Do you have an upcoming wedding shower or baby shower to plan? Why not turn it into a freezer shower? It is a great frugal way to have a lot of fun, save money and give your party person practical presents that will be very much appreciated.
What is a freezer shower? Well, instead of the traditional way of offering gifts, each person invited to the shower brings home made meals that they have prepared and frozen. This way the new couple or new family will have weeks worth of delicious meals already prepared. I love this idea because it allows the shower recipients not only the gift of all of that food, but the gift of time, too. With ready-made meals, they can devote more precious time to each other.
A freezer shower is a really special way to welcome a celebration. New parents, for example, will get her share of dozens of baby blankets. But how often will they be able to enjoy a delicious meal that they don’t have to prepare? Ordering out can be expensive and inconvenient (you still have to get go out and get the food in most cases).
And if you were wondering how frugal living comes into play, well this shower idea definitely saves money for both the gift recipients and the guests.
Here are some general guidelines throwing a freezer shower:
Ask each guest to bring at least one complete meal that includes a main dish, any related side dishes, and a desert. Encourage the guest to include extras, such as bread, snacks, etc. Make sure everything is labeled with clear instructions for re-heating.
Meals should be provided in disposable containers, so that the honorees won’t have the added task of washing and returning them. Or in the case of a wedding shower, see if the bride and groom have registered for Corningwear or other types of baking dishes. Then you could co-ordinate with guests to provide some of the meals in those pieces. Another great idea is to go thrift store or yard sale shopping for pretty containers. They can be less expensive than those plastic disposables. And, with numerous containers ready to go, the new couple or new family will be have the supplies to start their own freezer cooking.
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites.
Check out the Freezer Cooking section here at the Frugal Living Blog for more information.