Review of MyFreezEasy | #freezeasy #freezermeals

The MyFreezEasy.com Freezer Meal Plan Membership from MyFreezEasy makes freezer cooking so fast and easy there is no excuse to not have a meal at home even with our busy schedule.

We are about to hit our busy season with basketball games and practices taking up the majority of our week. I struggle with meals during this season and we often end up at a fast food restaurant so I was so excited to try MyFreezEasy. I have been wanting to try my hand at freezer cooking for a while and have pinned some plans on Pinterest but never really followed through so this was my very first time doing freezer meals!

The MyFreezEasy Premium Annual Membership makes having a freezer full of meals so simple and quick. Once you log in, you have several different meal plans to choose from:

The Traditional Plan

The 20 Meals Plan

The Gluten Free Plan

The All Pork Chops Plan

The All Ground Beef Plan

The All Chicken Plan

The Slow Cooker Plan

The Clean Eats Plan

The beauty of the membership is you can choose one of the plans above, mix and match plans, or create your own plan using the month's recipe selection.  Being able to switch things up allows you to take advantage of meat sales too!  Since I had never embarked on a freezer meal journey before, I decided to keep it simple and use the traditional meal plan for the most part. I did swap out 2 of the recipes because I was also trying to maximize my freezer and pantry ingredients that were already on hand.  The original plan had a teriyaki pork tenderloin recipe included so I swapped that one out for a Slow Cooker Taco Soup recipe.  The 2nd recipe I swapped out was a Spanish Rice recipe for a Slow Cooker Chili Mac recipe. Swapping the recipes was extremely simple to do.  You also had the option of changing serving sizes.  The standard recipes given were 4 servings.  I changed ours to 6 since we are a family of 5 and honestly we probably could have stayed at 4 servings because we had plenty for our family plus leftovers for every meal when I added in sides.  So, to change the serving sizes, you would click on a drop down box and your recipe and shopping lists would automatically be updated with the required amounts needed.  To change the menu (located on the right in the photo below), you would select the recipe from the left and drag it over to replace the recipe in the menu box on the right.  

After you have selected which menu plan you would like and swapped any recipes, you are ready to print.  All menu plans can be downloaded and saved and you are encouraged to do so since they are no longer available on the site once a new plan for a new month begins.  Each meal is doubled so you end up working with only 5 recipes and doubling each one.  

The meal plan list was 14 pages long and included each recipe plus shopping list by recipe and store, prep day instructions and meal assembly instructions.  It even included what needed to be put out on the counter.  I absolutely loved the step by step instructions and that I could check off as I went.  You also get step by step video instruction showing Erin Chase, the creator, doing the same prepping and assembly you will do if you choose the traditional meal plans. There are highlight videos included for every meal plan too. She shares tips along the way to help you too.  The video came in handy for me to visually see what I was about to embark on and I also was able to see an ingredient that I had no idea what it was - mango nectar.  After seeing it in the video, I recognized that I had seen it at my grocery store before and was able to easily find it.  

I taped my instructions to the cabinet above the counter I was working on so I could easily see it at a glance.  

With shopping list in hand, my helpers and I set off to purchase the items that we did not already have in our freezer or pantry. 

After arriving home, we set up the counters as the meal prep instructions stated and began our first freezer meal adventure.  

Exactly 45 minutes later we had 8 meals in the freezer!  I had only 8 because I decided to only do 4 of the recipes last minute.  The meals I chose had very little prep.  I only had to brown all the ground beef, season it and boil some of the pasta for the Easy Lasagna Bake.  The main job seemed to be opening a lot of cans!  After that, assembly of the meals into baggies and pans began and all we had left was the clean up. 

The Lazy Lasagnas ready to go.  There were printable labels available but I just chose to write mine. 

Some of the meals in the freezer.

Clean up time wasn't really that bad either!

I loved the fact that each recipe included instructions on how to prepare it from the freezer as well as if you wanted to prepare it at that moment.  
The meals I chose did need to be thawed out overnight in the fridge or set in water for 20 minutes before cooking so I did need to try to keep in mind our menu plan for the week so I would know when to pull a meal.  
My family liked each of the 4 recipes that we tried with the Lazy Lasagna being our favorite followed closely by the Slow Cooker Taco Soup.  I decided to serve the Spicy Mango Chicken Tacos over rice instead of inside a tortilla for our first recipe.  For the next one, we definitely want to try it as a taco.  

When all was done, I felt so proud to have 8 meals for my family in the freezer and wondered why it has taken me so long to do this.  I think I was always scared of putting in a days worth of work to find out that our family didn't like any of what I had prepared!  I also didn't want to do the calculations needed. With MyFreezEasy plans, the plan is already laid out for you so it can be accomplished in a very short amount of time.  You can easily change serving sizes and recipes.  It's like having another brain to assist you in meal planning!  Who doesn't need that?
Find out more by visiting MyFreezEasy on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest.

Remember Last Week's Let's Rock It Motivation

Well, evidently that "Let's Rock the Week" was for my week that I didn't know was to come.  I rocked it as best as I could but didn't get my weekly planning done over the weekend for this week so I feel like I'm behind already!  Oh well, I'm doing it now or at least I'm trying.  

Top 5 for the week

1. get caught up from last week - I'm behind in some of my Bible studies, book club, and review work.
2. Costco haul
3. make meals from the pantry this week
4. Putting this in it's own number to keep it a priority - 3 reviews due and framework for some coming up
5. give myself grace for trying to follow the new schedule and work on Work the Plan at least 3 days.

Menu Plan

Dinners:

• mini meatloaf, mashed potatoes, garden peas
• pasta or hamburger helper (if there is enough meat left after making meatloaf), salads
• out
• ham steak, mac n cheese, butter beans
• pizza boats, salad

                       
Reading goals

• Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God
• Judges study with Hellomornings
• Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson

Fitness goals

• try to get at least 5,000 steps daily - I am so sedentary!!
• focus on more fruits and vegetables

New Habit for this Interval until 

• water, water, water (at least 32 oz per day)

Review of Last Week

Top 5 for the week

1. try to rise by 7:30 (we are night owls!) - nope only once lol
2. research freezer meals - nope
3. determine "work" hours (reviews, blog, etc) - determined at least one hour from 2-3 but need to decide on more
4. get the jungles cut aka the grass
5. focus on recording some videos

Menu Plan
Dinners:   I'm hoping to add in a new recipe to try each week and a video of us making it and trying it.  We shall see!

• breakfast (either waffles or pancakes) bacon
• chicken pastry, green beans, yams (if I go to grocery store)
• mini meatloaf, mashed potatoes, garden peas
• chicken pasta alfredo
• vegetable beef soup (I can't wait any longer!!)

                       
Reading goals

• Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God ahead even!
• Judges study with Hellomornings - behind one day
• Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson - behind 1 chapter

Fitness goals

• try to get at least 5,000 steps daily - I am so sedentary!! - If I average the week, I did.  But each individual day I did not.  I approved the weekly average from last week at least!
• focus on more fruits and vegetables - hahahaha uhm no

New Habit for September

• water, water, water (at least 32 oz per day) - 5 days which is another improvement!

Linking up with Money Saving Mom.

Our Dinners

Sharing some of our meals - we stick to the same ones mostly but it's still fun to look back on too!

Weekly Wrap Up 26 & 27

Sometimes, it's a bi-weekly wrap up.  This would be one of those.  :)

In my life this week…

Spring has sprung!!  YAY!!

Update on Jonathan:  This was week 3 in the cast so he was able to remove it (so stinky!!) and stretch his hand.  He said it feels a little stiff and tingly but overall well.  We go Monday for the official x-ray and hopefully the release for back to normal!

On our way home from our Costco trip, we heard a loud sound that sounded like a tire busting.  Hubby got out and saw nothing. We made it home safe and sound.  The next morning, we see this.  God is so good - glad that didn't happen on the side of the busy highway!

I'm still reading Smart Money Smart Kids.  This week, we have the opportunity to ask Rachel and Dave questions and right now I'm drawing a blank!!

In our homeschool this week…

Stephen and Sarah only have about 7 weeks of school left before summer break!  Jonathan will be going through the summer.  We are planning to take a spring break week at the end of April. We have our anniversary and a 16th birthday to celebrate so that's a perfect week to do it!  

We are in full swing with reviews as well!  So, you should see some fun reviews coming up.  As always, several of them came at the perfect time and were items I would have never even knew that I needed until they were in our hands.

Here is a video of math in our homeschool.

Weigh In

For the first time in 15 years at least, I am in Onederland!!! Onederland is a Biggest Loser phrase that I loved.  Now, to stay there!!

As happy as I am to achieve that goal, I hold this truth in my heart from Made To Crave.

I’m cooking…

Linking up with The Homeschool Mother's Journal,  Collage Friday, and Weekly Wrap-Up!.

Weekly Wrap-Ups 24 & 25

In my life this week…

Wow, what a two weeks!  We have been busy busy making memories.  :)

Update on Jonathan:  The bone is in line so hopefully after 4 weeks in a removable splint/cast he will be back to normal. Thank you, Lord!

In other news, I was SO excited to find out that I was accepted on the launch team for Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze's new book, Smart Money Smart Kids.  I'm up to chapter 4 now and went ahead and ordered the hardbound book.  It is truly my goal to teach my kids more about money than I was taught! My wish for them is to not be a slave to the lender EVER!

We went to the Winter Jam tour!  The talent ranged from 80's to hard rock to rap, and all were awesome! It was our 2nd time seeing Lecrae and as always, he was amazing.  I love his lyrics!!  For those not into rap or who couldn't understand what he was saying, he stopped and spoke the lyrics. His love and servant's heart for our Lord is so wonderful.

It was our first time seeing the Newsboys in concert and they blew us away!  We bought both their albums and waited around to get them signed even!

We also went to see God's Not Dead this weekend.  Another  time of awesomeness.  :)

Stephen had the opportunity to meet the Duggar family at a book signing and brought back a gift for his mama. I am a huge Duggar fan as well. :) I haven't started reading this one yet but it's on my list after Smart Kids Smart Money.

In our homeschool this week…

We are using Apologia's Astronomy book for science as part of our My Father's World Rome to Reformation curriculum. Last week was Venus and this week was Earth.  We did a little experiment using butter in comparison with rocks and what happens when they are melted.

Weigh In
One week I was the same weight and this past week I was up 1.5 pounds.  It was not a surprise at all as I have totally slacked.  A busy life tends to do that to me.  I can only focus on so much at one time no matter how hard I try!  Now is the time to refocus on healthy eating habits.

I’m cooking…

I haven't been keeping up with our meals too much so thought I would show a couple of our favorite frugal meal ideas.

One of our favorite snacks is apples mixed with jello.  We tried with sugar free and regular this time and we all agreed that the sugar free was just as good!

Oven barbecued chicken and broccoli is always a go to meal on hand in our home.  This time I paired it with a salad.

Pasta of different kinds is always another staple meal that we keep on hand.

Linking up with The Homeschool Mother's Journal,  Collage Friday, and Weekly Wrap-Up!.

Weekly Wrap-Up - Week 23

In my life this week…

One word for you - emotional!  That seems to be happening a lot lately but as we all know, this too shall pass!

First up, the boy who is going to drive his mama crazy.  He is the living, walking commercial of that little boy who his mom says, he'll never make it to 2, he'll never make it to 5, etc.  :)

This time he broke a bone in his hand.  We have an appointment set for Tuesday to find out more.  

He was helping tear down a wall at the youth house and decided it would be fun to see if he could punch the wall and knock it down with his hand.  Well, the wall not only had sheet rock but cement poured in it.  OUCH and BOYS!!  My mind surely does not work that way.  I wouldn't even think of punching a wall for fun, lol.  You wouldn't even know it though.  He isn't hurting, kept on working after until our Pastor noticed it didn't look right.  Sure enough, he broke the bone just under his pinky.  This is the inside.  He hit the wall with the outside of his hand.  The whole inside is now black, blue, and swollen.

In our homeschool this week…
So, remember Jonathan is pretty much starting over with high school.  Now, we have a hand delay.  All I can do is laugh.  His books came in this week.  I spent some time seeing what needed to be done, planning, and setting up a new filing system for it all.  He began this week and I had a full week already planned out for next week.  Again, laugh.  Those plans - yeah right - whatever! We will do what we can and hope to know more after Tuesday.  God has a plan!  I'm learning.  :)

We also had a little school on the road this week.  This is a crazy busy time for us so we get it done when we can.

Weigh In
I was down another 0.8 this week bringing the total to 12.8! That was surprising because I am very much an emotional eater.  Hoping to keep it down for this week too!

I’m cooking…
Here are our dinners for this past week.

Linking up with The Homeschool Mother's Journal,  Collage Friday, and Weekly Wrap-Up!.

Weekly Wrap-Up - Week 22

In my life this week…

The weather has flip flopped back and forth so much!  It's 70 one day and 30 the next.  Needless to say, we all have cloggy throats but nothing too bad, thank you Lord!

Here's a beautiful sky picture we captured this week.  I just love seeing a glimpse of God's beauty!

In our homeschool this week…
Week 22 came and went pretty smoothly! We studied a little about the history of China this week and added in our Astronomy lessons for Science. I'm still waiting to hear about CLASS for Jonathan. I had to send in some transcript information so hopefully we can wrap this up this week! For now, he's still sitting in with us and doing the Experiencing God Youth Study and King Alfred's English.

Here we're working on our Spelling lessons from Spelling You See which you will see a review on coming soon.

Weigh In
I was down another 1.2 pounds this week bringing the total to 12!  I'm already a little nervous about next week though because I've been extra hungry and haven't made the best choices.  I will begin the Made To Crave Action Plan this week.

I’m cooking…
Here are out dinners for this past week.

Linking up with The Homeschool Mother's Journal,  Collage Friday, and Weekly Wrap-Up!.