So you want to start freezer cooking, but you aren’t sure if your kitchen is equipped with the freezer cooking essentials? Don’t fret! Generally speaking, you don’t really need any special tools to stock the freezer. You can get the job done in a reasonably equipped kitchen, but here is our list of top 10 freezer cooking essentials so that you can double check before you get started. Of course over the years, experience has taught us that there are a few special items that sure are helpful! We don’t want to cook without them, so here they are.
Top 10 Freezer Cooking Essentials
10. Reusable Freezer Bags
These reusable freezer bags are perfect for freezer cooking. They go from freezer to refrigerator, and are even dishwasher safe. Of course, you can use your regular freezer bags, but these are reusable – so they not only are great for the environment but also your wallet!
9. Good Knives and a Cutting Board (or 10!)
Good cutlery is very important in making your cooking day easy and safe. Sharp knives glide through food more easily, reducing the effort that you have to put forth, which in turn reduces mistakes and injury. I also like to have several cutting boards so that I can grab one for chicken, one for beef, one for vegetables, etc. to avoid cross-contamination.
8. A Large Stockpot
A large stockpot is a must-have tool for making soups or broths. It will allow you to save time by cooking multiple batches at a time.
7. A Large Saute Pan
You will need a large saute pan for browning large quantities of meat during your prep time. Also, each meal you cook will be doubled, so you will need more space than your usual pans. Otherwise, you will end up spending extra time cooking each batch separately. Definitely go BIG when looking for this item.
6. Digital Kitchen Timer
Sure, we all can use the timer function on our microwaves, but what if you have three different things going at the same time? Heads up – this will likely happen on cooking day! Having more than one timer (and labeling them with what you are cooking) helps take care of the confusion and potential of losing a meal because of improper cooking times.
5. Foodsaver
The Foodsaver is not a strictly necessary item for freezer cooking, but it will certainly improve the quality and lifespan of your freezer meals. Vacuum sealed meals can last 2-3 times longer than those stored in regular freezer bags! This is also a great tool for making cool things like Homemade Yogurt Tubes (filled with homemade yogurt if you like.) For more information on storage options, see our Get Started post on containers.
4. Food Processor
Have you checked out one of our chopping lists yet? You will be doing quite a bit of chopping for a freezer day, so we highly recommend using a food processor for efficiency. Go with what fits your budget and your kitchen space, but here is one that we like. The larger models will provide you with lots of options for pulsing, chopping, pureeing, slicing, and even shredding. Highly useful for our Vegetarian, Real Food, and Paleo meal plans!
3. Plastic Freezer Bag Holder
This is another item that isn’t strictly necessary. However, you will love the way this tool makes storage easier! Dumping a freezer meal into a freezer bag can be messy business if you don’t have an extra pair of hands to help hold the bag. Some extremely smart individual invented this device for just that purpose. Definitely one of those “why didn’t I think of that” products!
2. Muffin Tins
Most people use their muffins tins just for, well…muffins. But they are so much more versatile than that. They are extremely helpful for freezing individual portions of broth, soup, or pretty much anything you can fit in them. It is helpful to have a couple extra on your cooking day to have one ready to go while another is in the oven. You can buy (new or second hand) or borrow to save money. Silicone baking cups can likewise serve as muffin liners, or you can use them as you would your extra muffin tins!
1. Slow Cooker
This just isn’t our favorite freezer cooking tool, it is our favorite kitchen tool, EVER! Obviously, slow cookers meals are perfect for your busiest days. But it has many other functions on a cooking day. A slow cooker is handy for cooking chicken overnight (the night before your big cooking day). You can also make your own rotisserie chicken and brown ground beef in a slow cooker! We almost always include at least one slow cooker meal that simmers away all day while you are cooking your other freezer meals. But we also include several dump and go recipes that you can simply dump into the slow cooker on serving day.
Do you love an item that helps you with freezer cooking that’s not on our list? Tell us about it!
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9 Comments
Join the discussionI have a timer like this one: http://www.vat19.com/dvds/done…LOVE it. It looks like a stove/oven — each stove burner is a timer, as is the oven, so you can “match up” the timer to the appropriate burner. Makes it easier to figure out what’s done.
Is that the type of food saver you recommend? I need to get one but I don’t know what kind is the best.
Yes it’s our favorite.
Personally, I would prefer a timer that will also count UP. While developing a new recipe or planning a method for freezing, I like to know how long it took to do the work as I do it.
A great price for a high-quality large saute pan! If you’d like one with a glass lid, Calphalon tri-ply stainless has a nice one, although almost twice the price.
I use 3 one gallon plastic pitchers on my cooking day to hold my freezer zip lock baggies instead of a “plastic freezer bag holder” which I didn’t know existed!
Great tip, Laura!
I want to make freezer meals for my 94 year old father. Is microwaving a freezer meal in the Glad Ovenware containers essentially the same process as for store bought frozen dinners? I’m not sure my dad could learn a new reheating process especially if it is complicated
Hi Carrie, we do have freezer meals where you can freeze in compartmental containers and then just thaw and reheat in the microwave. We calls these Easy Assembly on Serving Day. To check these out, follow this link
Some of the recipes won’t specifically call for compartmental containers, but you can portion and freeze anyway that’s going to work the best for you! Here is a great article on how to package and free individual meals.
I hope this helps Carrie!