...with the nesting.

I'm only 29 weeks pregnant...and I'm already starting the nesting phase. Namely with cooking and stocking up on "supplies". It's like we're going into hibernation or something. Or going on a 3 month trip to the moon. Who knows, whatever it is, the nesting bug has taken a huge bite out of me and I am obsessed with making lists of things I need to stock up on before baby #2 arrives. Things like toilet paper, shampoo, soap, etc. The main reason I am so interested in stocking up on things is because I don't have a paid maternity leave, so the more stuff I can stock up on now, the less I have to spend while on leave...and you betcha, I am taking the full 12 weeks.
I am also starting to prepare food dishes that will be quick and easy to cook once the baby arrives. Because, I'll have 2 kids to keep an eye on. Yipes. Sounds a little scary right now. I am not a huge fan of casserole dishes...a few here and there are okay, but I don't want to eat casseroles every night of my maternity leave. Not only that, I don't want to be using the oven frequently during the summer months...just gets things too hot in the house. I have been searching online for recipes that freeze well and actually am going to try out a few ahead of time to make sure they really do freeze well and then cook up well after being frozen. Did you know you can freeze mashed potatoes?

For now, I am making lists of the things I want to prepare ahead of time. It's a little too soon to start making and freezing things, as some things don't have a long freezer life. I found a nice chart on the FDA's website which gives a good rundown of how long certains foods can be frozen for. Check it out here. We fortunately have a deep freezer, so freezer space is not a concern at this point.

I have been working extra grocery items into my weekly shopping trips when there are sales and good deals. Just today I purchased boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale and plan to cut them up, marinate and then freeze them to be used for kabobs on the grill. I also was able to get 2 whole chickens on sale and will marinate those as well and then freeze. Not everything will be cooked ahead of time...I plan on stocking up on "staples" too...like boxed pasta (just got 2 boxes today for free after coupons!!!) and cereal.

Here is more of what I plan on making and freezing, with links to possible recipes:
Muffins (for breakfast)
Scones (breakfast, or just to snack on!)
Hamburger buns
Meatloaf (already have tried this and it is delicious)
Marinted chicken thighs and breasts (for grilling)
Pasta dishes???

If you have any recipes that you've already tried and give a stamp of approval to, feel free to share with me! I am on the lookout for more recipes!