Whether you are planning a play date or are hosting a holiday meal for the family, you’ll want to save time and money by purchasing your favorite go-to meals and storing them in the freezer. Thinking ahead and using your freezer to plan a full meal is also a great way to prepare for unexpected guests. Stash a few appetizers and entrees, like a casserole or enchiladas, and keep dinner rolls, bags of frozen produce, and a favorite dessert in your freezer. Bake what you need, and you'll have a low-stress and filling meal right at your fingertips.
So what dinner time staples should you stock up on and freeze before your next get together?
- Get apps. A ring of cocktail shrimp, small meatballs and mini quiches are among the items you can keep on hand in your freezer. Simply take what you need, heat them in your oven or microwave, and you can get the party started in a snap.
- Freeze your main course. An uncooked turkey purchased on sale before Thanksgiving can be kept in your freezer for up to 12 months, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, making it an economical purchase for a big gathering. Don’t forget game-day foods like chicken wings; buy in bulk and keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to cook them.
- Cut your prep work in half with frozen veggies. Dice up onions, chop herbs and cut peppers days, or even weeks before your big party. Store them in a freezer-safe container, mark the date on the container, and pop them in the freezer to be cooked at a later time.
- Use baked goods. Stock up on sales for butter or margarine and keep the extras in your freezer. You can also plan ahead by baking cookies, cakes and pies then storing them in the freezer for a quick, homemade dessert. Pizza dough is another unlikely item that can be frozen ahead of time and then defrosted as part of a quick dinner.
- Don't forget the ice. The last thing you want is to serve beverages at room temperature. To keep the party running smoothly, you can store spare bags of ice in your stand-alone freezer.
As every bulk shopper knows, organization is key when freezing items purchased on sale -- you don’t want items to get pushed to the back and eventually forgotten. With the Frigidaire upright freezer, you can organize your must-have foods for your next party in easy-to-reach shelves and drawers. Stock the ice cream on the top shelf, leave the meat and fish in the bottom shelves, and use the drawers to stash smaller items, like butter or sandwich-size plastic bags of chopped onions. By using a stand-alone freezer that is dedicated to your bulk shopping finds, you can save money and time by easily finding what you need. The Frigidaire Convertible Freezer/Refrigerator can also convert into a refrigerator. How does that help with parties? At the flip of a switch, you can defrost the chicken wings before the big game, or chill items like bottled water, soda or wine. Frigidaire freezers provide flexible storage options with its accessible design, are low maintenance with its frost free automatic defrost, and are built here in the USA.
On February 20th between 2 – 3 PM EST, freezer hopefuls should follow @Frigidaire and join the “Fab Frozen” Twitter Party using #fabfrozen to be entered for the chance to win a Frigidaire Convertible Freezer/Refrigerator. During the party, participants will be able to ask @KristinaVanni and @Frigidaire a variety of freezer-related questions from great meals to freeze for later to tips on what to stock up on for the long run.
For more information on this Frigidaire Freezer, other Frigidaire freezer models or home appliances, or to find a retailer in your area, visit www.Frigidaire.com.
This is a "sponsored post," meaning the company who sponsored the article compensated me for writing the article. The opinions I have expressed, however, are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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