Roundup: Freezer Stock

The below post was one of the first I wrote for this site on May 13, 2010. However, it still rings true. I actually do still keep these fresh but frozen foods in my freezer.

My freezer is my favorite part of my kitchen. I love that its steel handle hovers above the floor at just the right height for when Scarlett’s sweet, 7 month old hand needed something to grasp. She used to pull herself up on it and proudly stand in the kitchen with me–beaming from her perfect perch. I love that by 13 months it’s where she’d steady her wobbly self as she struggled to improve on her first steps. I used to stare at her perfect little toes as they dug into the floor, desperate to keep her upright. I called them her “working toes,” and I still can’t believe they fill a size 10 shoe.

Today she skids up to it after dinner and pulls feverishly on the handle, tearing it open to grab a popsicle. This was something she couldn’t do a year ago. She used to throw her whole body backwards trying to break its fierce suction. My freezer allows me to recognize Scarlett’s growth and development, both of which can break my heart or fill me with amazement depending on the day.

It’s also where easy, frozen dinners live in my house and, for that, I friggin love that goddamn freezer. I’d like to be able to tell you that every day of my life resembles this blog–me happily cooking healthy, fresh meals alongside my daughter. But it’s not the reality. Some days dinner pisses me off. It’s always looming. If you’re anything like me, by the end of some days, I can’t even string a proper sentence together. I’m pretty sure one should not be in charge of an oven while in this state of mind. Instead I should be sent straight to bed with an Us Weekly. But, sadly, I’m not. The people in my house need to eat, despite having just done it a few hours earlier at lunch. Luckily, I keep a lion’s share of delicious but healthy (as healthy as the freezer gets) options in the freezer. Below are my three most favorite. I hope they help you in your hour of need.