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As a mom, on the go, I value all things that will help me have a little extra time. It seems there are never enough hours in the day when it comes to being a parent. One tried and true method I use often is preparing and freezing meals ahead of time. There are a lot of benefits that come from this method of preparing dinner.

I hate to work all day and then come home and slave over a hot stove. I want to be able to relax like the rest of my family. It hardly seems fair for me to have to spend all my time cooking, only to have to clean up a ton of dishes and messy kitchen afterwards.

Meals that can be frozen and cooked ahead of time are much neater to prepare. I don't have to worry about dirtying up all the dishes in the house. I don't have to sweat in the kitchen. As a matter of fact, I don't have to do anything at all. It is so simple, my husband or son can do it.

The process is not that hard. All I have to do is cook and then freeze the food. I can make several meals at a time or I can make a big quantity of something and freeze the leftovers. I use durable freezer bags. On the front, I label and date the meal and then store it in the freezer.

There are many simple meals that can be made and then frozen without ruining them for future digestion. Some of the common meals at my house are hamburger helper, spaghetti, and meatloaf. I prepare the food just as I normally would, through recipes or memory. I then let the food cool down enough that it doesn't melt the bag or unthaw other food in my fridge.

When I am ready to make a meal, all I have to do is lay it in the fridge to thaw out. Then, I reheat it on the stove, in the oven, or in the microwave. It tastes just as good as it did the day I made it. I can actually enjoy the meal without worrying about an extensive clean up.

Preparing meals like this also helps me to plan ahead. I can prepare a menu for a week. I don't have to worry about what to make or spur of the moment stuff. I think this is a great idea and would encourage everyone to give it a try. It is amazing how much easier the dinner process can be. I don't know how I ever made it before I learned to freeze and reheat my own meals.

Learn more about this author, Laura Leigh Fields.
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