Make-Ahead Must-Haves: Glass Baking Dishes with Lids

There are a few tools in my kitchen that I have found to be invaluable when making-ahead, and one of those are my glass baking dishes with lids.  Sure, you can always cover a baking dish with foil, but when you store a foil-covered dish in the freezer for several weeks, the meal tends to dry out.  Using baking dishes that come with lids will help keep the recipe's moisture in, keeping your freezer dishes fresher for longer.

Covered Baking Dish Use #1:  Make-Ahead Casseroles.  I had a chance to use my covered 9x13 baking dish at our most recent make-ahead party.  Kelsey made a delicious enchilada recipe, which is stored and frozen in a 9x13-inch baking dish.  After filling our dishes with scrumptious enchiladas, I simply snapped the lid on my baking dish, set it in the freezer, and had a great make-ahead meal to come back to that could have lasted several weeks in the freezer!

This is a great starter set, as it includes a variety of
baking dishes and storage/service pieces.

Covered Baking Dish Use #2:  Make-Ahead Sauces.  The variety of covered baking dishes available means that they're not just for casseroles.  At our last get-together, Jessica made a great shrimp and vegetable stir-fry.  I put my portions in my glass bowl for freezing.  It couldn't have been more convenient! And then, as soon as we're ready to serve it, we'll only have to pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, and voila!  Dinner is served.

Covered Baking Dish Use #3:  Serviceware.  We love to host get-togethers at our house, and preparing the food ahead of time always saves us some grief on party day.  Most glass dishes are nice enough to use as serviceware for these casual dining situations, and they making hosting a breeze.  We simply prepare our appetizers, main courses, sides, and whatever else we'll be using ahead of time, and then store them in the freezer or refrigerator until we're ready to heat and serve them!  Then, at the end of the evening, we just pop the lids back on and all the leftovers go back in the fridge.  Instead of transferring from prepware to freezer storage, then from freezer storage to heating or bakeware, then from bakeware to service dishes, and then back to storage, you can use these dishes to eliminate much of the work, and the dirty dishes.

Covered Baking Dish Use #4:  Leftovers.  I'm sure we all have plastic storage containers (think Tupperware) that we regularly use for leftovers.  However, glass baking dishes also make great leftover storage, and they also tend to resist staining better than many plastic storage containers.

And, that's just a start.  They can help keep your refrigerator or freezer organized, they're easy to run through the dishwasher - the kitchen's the limit!  But, when it comes to making-ahead, one thing is for sure: lids make life a snap.