Once A Month Cooking 101 – How & Why You Should be Cooking for Your Freezer

If you’re like me, there are days when you really just don’t have the time to cook. Once a Month Cooking, otherwise known as freezer cooking, is a great way to fix that little “problem. Freezer cooking is just what it sounds like…you’re cooking regular meals to fill up your freezer. I know it sounds like a bit ol’ pain in the rear, but it’s really not. You’ll cook once a month and make enough to feed your family for the rest of the month.

Here’s the kicker though; not only will you save time, but you’ll also save money! How? Because when dinner is already cooked and planned, you’re not tempted to go out to eat and you’re not going to the grocery store buying food you already have but don’t know about!



To start, you’ll need to go through your fridge, freezer and pantry. Make an inventory list of everything you have.

Next, pull out your favorite freezer cooking recipes and make a menu plan, writing a grocery list at the same time so you’ll know what all you need to buy to complete your menu.

Now, go shopping and pick up only the items on your list.

Once you’ve got all of the ingredients you’re going to need, it’s time to start cooking!

I personally find that by multi-tasking and doing multiple things at once, you really save time. While you’re cooking any meat you need, chop your veggies or do any other prep work that you can. I personally will start ground beef cooking, then any chicken or pork that needs to go into the oven, then I prep my veggies. Once my veggies are chopped, diced or whatever, I move onto anything that may need mixed up and laid on baking pans, etc (like biscuits).

Once everything is ready to go, start assembling your meals! At this point, you have two options. Either cook them like the recipes call for or freeze them right now. If you freeze them now, be sure to write cooking instructions on the containers before you freeze them.

If you’re cooking them, cook as directed and let cool completely.  Once they’re cooled, write what it is and the re-heating instructions on the tops and freeze!

That really is the basics! The meals you cook are up to you, the process you use, it’s all customizable to what fits you!