Hi Jenny,

Regarding your questions, yes, you should let the food cool before freezing. If cooling in the same dish that will be used for freezing, leave the lid off the container while cooling to reduce condensation on the food (condensation will turn into ice crystals on top of the food). Depending on the food, you can use freezer zip-lock bags, foil pans, or plastic or glass containers with lids. My favorite containers for storage and freezing are Pyrex (or Anchor Hocking) glass storage containers - they can also be used for reheating in the oven or microwave.

Here are some recipes for you to check out:

Make Ahead Cooking and Freezer Recipes Page

Make Ahead and Freezer Recipes - a few

Search results for recipes using the word: Freeze (click here)

Happy Cooking!

Betsy