Cooking for the Freezer..

donnajt

Herbgirl wrote: »

Oh that link has given me loads more ideas!!

I have spent today slaving away - have done the sausage and mash, chicken tonight, sweet and sour chicken, mac and cheese with bacon and sun-dried toms, scones, brownies and managed not to eat any of it. Just waiting for the items to cool before freezing. Tomorrow is mince day so the chilli, shepherds pie, lasagna. Any left over will become bolognaise.

Now what to have for dinner....

:T:T:TWell done :T:T:T

valk_scot

For folk that don't want to take a day or two off to do this the easy way is to make something different every night for a fortnight but in x6 the quantity and freeze the excess. I usually keep a pile of HM ready meals in the freezer for busy days and emergencies but I don't put any extra energy into making them, I just freeze any excess from cooking for the family normally or I make extra. Hubby takes them into work as well, it saves a fortune on lunches.

Don't forget you can freeze takeaway leftovers as well, though be cautious with rice dishes.


The other thing to remember is that the freezer life of a HM ready meal is ~ 3 months, depending on what you've made. After that it won't kill you to eat it but many ingredients start deteriorating in texture. Mushrooms and eggs don't freeze well to start with and things like large pieces of vegetable and potatoes take on a somewhat sludgy texture on defrosting. And these plastic and foil takeaway containers aren't airtight enough for lengthy storage, wrap them in clingfilm or bag up otherwise the contents will get freezer burn.

Popperwell

Thanks VS,
I like the idea of bulk cooking and hope to do it asap but I am packed to the gills in the freezer and lately I seem to have timed my visits to the SM when they reduce fresh veg(prepacked)in price or buy the loose veg when they do a price drop which goes in the fridge to be used quick quickly. But if it wasted as I have only paid pennies I don't really mind.

Lately I have done well on meat and fish that has been reduced(yellow stickered)and I suspect I have close on £100 worth of meat/fish possibly more but I did not pay that and...as I have made it into smaller portions it should go a long way...as long as the fridge/freezer does not pack up or we have a power cut.

My store of dry goods(tins/packets)is well stocked butI don't mind if they go past the best before dates but many items are dated into 2013/2014.

I have plenty of cereal in the pantry and UHT milk, powdered milk. Long life fruit juice. cupboards containing lots of soup and mixes.

I can top up as I use things or do quick shops of items like bread, fresh milk, fresh veg and salad items. So now my shopping bill should reduce accordingly. I am better at storing fresh veg so it lasts longer thanks to tips given by OS'ers on here and links that have been posted.

I am eating less but reasonably well(I think)and mainly doing comfort food, simple but tasty. I love my slow cooker. The microwave is handy so all I have to do is master the combi function of that and perhaps use the small George Foreman grill I have and I think all that side of things is taken care of.

Being single I don't need to use much crockery or cutlery but I have some throwaway plates/bowls and cutlery so I can even save on washing up. And if I have some containers some meals have come in from the SM it is sometimes as easy just to re-use them...

I was already quite savvy but with all the help I have found on here even more so...and with all the austere measures ahead I will need all the help that I can get...

I would love to have my freezer more organised. But at least I know that some meals can be stored in the fridge if used within a few days so I can do bulk meals on a small scale safely...

I don't think I can do any more regarding tips to try and stay warm and I don't really need to add any more to my collection of clothes so all I need is enough income to pay the usual bills that everyone has to and budget carefully.

MTDancer

In America they often do the raw ingredients for meals, freeze them, when needed defrost then put in slow cooker.
Sometimes I don't have time to cook the veggies that have been reduced at the supermarket so this seems like a good idea too

Lemanie_2

Excellent idea - well done for getting onto it!!

I am currently trying to do the opposite - we are moving house in the next few weeks (hopefully...) but the built in freezer is really tiny - just 2 and a half drawers, quite ridiculous!

Will need to buy a normal size [read: massive] freezer fairly promptly!!

donnajt

MTDancer wrote: »

In America they often do the raw ingredients for meals, freeze them, when needed defrost then put in slow cooker.
Sometimes I don't have time to cook the veggies that have been reduced at the supermarket so this seems like a good idea too

I stumbled across this last week - they call it "dumping" which had me laughing my head off when I found a recipe for "dump" chicken..curiousity got the better of me cos dump chicken sounded bloody awful!

tiff

Just to add some links to freezer cooking, all American

http://freezermealsforus.blogspot.co.uk/

http://freezerfriendz.blogspot.co.uk/

http://www.theeaseoffreeze.com/

Herbgirl

Well I did it - £70 spend and 70 dinner meals in the freezer, breakfast and lunch covered as well. Will need to do top ups of milk through the months but it should see me through to Jan with friends popping over!! There is literally no more room in freezer and I think the jacket spuds got pretty squished while freezing, But YAY!!

donnajt

Well done xxx

zcrat41

Hello people. I pop on OS all the time to lurk and pick up some great tips and you wonderful people helped me before....

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1366087

So, the update to that thread is the first meal must of impressed him because we got married last year and we have our first baby on the way at the end of January!! So I have been trying to run the freezer and cupboards down so that I can clean them and restock them before baby arrives:j

SO, I've been meal planning like mad to use up the cupboards but I have the following that I'm struggling to use. If you have any suggestions I'd be really grateful!

- Tesco value cocoa powder (can I use this as hot chocolate?)
- 4 packs of lasasnge sheets (I have 2 lasanges to eat in the freezer so don't really want to make more!)
-8 tins of cannelini beans. (Don't ask, I had a bean fetish before I met DH, now he doesn't like them!)
- half a pack of frozen prawns.

Everything else I've managed to use up but I just can't think of exciting things for those 4.

Then the next phase of attack is to refill the freezer for when baby arrives. So far I want to make:

Beef stew
Lasange
Bolognese.

But then I run out of ideas for meals I can cook in Dec/Jan and eat to keep healthy whilst pg then freeze some for a nice healthy portion when baby is here. We dont have a slow cooker but I do like stew type meals - due on Jan 30th so will be cold and miserable outside!!


Looking forwards to your suggestions!