Freezer Meals Before Baby

Why stock the freezer before baby?

• Dinner with zero decisions. On the hard nights, nobody wants to think. Pull a bag, heat it, eat.
• Real food, not just fast food. Takeout is great until it's the fourth night in a row.
• It's a way to help. My wife is doing the heavy lifting on this pregnancy. I can't do much about that, but I can make sure there's always something good to eat.
• Future you will be grateful. Present you just has to spend a Sunday afternoon at the stove.

How to freeze food (so it's still good later)

1. Cool it fast.

   Don't let cooked food sit out on the counter for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's over 90°F). Split a big pot of soup or chili into smaller, shallow containers so it cools quickly. Hot food can go straight into the fridge, or you can chill it fast in an ice-water bath first.

2. Portion it.

   Pack it in the amount you'll eat at one meal. Then you only thaw what you need. I like a mix: a few two-serving bags for us, and a few single portions for the 2 a.m. "I'm starving" moments.

3. Keep the air out.

   Use airtight containers or bags made for the freezer, and squeeze out as much air as you can. Air is what causes freezer burn. Freezer burn won't make food unsafe, just dry and sad in spots.

4. Freeze it flat.

   Lay bags flat in a single layer until they're frozen solid, then stack them (or line them up like files). Don't stack warm packages; spread them out so the cold air can get around them. Thin, flat food freezes faster, which keeps the texture better. Bonus: flat bags also thaw faster, and you can fit a ridiculous number of them in a small freezer.

5. Leave a little headspace.

   Soups, stews and sauces expand as they freeze. In a wide-mouth container, leave about ½ inch at the top of a pint and about 1 inch at the top of a quart so the lid doesn't pop. In a bag, leave a little room at the top and press out the air before you seal it.

6. Keep the freezer at 0°F.

   Food stays safe at 0°F or colder. A cheap appliance thermometer in the freezer tells you for sure.

Label everything

Trust me on this one. Every frozen bag of food looks the same after two weeks. Write on every bag:

• What it is ("Chicken soup," not "soup")
• The date you froze it
• How to reheat it (so whoever's on dinner duty doesn't have to look it up)
• How many servings (optional, but nice)

Use a permanent marker or freezer labels. Example:

Chicken soup · 2 servings · Frozen Nov 9 · Thaw in fridge overnight, heat on the stove until it boils.

Use the oldest stuff first. First in, first out. I keep a running list taped to the freezer door so I'm not digging around with the door open.

Printable labels and a freezer-door list are in my free freezer-before-baby kit.

How long does food keep in the freezer?

Good news first: food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely. The times below are forbest quality. After that it's still safe to eat, it just starts to get drier, blander or a little freezer-burned.

Some things just don't freeze well. Mayo-based salads (egg, chicken, tuna, macaroni), cream sauces, lettuce, hard-boiled eggs and custard pies all come out watery or weird. Raw eggs in the shell shouldn't be frozen at all.

How to thaw food safely

There are three safe ways to thaw: in the fridge, in cold water, or in the microwave.Never thaw on the counter, in hot water, or anywhere like the garage or the car.

How to reheat leftovers safely

165°FReheat leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. (This is why there's a meat thermometer on my Gear I Use page. It's not just for steak.)

• Soups, sauces and gravies: bring them to a rolling boil.
• Cover it while it heats. It keeps the moisture in and heats the food all the way through.
• In the microwave: cover it, stir or turn it partway through, let it rest briefly, then check the temperature in a few spots. Microwaves leave cold spots.
• Leftover leftovers? Anything left after you've reheated it to 165°F can go back in the freezer.

Stock your freezer before baby: the checklist

Want it on paper? Print my free freezer-before-baby kit: this checklist, a freezer inventory for the door and labels for your bags.

Freezer meal questions

How long do freezer meals last?

Food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely. The times in my keep-times table are for best quality: soups, stews and casseroles taste their best for 2 to 3 months. After that it's still safe to eat, it just starts to get drier, blander or a little freezer-burned.

How long each food keeps

Can you eat freezer meals when pregnant?

I'm a dad who cooks, not a doctor. For reheating, we follow the USDA: reheat leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer, and bring soups, sauces and gravies to a rolling boil. Your own doctor or midwife always has the final word.

How to reheat leftovers safelyUSDA: Leftovers and food safety (opens in a new tab)