A Grocery List of Frozen Foods
Freezer basics for quick and easy recipes
Learning to cook? Moving into your first apartment? Here's some tips for frozen foods to purchase as you stock up your freezer.
Moving into your first apartment? Need some tips on how to stock your kitchen? Whether you're a college student, a newlywed, or anyone in need of some easy cooking tips and kitchen basics, you'll want to stock your kitchen with convenience foods that are easy to prepare and that can be used in quick and easy recipes and quick and easy meals. You'll want to buy basic refrigerated foods, pantry foods, and spices and condiments, and you'll definitely want to stock up on packaged frozen foods. Frozen foods have a very long shelf life, and they are often easy to prepare and perfect for cooking on a budget.
So what to stock in your freezer? Well, of course there are the old college standbys, like frozen pizza, Hot Pockets, chicken fingers, hot dogs, and frozen entrees. These are great to have around, but you'll want some food around to make yourself some cheerful semi-homemade meals as well. Here's some suggestions for frozen foods to stock up on.
- Frozen vegetables. Fresh produce is the best, but frozen vegetables last much longer and are easy to prepare. There's more to frozen veggies than peas and corn; you can buy squash, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, okra, and just about anything else. Frozen vegetables are more expensive than canned ones, but not by much, and they taste better. Defrost a bag and throw it in a casserole (like the one in this tuna casserole recipe).
- Frozen fruit. When fruit is out of season, this is a great alternative for a quick and healthy snack. Personally, I think frozen strawberries are a little slimy, but other fruit fare better.
- Frozen orange juice. There's no easier way to insert a little quick nutrition into your day. Yes, fresh orange juice is tastier, but frozen OJ is dirt cheap.
- Frozen hash browns. Why spend the time peeling a potato when you can buy them in peeled in a big bag? Fry them with some onions in it for a quick side dish, or use them in this recipe for an egg scramble.
- Fish sticks. Spend a little extra on fish sticks The cheap ones taste like bad cafeteria food. The more expensive ones taste like fish. If you like fish sticks, keep some tartar sauce or cocktail sauce on hand as well.
- Frozen ravioli or tortellini. These are more expensive than buying dried pasta, but worth it.
- Frozen cookie dough. There are plenty of easy cookie recipes out there, but you don't always have the time. Open a package of frozen cookie dough and you'll have cookies that taste fresh and homemade in minutes.
- Big bags of frozen chicken breasts or fish. Fresh chicken and fish is tastier, but this stuff isn't bad and it's much cheaper. After a long day, there's nothing like being able to make yourself a quick meal like this.
- Vegetarian meat substitutes. You don't have to be a vegetarian to appreciate meat substitutes. They have a longer shelf life than meat and are much easier to prepare, and are usually cheaper as well. Some meat substitutes are tastier than others. Most people like vegetarian hamburger crumbles, which can be added easily to canned spaghetti sauce. Vegetarian hot dogs are not very good, but most vegetarian sausage is delicious. And there's always veggie burgers, of course.
- Pierogies. This is a Polish food; they're little chewy pasta-like pillows filled with potato. Frozen pierogies are very inexpensive and great for a quick meal. Try them with sauerkraut or sour cream.
- Frozen bagel. These aren't half as good as the ones you get in delis, but they're cheap, have a long shelf life, and are easy to toast. Frozen English muffins are pretty good too.
- Frozen lasagna. Grocery stores often sell whole ones. Considering how long it takes to make a lasagna, and how much food comes in these, they're a pretty good deal.
- Ice cream. Need I say more? Buy a big container and save some money. Or for a childhood retro treat, get some Popsicles.
