Frozen Chicken Noodle Soup Homemade

Today I decided I was going to create this blog and document all of the thrifty things my family does, our celebrations and just family life in general.
One of the things we do is cook and freeze meals. I had chicken thighs from a sale that needed cooking up. Due to the cold season hitting where I live and because it is one of my kids' favorite meals I did chicken noodle soup today (without the noodles).

Six and a half pounds of chicken thighs on sale for 4.50$. Five pounds of carrots and a stalk of celery also on sale. I also grabbed an onion (which I hate cutting onions because of the watery eyes).
I did not go to work today so I had all day to gently boil the chicken in a pot of water. I started it at 8:30 this morning.

The wooden spoon is to keep it from over boiling onto the stove.

I let it come to a boil and then simmer until about 1:30 when I had to get my oldest from the bus stop. I turned it off and covered it to cool on the stove. I covered it to keep my cat from getting into it while I was gone.

Coming home and setting the kids up for the time being into doing some chores I went and separated the chicken meat from the bone. I chopped it into small pieces to eat and then chopped the carrots and celery. I left the onion for last because I really don't like cutting them. There are tricks to cut them with less pain - I put mine into the fridge in an area that gets almost freezing cold.

I then reboil the stock water (the water I boiled the chicken in). To add to the medicinal properties of the soup I add spices: rosemary leaves, bay leaves and thyme. A dash of sea salt and black pepper.

I fill the bottom half of the jar with the ingredients: chicken chunks, celery, carrots and onions. Then I carefully fill to the freeze line with the boiling water. I screw on new lids to the top and let them cool again on the counter before stacking them in my freezer. I will let them thaw for almost 24 hours in the fridge before cooking it for supper. I bring it to a boil, maybe add a jar of water and a chicken bouillon cube if I need more broth than chunks, and add the noodles

The total amount of money I spent on each jar is: 0.95$. That is cheaper than a family size can bought at my local store and healthier since I know what everything is inside. I left one jar out to have with sandwiches tonight for supper.

-Cyra