Freeze It Forward 2019 | 10th Anniversary Summer Edition!

On July 1, 2019 by Tricia

Freeze it Forward for 2019 | Summer Edition

We’re celebrating our 10th anniversary at Once A Month Meals and we want to continue celebrating this summer!

That’s right! We have been in the business of making time for what matters most using freezing cooking for 10 YEARS! Holy cow!

To celebrate, we’re inviting both members and non-members to join us in cooking freezer meals for others in need. We have had thousands of Once A Month Meals members and beyond make probably hundreds of thousands of freezer meals for themselves, their families, and friends!

That alone means that those families have spent less time in the kitchen and have stressed less (or not at all) about having meals ready every day at 6 PM! (Can we get a “hallelujah” for that!?) But seriously, what an amazing 10 years it has been.

Freeze It Forward – Summer 2019 from Once A Month Meals on Vimeo.

What is Freeze it Forward?

Every year, we love to encourage our community to “Freeze it Forward” by making and then gifting deserving family and friends with freezer meals!

At the heart of our company is the desire to help others to make time for what matters, and to empower our community to serve those around them through food (because let’s be real, we all have to and love to eat!)

We all know someone who might be walking through a difficult or challenging season.

Single parents
Foster/adoptive parents
New parents
Military families
Families experiencing economic hardship
Those with compromised health
Not-for-profit organizations
and SO many more

Well, we are ready and prepared to help equip you to help them, and we’re ready to do it in a BIG way!

The Freeze it Forward Pledge

OUR GOAL: With your help, we want to give away 10,000 freezer meals for our 10th year!

How it Works:

1. Choose a Friend or Family in Need to Make Meals For!

Think of a family, friend, neighbor, or maybe even a total stranger to you who you know is walking through a tough season where a meal could provide some relief and encouragement.

2. Make Meals to Give Away (+ Receive a FREE Menu!)

If you plan on bringing or gifting someone freezer meals, use our new, FREE Budget Friendly Menu for the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot to make it easy when you make a pledge below!

3. Share The Story With Us!

We want to Freeze it Forward, and we want it to start with you! Share your stories, pictures, and more with us using #freezeitforward #onceamonthmeals #oamm

MAKE A PLEDGE

Step 1: Choose a Friend or Family in Need To Give Meals To.

Getting started is simple.

Think of a family, friend, neighbor, or maybe even a total stranger to you who you know is walking through a tough season where a meal could provide some relief and encouragement.

Could you provide them a single meal, or 2, or even 5, to help them get through a hard work week at the office? Would it help feed their family after their major surgery? Maybe even aid in the recent diagnosis of a new-to-them disease or sickness?

Here are more ideas on WHO you can care for this season:

Having Money Troubles? Would providing a few extra meals help them in balancing their grocery budget, or making ends meet?
Starting a New Diet? Do they need help and encouragement to improve their health and wellness? Would some ready-made meals assist in starting their new diet because of a recent diagnosis?
Part of an Organization? Do you know an organization that helps provide meals and assistance to those in need? Could you help in making more meals for them to give away?
A New Mom? Give this to her in advance so she can stock her freezer before the baby comes! Or make meals for her!
Just Got Married? Help a newlywed learn to cook as they transition into a new stage of life!
Moving? In the Military? Help a family who recently moved into the area with meals as they transition to a new place.
Started A New Job? Help them meal plan in their transition.
Is Going Back-to-School? Teachers, bus drivers, graduate students & beyond appreciate support in healthy, at home eating
Struggling with Sickness? Show love and support to someone with an illness.
Elderly? Do you know an elderly couple or single who’s life would be easier with a few extra meals ready?
Single? Is there a single in your life pulling double duty? Work during the day and school at night? Help assist with dinner by providing them a few meals.

Step 2: Choose and Make Meals to Give Away!

Sign Up to Pledge Meals and Get A FREE Menu!

Use Our FREE Budget-Friendly Mini Menu!

If you plan on bringing or gifting someone meals, use our FREE Budget Friendly Menu to make it easy! Make these 7 recipes that double to 14 meals for a family in need! When you pledge to make meals with our pledge form, we will send you our Budget-Friendly Mini Menu for the Slow Cooker OR Instant Pot via email as a thank you for sharing the love with others!

Receive access to ALL the instructions for this menu so making meals is easy!

A Grocery Shopping List organized by category for faster and easier shopping.
Prep Instructions to help you prepare all your ingredients ahead of time.
Step-by-step Cooking Day Instructions for fast and efficient freezer cooking.
Individual Recipe Cards with detailed cooking and freezing instructions.
Printable Labels for your freezer bags with thawing and reheating instructions.
A Thaw Sheet for a full list of your menu’s defrosting or reheating instructions.

MAKE A PLEDGE

Step 3: Share Your Story of Giving During Giving Week!

@thetraugotts show their packed freezer for the month! | #oamm #onceamonthmeals

@steveferg cooked all these Paleo Freezer Meals with his wife so they actually stick to their diet! | #oamm #onceamonthmeals

Tell Us The Story!

Give your freezer meals away to that special someone during Giving Week July 28th – August 3rd!

Cook your meals anytime during the month of July, and join us for a mass giveaway Sunday, July 28th through Saturday, August 3rd!

Step 1: Snap a picture of the meals you made, or the recipient with their meals and share their story in your post!

Step 2: Add the hashtags #freezeitforward #onceamonthmeals #oamm to your post so we can share the love!

Step 3: Share it on Instagram or Facebook and tag us at @onceamonthmeals so we can share the story of spreading love and freezing it forward!

#freezeitforward #onceamonthmeals #oamm

Freeze It Forward WITH Us!

Join us as we Freeze It Forward, preparing freezer meals for Ana and Nitra to fill their freezers on July 29 in New Orleans!

Curious about freezer cooking or make-ahead meal planning? Tricia Callahan, Founder, and Owner of Once A Month Meals will be presenting on the benefits, tips, and best practices for making and freezing meals ahead of time. These low-budget, time-saving meals will be made as part of this hands-on experience. Ana was the winner of the Once A Month Meals Dinnertime Super Hero contest and thus, Once A Month Meals will be purchasing the groceries, and with your assistance, assembling meals to the fill the freezer of her and a friend.

In addition, as part of the Once A Month Meals Freeze It Forward initiative, we will be using all registration donations ($5/person minimum)* to also make meals to gift to the teachers of the ReNEW Schools to ease the stress of the first week of school! Join us for a night of laughter, learning, and cooking! *Registrations Donations of $20/person or more will receive a Freeze It Forward t-shirt (sizes S-XXL)

GET YOUR TICKET

The event in St. Louis on August 1st has been canceled.

Easy-to-Gift Freezer Meals for Inspiration!

These meals are delicious, have simple ingredients, and are fast and easy to assemble!

SEE MORE RECIPE IDEAS