Meal planning conundrum

happilymarried2013 · 12 January 2016 at 3:23PM

Afternoon all! Hope you're all well.

I'm having a bit of a sticky issue at the moment. I need to start planning ahead but neither hubby and I are home from work until 8 ish and I need carb-free meals that I can put in slow cooker.

I'm hoping that I can start putting meals in containers in the fridge ready to put in the slow cooker in the morning. Do you think this would be ok? If I do 3 days worth in the fridge on a Sunday night they'd keep? What suggestions would you have apart from the casseroles/curry?
I'm just trying to get a lot more organized (and healthy) - its really easy to come home at 8 and order a take away.

Thanks in advance xx

kathrynha · 12 January 2016 at 3:30PM

In theory you should brown the meat before putting in the slow cooker but I never bother. All your veg will be fine prepped before hand.

Sausage casseroles are nice, and you can get nice gluten free ones, not sure if they are carb free.

One thing with slow cookers is stews and casseroles can be quite wet and need some thickening. I normally use flour or mashed potato, but not quite sure about carb free options. Is cornflour okay?

Your can do joints of meat in a slow cooker too as a variation on stews, but not much experience of them.

Lots of slow cooker (crock pot) recipe ideas on Pinterest

keeponlearning · 12 January 2016 at 3:37PM

Tomato pur!e can be used to thicken as well.

Take a look on Pinterest - there are loads of American sites where they prepare weeks and weeks of meals for the slow cooker in advance and then freeze them in meal sized portions.

VfM4meplse · 12 January 2016 at 6:42PM

Not quite what you asked but answers the point on time and organsation...but I often batch cook carb-free soups and curries and then portion them up for the freezer.

Take what you want out to semi-defrost in the fridge during the day and stick it in a pan to heat through when you're ready to eat.

clickerty-click · 12 January 2016 at 11:52PM

Chiili is a slow cooker favorite at our house and seems to taste better the day after cooking. If you batch cook you can freeze in portions and then just defrost overnight and heat through when you get back from work.

I would also recommend Pinterest, there are some good posts where they suggest putting all the components of a meal in to a bag so you just have to take out the whole thing to defrost then drop it into the slow cooker.

freezspirit · 13 January 2016 at 1:19AM

look up batch cooking also slow cooker freezer meals. Basically you prepare a weeks/months worth of meals in 1 day. You season meat, cut and chop vegetables and place each meal in either a freezer bag/ container. I can't remember if you have to defrost the meal mix the night before or put straight into the slow cooker on the morning.

shykins · 13 January 2016 at 7:31AM

if you want to thicken stews and still be low carb put in extra veg, then when you get home take out approx cup of veg, whizz it up and add it back in and it will then thicken the rest of the stew

generally if you buy high quality sausages they are lower carb think supermarket finest, Debbie & andrews etc or ask at your butcher

happilymarried2013 · 13 January 2016 at 10:07AM

Thanks all. I really appreciate it.
Spent some time pinning Freezer Meals on Pinterest last night. Gonna stock up on Freezer bags on Friday and spend Friday night sorting my freezer out.

Thank you xx

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Meal planning conundrum

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