Bulk Cooking Books and Blogs

For those of you who are feeling iffy about getting started with bulk cooking due to recipe fears, this post is for you! I've listed some books on cooking in bulk as well as some blogs.
 

Books: My first advice - go to the library. I can recommend good books that I love, but you probably have different tastes. So, take this list and check them out at the library first. Then if you love lots of the recipes, buy the book. Here's a list of some books (not an exhaustive list, of course):

1. Frozen Assets by Deborah Taylor-Hough - I own this book and use a few recipes out of it, but not many. I personally wouldn't recommend it.

2. Make-A-Mix by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward, Madeline Westover - I just ordered this book and am eager to read it. I haven't looked through it before, but it got rave reviews on amazon.com which is why I felt comfortable buying it without checking it out first.

3. Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik - I love this book. My favorite thus far.

4. Once-A-Month Cooking, Revised and Expanded: A Proven System for Spending Less Time in the Kitchen and Enjoying Delicious, Homemade Meals Every Day by Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson - got mixed reviews on amazon.com. While I haven't personally looked through it, I wouldn't buy it.

5. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Easy Freezer Meals by Cheri Sicard - haven't looked through it, but it gets great reviews on amazon.com.

6. The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook by Candace Anderson with Nicole Cormier - While I haven't looked through this one, I would check it out from the library before I buy it.

7. Don't Panic, More Dinner's in the Freezer : A Second Helping of Tasty Meals You Can Make Ahead -  Susie Martinez, Vanda Howell, Bonnie Garcia - got mixed reviews on amazon.com so definitely check this out from the library before buying.

8. You've Got It Made : Deliciously Easy Meals to Make Now and Bake Later by Diane Phillips - again, mixed reviews on amazon.com - so be sure to find this at your library before purchasing.

Blogs:
There are some great ones...but here's my caveat - If you're like me and get overwhelmed with blogs, skip them. It's not necessary to read blogs in order to bulk cook. Personally, I get intimidated when I read how crazy some people get with bulk cooking...and I bulk cook! So, if you read these blogs and find yourself being hard on yourself for not doing it right or enough, stop reading them! That said, here are some blogs that I do enjoy reading and get great ideas from:

1. Crockpot Cooking: www.skinnycrockpot.com/
Break out that crock pot - it's a great way to cook with minimal effort and cost.This blog has healthier for you options than the traditional fat heavy crockpot meals.

2. Bulk Cooking: www.onceamonthmom.com/
I love this site. You can choose from vegetarian menus, whole food menus, traditional menus, gluten/dairy free menus, etc. It's well organized, but a bit on the overwhelming side. The upside to this site is that not only does it give you a list of great meals you can freeze, but you can also print out a grocery list. 

3. Bulk Cooking and Saving Money: www.moneysavingmom.com
This is one of my all time favorite blogs. Ever. She posts her weekly menus (great for ideas), freezer cooks and posts the recipe and outcome, and also gives links to coupons you can print, DIY ideas, and other great money saving tips...hence the name, moneysavingmom.

4. Bulk Cooking and Natural Living: www.mamaandbabylove.blogspot.com/
This site is wonderful for those who are a bit more food conscious. Her Real Food tab on her blog is my favorite and she has great recipes.