Freeze Your Grains and Pastas

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Spend one day a week or once a month cooking your healthy grains and pastas – true meal prep!  This will save you so much time when trying to prepare lunch or dinner (usually last minute).  Cook the grains or pastas, then once cooled place into gallon bags, press flat, and label with the name and date cooked.  Then store in the freezer flat. 

This will save you so much time and freezer space if laid flat.  This is exactly the same concept as buying frozen cooked grains in the grocery store freezer section.  You just get to do it yourself with quantities and added ingredients you control.  Either freeze the grains and pastas in bigger gallon bags or sandwich bags.  Then you can pull out however much needed at meal time. 

I tried cooking rice last night, thinking it’s only going to take 20 minutes on the stove, but for some reason, it took way longer.  Thus delaying my whole dinner.  If only I had this pre-cooked in my freezer ready to go.  

Shelf Life – 

Refrigerator: 

• Cooked grains will last 3-4 days
• Cooked pasta will last 3-5 days

Freezer: 

• Cooked grains will last 2 months
• Cooked pasta will last 2 months

Defrost by pulling a bag the night before, directly adding them to soups and skillet meals, and warm in the microwave or stovetop.  You may need to add a few tablespoons of water or broth to re-hydrate.  Enjoy!!

Photo Credit:

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels  (jars of grains and pasta)

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels  (bowl of rice)

Photo by Vie Studio from Pexels  (bowls of grains)