Make ahead and freeze meals to travel?
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Anonymous
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My dh is going to visit his parents, who are recently home from the hospital where MIL was admitted for a couple weeks for a serious illness, and now FIL is taking on the role of total caretaker. They are a bit overwhelmed, and I would like to send a few meals up that he can leave with them. But it's an 8 hour drive, so I don't know if this is possible. If I freeze casseroles and put them into a cooler, they will at least partially defrost on the way there; could they then be refrozen, or would that be gross?
I was thinking of a ground turkey, broccoli potato casserole, a chicken enchilada, and a chicken curry. Everything would be fully cooked, then frozen. She doesn't have dietary restrictions that we need to worry about. Thoughts? TIA. |
Anonymous
| I would make some things and NOT freeze them - just refrigerate them for as short a time as possible, then put them in a cooler with LOTS of ice packs. When DH gets there, he can freeze whichever ones he wants and use one of the items that day for dinner. |
Anonymous
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I agree with the poster that said 8 hours is too long. They will start to defrost. But make them, don't freeze them, and tell your DH to freeze them when he gets there.
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Anonymous
| Wouldn't dry ice help here? Pack a cooler with the dry ice and casseroles - should keep them frozen for 8 hours |
Anonymous
This. I'd use the disposable foil pans (they can be recycled) and label what it is and how to cook it, including instructions to pre-heat the oven if you FIL isn't familiar with the kitchen. If he does decide to freeze some items, he may have to let them defrost overnight in the fridge b/f cooking so you may want to include a note about that. |
Anonymous
| Just a tip - I'd make sure to package the items in single or double size rather than a huge casserole size - that way your FIL can defrost items as they eat them, rather than having to defrost an entire dish and then eat it for the next 3 nights or refreeze (gross in either case). I think at a party store you can buy what are almost tv dinner sized tin foil dishes which are perfect for this purpose. |
Anonymous
This should work. If you think about it companies like Omaha Steaks ship frozen food to customers via UPS and I'm sure that would take longer than 8 hours |
Anonymous
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Agree with PPs that you could use dry ice, OR not freeze until he gets there (and put in a conventional cooler with regular ice).
Please share the ground turkey, broccoli potato casserole recipe! |
Anonymous
| OP here. Thank you all for your kind responses. You're right, not freezing before hand is the way to go, I think. And smaller portions--brilliant. BTW, I did think of dry ice, and I couldn't find anywhere to get it. 3:07, I will get the recipe for you as soon as I lay my hands on it. |
Anonymous
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Harris Teeter sells dry ice. Call the store nearest you and ask if they have it in stock. Usually the chest of dry ice is kept near the customer service counter.
We use dry ice when we go on vacation and it works fabulously. Just remember that cold travels down. so frozen food on the bottom with dry ice on top will be frozen solid. Food placed on top of dry ice will be kept chilly but not frozen. Single/double size portions will be perfect!! That is what I do even at home and it is so much easier to defrost. |
Anonymous
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Thank you all again.
Ground Turkey, Broccoli, Potato Recipe ( forget where I found it. Possibly Eating Well mag.): 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets (about 6 cups) 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (white meat) 1 large onion, chopped 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided 4 cups low-fat milk 1/3 cup cornstarch 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, preferably orange 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 4 cups precooked shredded potatoes (see Note) 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Canola or olive oil cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon Hungarian paprika, preferably hot 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. 2. Toss broccoli with 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast, stirring once halfway though, until just soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes. (Can skip this step, but I like the roasted flavor) 3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add turkey and onion and cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is browned and the onion is softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside. 4. Whisk milk and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking often, until bubbling and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes total. Remove from the heat and stir in Cheddar, 3/4 teaspoon salt and turmeric until the cheese is melted. 5. Spread the turkey mixture in a 9-by-13-inch (or similar 3-quart) baking dish. Top with the broccoli and pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top. 6. Combine potatoes, egg, pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the casserole. Coat the top with cooking spray. 7. Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the potatoes are beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. TIPS & NOTES Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 6; cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 1 month (defrost in the refrigerator for 2 days before baking). Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking (Step 7). Potatoes: Halve 1 pound unpeeled baking potatoes; cook in lightly salted boiling water until slightly tender but still firm in the center, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool on a clean cutting board. Shred using the large holes of a box grater. |