals. Ground meat and vegetables are examples of foods that can be cooked in large quantities and then divided among several meals. You can also make several meals that are the same and eat them once a week during the month.
Step 3
Prepare all the low-carbohydrate freezer meals at one time. Cook everything over the course of a day or two. Stick to your menu and list of ingredients so that you don't find yourself without a needed ingredient in the middle of the meal preparation.
Step 4
Package the low-carbohydrate meals into freezer containers and bags. Place each meal in an appropriate size container or freezer bag. Sauces do well in bags, while casseroles, soups and entrees freeze better in freezer containers.
Step 5
Label the containers. Use a Sharpie or pen to write what you have placed in each container and bag so that you don't have to guess or thaw something that may not be needed. In addition, write the date the food was prepared so that you aren't guessing as to how old something is, which will prevent the possibility of eating something that has spoiled.
Step 6
Reheat the frozen meals safely. Many plastic freezer bags and containers can leach chemicals into your food when placed in the microwave. Remove your low carbohydrate meals from their plastic packaging before you heat them up. Place them in microwave safe dishes or reheat in the oven in heat-proof serving containers.
Things You'll Need
- Low carbohydrate ingredients
- Freezer bags and containers
- Labels and a pen
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