DIY Stir-Fry Veggie Kits

Don’t you hate it when a so-called “quick and easy” recipe ends up taking more than an hour to make? If you’re anything like me, you don’t want to waste your time on excessively complex recipes. Especially when you are just trying to prepare a simple and nutritious meal for your family. 

The perfect solution is these do-it-yourself stir-fry kits. They’re perfect for those nights when you don’t have a lot of time to cook, but still want to make a fresh, homemade meal. All of the prep work is done ahead of time and the bags of vegetables hang out in the freezer until you’re ready to turn them into dinner on the fly. Here’s how it’s done!

1. Choose your vegetables

The sky is the limit when coming up with vegetable blends that work well for stir-fry kits. Choose an array of colors and textures, and use what’s in season for the freshest-tasting meals.

2. Prep

Some vegetables take longer to fry than others due to several factors, including consistency and water content. Carrots, for example, take longer than peppers. For that reason, you will want to blanch certain vegetables before freezing them.

3. Blanch vegetables 

Immerse vegetables like carrots, broccoli, summer squash and green beans in boiling water for 30 seconds or so, just until tender. Remove the vegetables from the boiling water and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain vegetables and place on a paper towel-lined surface to remove excess water.

3. Assemble kits 

Once you are done prepping the vegetables, you can start assembling your kits! Plan for about 1 ½ cups of vegetables per person. Choose an appropriate-sized resealable freezer bag. You can make small or large bags of vegetables depending on the size of your family; these kits are completely customizable!

4. Freeze 

Remove as much air as possible before sealing bags of vegetables and placing them in the freezer. Don’t forget to label and date them.

5. Make dinner (in less than 10 minutes!) 

To make stir-fry, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a frying pan or wok. Add frozen vegetables and stir-fry for a few minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add bottled or homemade stir-fry sauce right at the end. Add your choice of protein, if desired. Serve with rice. And there you have it: Customized and nutritious stir-fry kits that are just waiting to be made into dinner. A bit of prep work now can yield several nights of easy dinners in the future. Here are more dinner ideas for putting those fresh-frozen veggies to use!