How to Freeze Chicken Meals

Chicken is a food that is easy to freeze and store.

Preparing meals in advance that can be warmed up quickly and easily later is a useful time-saving idea. If you have had a busy day and the last thing you want to do when you get home is cook, then freezing meals for the week ahead is worth the effort. Creating nourishing ready-made meals at home will be far better than buying the frozen microwave meals, as your meals will be healthier, fresher and home-cooked to your taste.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic freezer containers (with lids)
• Labels
• Pen

Instructions

1. Open your plastic containers that you want to fill with meals. If you are doing several of the same thing have all your containers ready.

2. Wait for the food to cool down and then pour into the container the portion size that you require for one meal (or if there is always two of you eating the same meal, place enough for two in the container).

3. Put the lid on the container so that it is airtight. Stick a label on the lid and write what the meal is and the date. It is important to date your meals as you should not keep them in the freezer for more than one month before the various elements of the meal might start to degrade.

4. Place the meals in the freezer ensuring that your freezer is below 0 degrees F.

Tips & Warnings

• Always thaw your meals before reheating them, the best way to do this is to take them out of the freezer in the morning and then place in the fridge, ready for your evening meal.

• Ensure your meals are cooked thoroughly before freezing, bacteria in meat can still be active when freezing and then re-heating.

References

• Favorite Freezer Foods: Freezing Chicken
• Four-H Purdue Education: Freezing Meat and Poultry