• Home
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Social Media News
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Thunderbolt Social Media
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle

  • Entertainment
  • Travel
  • Food & Wine
    • Cupcakes
  • Disney
  • Marvel
  • Crafts, Cars & Cool Things
    • Crafts
    • Cars
    • Cool Things
    • Technology
  • Home & Life
  • Dogs
You are here: Home / Food / Frozen Food Ideas Thanks to Frozen Food Month

Frozen Food Ideas Thanks to Frozen Food Month

March 23, 2022 By Donna Biroczky Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

Last week, my friend and I were having a casual chat when the topic of dinner came up. I threw out that I was serving chicken wings and tater tots. “What’s your recipe?” Whatever kind is in the bag was my reply. She laughed, “Seriously, you’re a foodie but you’re serving frozen food to your family?” Yes, foodies use frozen food, too. Ask us how, we’re a plethora of frozen food ideas.

Let’s get rid of that stigma or myth right now. Not everything needs to be made from scratch, not even if you’re a foodie. We can pump up our meals with the injection of a frozen food ingredient — or three — without guilt. It doesn’t mean we’re not making good food, or that we’re lazy, or that we’re cheating. It simply means we’re making our cooking a little more convenient, and it’s going to still be better than fast food.

Did you know that March is actually frozen food month? There’s a whole month devoted to helping us remember that it’s okay to buy in advance and pull out a frozen food item to pop into the oven or into a pan when we’re tired, when we’re busy, when we just don’t feel like cooking…and Smart and Final is here for it, helping us make it easy. (They have compensated me for this post, designed to share with you that you can have fun during frozen food month and beyond with frozen foods.)

frozen food month at smart and final

Frozen food has come a long way. It’s no longer those small TV dinners with a long list of preservatives and additives. You can purchase individually-wrapped unseasoned boneless skinless chicken breasts or cauliflower rice or chopped vegetables and fruit chunks. Morning smoothies are so much easier to make on a whim when you can just pour those frozen berries into the blender, and we all know that easier in the morning is better, right?

I love to put together a quality, fresh dinner nightly, but sometimes I need to take shortcuts. Some weeks, I’m just not able to get to the store so with a few tweaks, I can take frozen food items and change them into a meal that no one knows ever got near a freezer.

Frozen veggies are a game changer. I made a huge Shepherd’s Pie last week, using ground turkey rather than beef, and it had been a really busy day with client meetings, so rather than chopping up carrots, I used a bag of frozen peas and carrots from Smart and Final. (And I also used gravy packets from that same shopping trip, adding one more timesaver.) I had dinner on the table in under an hour from start to finish, including browning the ground beef and onions. Just one of my easiest frozen food ideas that has helped me sneak veggies into food without the kids seeing me prep them. Winning!

frozen food ideas

This week, I spent two days down in Orange County, combining business and pleasure. (Business meetings, work and then a day at Disneyland!) The day after I returned, I was playing catch-up on chores and errands but still had to make dinner for just two of us. Cooking in smaller portions can be challenging because packages typically hold a lot more meat than you need, so using individual pre-cut/skinned chicken breasts allows me to cook just what I need without the time to divvy up a big package, trim and freeze the rest.

chicken thighs from smart and final

That evening, I took four chicken thighs from the bag, resealed it, got them thawing while I did my last errand, then sliced them open, filled them with a couple of tablespoons of cream cheese, a few sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. Bake at 375 for 30 or so minutes, and they were fantastic! No one knew I’d taken a shortcut and there was no leftovers to waste since the next day we had other dinner plans. It felt like restaurant food with only a few minutes of prep. You can also do this to chicken breasts. Eating good doesn’t mean hours in the kitchen or heading to a restaurant.

frozen food section at smart and final

Smart and Final has evolved from a big box store, where you purchase items in bulk, making it easier to get all my food there. Their frozen food section is immense, with items ranging from the meats and produce I’ve mentioned, to pizza snacks, garlic bread, individual dinners (much healthier kinds than the TV dinners of old), and so much more. I can fill my freezer for weeks in one trip, which makes me really happy, because grocery shopping is one of my least favorite things to do. I come away each visit with more frozen food ideas for meals than I can actually make. (That frozen garlic bread? We sprinkle on a mix of parmesan cheese, parsley and fresh rosemary before baking! Add it to a meal of frozen lasagna and boom, easy meal, fast.)

frozen food month

The First Street line of food items is Smart and Final’s brand, and it helps you save money on so many different items throughout the store. It’s just as good as the more popular brand names and is very budget friendly without sacrificing any quality. I prefer sweet potato fries over regular, and one bag, which is enough for one meal for us, with a few leftover, is only $1.99 per bag. That’s a steal.

sweet potato fries at smart and final

Don’t let anyone tell you that serving frozen food to your family is a bad thing, or that it somehow makes you less of a foodie. In fact, take it as a challenge. You can see it as a way to be so creative, changing things up rather than buying one big bag of barbecue wings or plain tater tots. (How do I spiff up my tots? Melt a little butter, mix in some Italian seasoning and garlic, and spritz onto your tots. Bake as normal, maybe adding just a few minutes on to bake time to make sure they’re crisp. Easy-peasy!)

One more easy meal idea using frozen food is my fast take on a pot pie. Take a few of those thawed, frozen chicken breasts and boil with basic seasonings. Cool, shred, set aside. Thaw and drain a bag of frozen mixed vegetables; place in a bowl, sprinkle on a tablespoon or so of flour and mix to coat. Pour them into a frying pan, heat and slowly pour in 1/2-ish cup of chicken broth. When everything’s lightly coated and the broth thickens, pour it into a 9 x 9 greased baking pan. Drop the shredded chicken on top, then place a layer of frozen tater toes on the whole top as a cover. Bake at 400 for approximately 20 minutes, or until tots are heated through at a consistency you like. It’s such an easy dinner and kids love it because of the tots!

Tomorrow night’s dinner? Frying up just a few of these Tilapia fillets and making fish tacos. That will leave me a couple of fillets left over to make for my lunch later in the week…and for only $9.99 per bag.

frozen food month frozen tilapia

Sometimes using frozen food means you just add a small twist to change the flavor profile, and no one gets bored while you save money and time. Thanks to Smart and Final’s expansive line of large bags and small, your options for frozen food ideas are huge. What’s your go-to frozen food meal?

Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

Filed Under: Food

Previous Post: « Foodie Giveaway Alert! $55 Food Set from Tastefully Simple
Next Post: Stop Being a People Pleaser and Learn How to Be Assertive »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

dangerous cupcake lifestyle club 33 profile
I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my four kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing. Join me in changing focus and enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

We are an Amazon affiliate, which means some Amazon links you click may be our affiliate links. In that case, we may make some money IF you purchase using those links or other affiliate links.
We appreciate you!

STUFF WE WRITE ABOUT

Footer

dangerouscupcakelifestyle

Life when the 4 kids are all young adults🥂🏎🐾
Disney lover 🗝 Marvel nerd⚡️
IE, LA, OC
Collabs 🤝 donna@dangerouscupcakelifestyle.com

Donna, SoCal Lifestyle Blogger
Seeing T’Challa, aka Black Panther in the parks Seeing T’Challa, aka Black Panther in the parks is awesome….and in this case, I kinda got to see two. Check out his shadow on the right.

At Disney California Adventure last week, maybe I had bad timing but I didn’t get to see many characters roaming. I got lucky for this photo, and was so glad he stopped before heading into Avengers HQ. I’m headed back to Avengers Campus next week and I hope to see Moonknight and Scarlet Witch…and maybe snag new Wanda ears. 

@disneyparks @disneyland #disney #disneyland #disneylandcalifornia #californiaadventure #avengerscampus #tchalla #blackpanther #wakandaforever #disneycreator #disneycreators #marvelfan #marveluniverse
Spent yesterday afternoon at Hamilton Brewery here Spent yesterday afternoon at Hamilton Brewery here in Rancho Cucamonga. Tried a few of their amazing craft beers: Watermelon Man (limited availability, tastes like a melted Jolly Rancher 🍉), Double Mango (just like it sounds 🥭), POP Blonde (passion fruit combination 🍍) and Cold Fool (grapefruit yum). My favorite was the Watermelon Man but all four were fantastic. Also sampled the Bignight Oil (barrel-aged bourbon and imperial stout) and we’re going to go back to have it specifically. Sticking with one flavor profile at a time! They provide samples so you can be sure you like it before you settle in at a table outside (in shade if you want it) to enjoy it with one of the many food trucks options that rotate as well as live entertainment. We listened to Heritage Harmonic yesterday while the city of Rancho co-sponsored a charity cornhole tournament that was fun to watch. 

Magilla’s BBQ was on-site from noon to 4pm with brisket, pulled pork, smoked mac and cheese and more. Those pickled onions 😘 SO good, all of it. 

@hamiltonfamilybrewery @magillasbbq #brewery #craftbeer #watermelonbeer #pulledpork #smokedbrisket #smokedmeat #smokedmeats #foodblog #foodblogger #ranchocucamonga #ranchocucamongafoodie #bbqbrisket #bbqpork #grapefruitbeer #cerveza #breweryfood @heritageharmonic #livemusicrocks #livemusic
All my friends know I am not a fan of the color pi All my friends know I am not a fan of the color pink, which made it even more fun to choose it for our over-the-top fancy costumes for our friend’s annual Kentucky Derby Party. A trip to a local thrift store and then to the Dollar Tree, and I was ready to assemble our outfits. Pink My Kitty Pony toys and a bunch of hot glue and baby head bandeaus turned our hats into silly pieces of art, and for $18, I bought the dress, the hubs’ shirt and tie. Add a few fake flowers onto my Carlos Santana shoes (that I already had) and the hubs’ shirt and we’re good to go. The party was a blast, and it was fun being foofy for the day, bourbon drinks and champagne in hand while eating delicious finger foods. 

If you’re considering a thrift store run, look for a Deseret store near you. The prices are fair and the store gives back to the community in many ways; our location has its own job development/search building attached. How cool, right? We win with affordable clothes and it helps actual people, not big business. (And I frequently find items with tags still on. That tie is a Jos A. Bank tie, marked $58 normally, and I got it for $6!) 

#kentuckyderby #runfortheroses #derby #derbyparty #kentuckyderbyparty #costumeparty #costumes #thriftstore #thriftscore #thriftstorescore #shopthriftstores #thriftstoreshopping #mylittlepony #derbyhats #fancyhats #pinkflowers #pinkdress #derbyfashion #kentuckyderbyhat #kentuckyderbyfashion #bourbondrinks #drinkchampagne @deseret_industries @dollartree #dollartree #dollartreediys
The Main Street Electrical Parade music has been s The Main Street Electrical Parade music has been stuck in my head all day, and I’m okay with it. 

@disneyland #disneyland #disneydisney #disneycreators #disneycreator #msep #mainstreetelectricalparade #mainstreet #electricalparade #disneyparades #disneyparade #balloons #disneyballoons #disneyballoon #disneymagic #mainstreetusa
I took a much-needed break this morning and headed I took a much-needed break this morning and headed to a local park I drive by all the time but haven’t ever explored. It’s a breezy day, perfect for walking its paths through rolling hills and fields of flowers, permeated with the heavy scent of jasmine from the many blooming bushes. Then I happened upon this solitary rose. There’s some symbolism here, an analogy I can’t put words to satisfactorily, but check it out. It’s all by itself, far away from any other flowers, popping up wild in the middle of plain mulch, no real reason for it to be there but it’s thriving. Its vibrant red petals and green leaves make the surroundings stark. You almost miss it if you don’t look past the dark green plain shrubs behind it; it doesn’t appear that it’s supposed to be there. Alone, peaceful, beautiful, it will probably grow and fill the empty space around it, attracting 🐝 🐝 . It doesn’t need anything else, yet it has changed the whole garden area into something different. Life should be like that more often.

#centralpark #ranchocucamonga #morningwalkies #morningwalks #morningwalk #redrose #rose #roses #flowers #wildflowers #ie #inlandempire #publicparks #publicpark #walkingpaths @cityofranchocucamonga #communitycenter #lewiscommunitycenter
If you haven’t done a superhero pose in Avengers If you haven’t done a superhero pose in Avengers Campus, are you even a fan?? As Disney Magic Key holders, my daughter and I go together frequently. I love that she’s as into Marvel as I am, so you can find us in Avengers Campus doing all the photo opps, eating all the themed food and maybe enjoying a cocktail at Pym Tasting Lab. Which is your favorite photo opportunity in Disney California Adventure? (Bonus if it’s an Avengers-related one.)

@disneyland @marvelstudios #disney #disneyland #disneycaliforniaadventure #disneymom #avengers #avengerscampus #disneyjersey #marveljersey #disneylife #magickeyholder #disneyfamily #disneycreators #disneycreator #lokiears #loki
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Life is short, so it should never be boring. Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle is all about enjoying life, finding yourself after your kids grow up and above all, keeping it real. Live dangerously. We'd love to hear from you -- let's work together!

Copyright © 2022 Dangerous Cupcake and Thunderbolt Social Media

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT