Overwhelmed by the number of choices offered in the grocer’s meat case? All the different cuts, packaging types, weights, and prices? Then there are the marketing claims: natural…organic…grass-fed…without added hormones…and the list goes on.
The Ellis County Extension Office will offer the workshop “Freezer Meals From the Meat Case” on Tuesday, April 25, 5:30-7:30 pm at Messiah Lutheran Church. Participants will learn what the various meat labels, cuts and claims mean in order to feel confident they are choosing the safest and most economical meat choices for their family. Instructors are Jamie Rathbun and Erin Petersilie, County Extension Agents in Midway and Walnut Creek Extension districts, respectively.
After the presentation, class members will assemble four main dish freezer meals featuring different types of meat. Each meal makes 4-6 servings. Those attending are asked to bring a cooler to take home their meals.
The cost is $40 per person and includes the workshop training materials; ingredients, recipes and cooking instructions for the freezer meals; and supper at the workshop. Class size is limited so early registration is advised. Register no later than April 18 at the Ellis County Extension Office, 601 Main Street in Hays, 785-628-9430. Registration is complete when the fee is paid.
The freezer meal method of cooking has many benefits. First, it saves time on busy nights. This method features a concentrated cooking session to prepare several meals at once and store in the freezer. Those meals are then ready to reheat or finish cooking when time is limited for preparing a meal from scratch.
Also, it saves money. Busy schedules often lead to eating out, which is more expensive than a home-cooked meal. Having a prepared entree that you can simply put in the slow cooker, oven or microwave saves money and preparation time.
Providing a healthy meal is another benefit of this cooking method. When you prepare the recipes yourself, you are in control of the ingredients and ultimately what your family is eating. While most restaurants provide healthy alternatives, not all do, and often family members do not select those healthy options. Eating at home allows you to incorporate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lowfat dairy products into family meals.
One of every five children is now obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These children are at an increased risk for a host of serious lifetime physical complications. Seventy-seven percent of overweight kids become obese adults because lifetime eating habits are established in childhood. The Cook Once freezer meal method provides families with an effective tool to combat obesity.
Another benefit of having meals in the freezer is that it increases one’s capacity for hospitality. You can more easily invite guests to share a meal in your home when you have a freezer meal on hand. You will also be better prepared to take a meal with someone in need– after a death or a hospital stay or when there’s a new baby in the family.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the freezer meal preparation method is that it can encourage families to eat meals together. Family meal time provides benefits beyond the nutrients in the food– it is an important strategy in child development and strengthening the family bond. Children who eat meals regularly with their families have improved language and literacy skills and achieve higher test scores. Additionally, the more often children eat meals with their families, the less likely they are to choose unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drinking and drugs.
There are many advantages of having freezer meals on hand for busy nights. Plan to join this Extension workshop on April 25th to make the most of your meat purchases for meals to put into the freezer. RSVP by April 18 to the Ellis County Extension Office, 785-628-9430. Class size is limited, registration is complete when fee is paid.
Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.