Functional Frozen Foods

I had the wonderful opportunity a little while ago to spend a week with my grandparents in North Carolina. My grandfather injured his back and is on bed rest, so I figured I'd go down and see if I could help out at all. Of course most of what I was offering to do was cook and shop, two things that I thoroughly enjoy doing under almost any circumstance!

It can be hard to know exactly what to do when offering help in a situation like that, so when I got there I analyzed the situation. My grandfather was the one who usually did the grocery shopping, so I knew that fresh produce wasn't something that was coming in regularly. I also found that my grandmother, in having to deal with constant phone calls to doctors, nurses, pharmacies and such, was not always able to find the time to prepare a balanced meal for herself.

Apple muffins made with whole wheat flour and pumpkin puree

My plan of action: fill the freezer with delicious, nutritious food. I flipped through The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook (Everything Series), which it just so happens I edited when I worked at Adams Media. There are lots of great recipes in the book that you can freeze and then pop into the oven to cook for a family. However, I knew that what I needed was recipes that I could freeze in single serving sizes and that would reheat easily (no cooking necessary besides thawing or reheating) so I focused on those recipes that were easily adaptable. I also made sure to sit down and talk with my grandmother before making any of the recipes to make sure that it was something that she would enjoy. Of course this isn't always an option if you're bringing food to help someone you don't know that well, but checking ahead of time for food allergies, or making something that does not contain most of the major allergens (nuts, fish, milk) can be a good idea.

Most recipes can translate to single serving sizes and freezing. Make sure to write on the outside of the frozen bag/container what is in it, the main ingredients, the date that it was prepared, and how it should be thawed or reheated. That way if someone other than the original recipient of the food is preparing it, they can know whether or not they can eat it (if they have allergies) and how to serve it.

Making someone food in a time of need is a great way to help. Giving someone frozen food is a good way to ensure that your help will last longer than a day or two. And making sure that what you give them is healthy is the best way of all to help - because stressful situations can be harmful to the immune system, making sure that the food you bring has fruits and/or veggies can be extra beneficial!