Batch cooking ideas please

boo80

I've always done it (more out of laziness than money saving!) but I'm really limited to what I cook. It's always bolognaise, chilli, and very ocassionally, a curry. What do you batch cook, and have you got any tips?

Linda32

Hi,

I've only just started really, but in the past, I've done a pie in the sort of dish you use for lasagna, then cut into portions and froze.

Roast a chicken and portion up, then use by either re-heating in gravy/use in a curry/jacket spud topping mixed with mayo and sweet corn.

Casseroles/stews.

Pasta Bake, this seems to re-heat quite okay for us.

I don't like red kidney beans so I've never done chili.

stiltwalker

Don't know if you saw the TV series Economy Gastronomy when it was on but the cookbook that goes with it is very good, the idea is that you make one large amount of something and then do different things to it to make it different meals throughout the week, some weeks I do it like this but sometimes I make the main thing and then freeze it down at that point so that can choose what I do with it when I defrost it. So I'd make mince and onions and freeze that when defrosted it can turn into spag bol or lasagne or chilli or mince and onion plate pie or cottage pie etc - this gives more versatility.

I also batch cook stew or casserole, which again can be either as is or turned into pie. I freeze down stock if we've had a chicken and don't want to use the stock then and there. I also freeze leftover from the Sunday roast chopped up and made into a mix - veg a bit of meat and a bit of gravy to lubricate but not too much - and then use that for pasty filling when I defrost it.

ETA: Linda32 - you can use other sorts of beans in a chilli so put something in you do like, I use whatever is in the cupboard so canelloni, borlotti, haricot, butter even baked beans work.

Raksha

I don't do it often, but one huge hint which made a big difference to us, is to take out the number of meals/servings (weighing it if necessary) before you serve up today's meal - it's all to easy to dollop it on plates and not have enough left for the two or three other meals you hoped you had.

spotdogkez

I batch make pizza dough and shortcrust pastry. I make both in my food processor and typically make 4 lots of pizza dough and 4 lots of pastry all in one go. I then freeze this as it is in freezer bags (which saves on space rather than making the pizzas or pies up. This lasts me the month. The night before I use it i take it out of the freezer and place in fridge. Then it is ready to use as normal.

Pink.

Hi boo,

I've added your thread to the existing thread on batch cooking which should give you lots of ideas.

This thread may help too:

Cooking for the Freezer..

Pink

Noctu

Thanks everyone for their advice on this thread. I start a new job next week and have been batch cooking as much as possible to make the first few nights/weeks easier after work!

I bought a load of foil trays (like the big ones you get from the Indian takeaway) and have made quite a few meals which can be defrosted and bunged in the oven!

So far I've made:

Sausage & braising steak slow cooker stew
Leeks in cheese & mustard sauce topped with breadcrumbs
Chicken breasts (uncooked) with pesto, cherry tomatoes, cheese, and breadcrumbs - I just bought frozen chicken breasts for this one and popped them into the tray with everything else
Egg fried rice
Crispy small roast potatoes
Chicken & leek shortcrust pastry pie
Chilli con carne
Lasagna
Vegetable soup

We do like the traditional mince-based dishes and they freeze very well but thought I'd mimic some of the ready meals we've had from M&S!

zarazara

I like to cook 1 frozen bag of lean mince beef or minced chicken ,1 head of celery ,chopped,2 or 3 chopped carrots and 2 or 3 onions and a heap of frozen sweet corn,a handful of pearl barley and a small handful of lentils.cover with water and simmer for around an hour. freeze in batches and use as a savory mince base. you can add an oxo cube and /or herbs for 1 dish,top with mash and cook for cottage pie. add a tin of red kidney beans to the next batxh a tin of chopped toms and a little chilli, serve with rice for chilli co carne. add italian herbs to another and serve with pasta. I've even watered it down with veg stock as a soup. really easy and several meals out of it

smarties84

Hello, i'm going to start budgetting from next week because what i have been doing - hasn't been working. I am going to be on a food budget of about £35-£40 a week. I have a partner, one 3 year old and one newborn and myself....

I am after food ideas/recipes - i buy food that doesn't really last more than one meal. I would like to get 2 meals each time possibly that i can freeze for another day etc? I can cook but not that well, so it would have to be fairly easy aswell lol.

I would appreciate any help/advice
Thankyou smarties

CH27

Whole chickens are great for stretching to two or three meals ie roast chicken, chicken curry & chicken pasta.
You can make chcken soup from the carcass for lunches.

Sit down & make a weeks meal plan & then you only buy what you need.