Bulking out Meals?

Lizling

RedLass wrote: »

Does anybody know what I am doing wrong, or if there is one particular seasoning that I need to focus on to bring it back?

Sounds like adding some stock might help. Nothing un-MSE about stock either

RedLass

Lizling wrote: »

Sounds like adding some stock might help. Nothing un-MSE about stock either

Ohhh that's a good idea, it would be easy to replace the water with stock. I'll try it, thanks :j

Moneybus

When cooking meals with meat content it doesn't seem to go that far and have to usually double up on the meat content. I just wondered how everyone bulked up their meals to save costs?

I remember reading in the past a post about someone making vegetable hash to bulk up meals and then kept it in the freezer to add to meals as and when but I can't find the post now.

Any ideas appreciated!

blossomhill_2

Lentils are traditionally used - if you like them.
A pound of mince seemed to go much further when I was a kid than when I became the mum trying to provide meals for my kids, we eat such bigger meals now! But then again I know mum used to put bread through the mincer along with the leftover Sunday meat

Pink.

Hi Moneybus,

These threads should help you to to bulk out your meals:

Bulking out Meals?

Mince quantity question (stretching and portion sizes)?

Making lumps of meat look bigger...

I'll add your thread to the first link later to keep the ideas together.

Pink

nuatha

Moneybus wrote: »

When cooking meals with meat content it doesn't seem to go that far and have to usually double up on the meat content. I just wondered how everyone bulked up their meals to save costs?

I remember reading in the past a post about someone making vegetable hash to bulk up meals and then kept it in the freezer to add to meals as and when but I can't find the post now.

Any ideas appreciated!

The veg hash is far more a flavouring thing than a way to bulk meals. Don't let that put you off, its a excellent way to add lots of flavour easily. If memory serves its Thriftlady's the blog post is here Eslewhere on her blog is her building blocks approach to batch cooking.
There are several recent posts in the "Tough" thread about bulking up mince which would be worth reading.
Generally I add red lentils to mince, if its becoming a cottage pie, I'll add grated carrots as well as sliced carrots and garden pies. If its becoming chilli I increase the usual quantities of red kidney beans and add haricot beans (a tin of baked beans would work).
Stews and the like get a lot more veg than they used to, generally I aim for three quarters of the volume being veg.
HTH

thefamousexcuse

Hi guys,

Hope your all ok and have had a good week.

I have a question for all of you lovely people; My OH has lost a fair bit of weight recently, and this is not through lack of eating or trying to slim down. I do all of the cooking and make sure he eats at least twice/three times a day, but for some reason the weight just keeps falling off him!!

I have had him to the docs and he says there is nothing wrong, he just needs to change his diet, and I am hoping this is where all of your lovely can help me.

Have you got any recipes that will help bulk him up but not make him "over weight" and of course keeping them OS. I know this is a massive ask but if you can help I would really appreciate it. He eats everything bar fish and seafood as he is allergic.

I swear its like having another full time job at the moment!!

Sorry for such a long post.

Have a good day guys

Loads of love
TFE
xxx

Idiophreak

Make sure he's getting plenty of good quality protein - red meats, cheese and beans, this will enable him to build muscle, which will add "good" weight...And make sure he's getting his calorie allowance every day.

It sounds obvious, but normally when people lose weight, it's because their body's burning more calories in a day than are being ingested. The "average" guy needs 2500 calories a day, but this is more for bigger guys, or those that have physical jobs or exercise frequently.

I, personally, am 6'2, with quite a large frame and I exercise probably once a day on average...So I need to eat 3,500+ calories per day to maintain the same weight. When you think about it, that's really quite a lot - I have a banana and wheatabix for breakie, under 500 calories, I have a sandwich for lunch, around 400 calories, and that leaves 2,600 calories to have for dinner - which is 5 whole "pizza express" pizzas from tesco....As such, I always make sure I have plenty of carbs with the meal, pasta, spuds or rice, and I always try to have some pudding afterwards - maybe banana and icecream, pancakes sometimes...I think it's rare that I actually hit the 3500 calories (probably just when I have takeout, really)...but keeping the calories in mind means I don't feel guilty about getting all the carbs I need...

ETA: Also, I know it sounds completely backward given the bulk of "healthy eating" advice, but I find fizzy drinks to be quite useful for topping up my calories instake - an easy couple of hundred calories in the afternoon

PasturesNew

Make him lots of lovely steamed puddings and custard for afters....

Malfiore

My OH is bulking up at the moment and in the day will eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, all full of protein and carbs; on top of that he has snacks which comprise of a peanut butter sandwich, a boiled egg, a small bag of mixed nuts (25g) and a few pieces of tofu (we're veggie so I bake a block of tofu in the oven after marinading it), but you could put in some pieces of meat.

He has put on about 2 stone since I met him a few years ago and he found it a struggle to eat all the foods he needed to in the beginning as he wasn't used to it, now I hide food...