How to mealplan ...

pollyanna24

When you never know how many people will be home for dinner?

I have a couple of lodgers and someone who stays sometimes during the week. I never seem to know how many there will be for dinner and I find it hard to meal plan.

I cook and freeze a lot of meals, and I've decided that I am now going to freeze them in portions of 2, just in case someone decides they will not be there. I like to bulk buy at the start of the month, but I think I may have to stop doing this.

There are always 3 people at home (unless I'm not there, and then they can do what they want.

Normally 4 people and sometimes 5 people.

If there are 3 people, it seems a waste to defrost 4 portions worth of food, so I eat up with pasta or something similar.

Is the only round this to freeze individual portions of everything?

belfastgirl23

I do a mix of 2s and 1s - this is more flexible. With an occasional bigger batch. Does mean you need more tupperware and more freezer space though..

pollyanna24

I think this is what I shall do from now on. I have just bought a small freezer to sit alongside my American fridge/freezer (which isn't as big as you'd think).

I'll do mostly batches of 2 portions and a couple of each meal in 1 portion.

I have just bought 9 tupperware pots from Tesco for about £3 which wasn't bad. Gona make 8 portions of Spag Bol tonight and split into 2+2+2+1+1. Sounds like a plan.

Now I just to reorganise my freezers!

belfastgirl23

Be careful with the tesco containers - I bought a load too and it turns out that they break if you drop them when they are frozen. I found out when the contents of my overstuffed freezer fell onto the floor

pollyanna24

Ooh, really? Guess I have to be careful then. I bought them simply because they were the cheapest and I didnn't need no fancy air lock thingamejiggy on them.

Not sure I'm gona have enough room to do what I want. 5 pots for 8 portions seems a lot. And that's just the spag bol. Might have a quick looksie for slightly smaller tupperware for the 1 portions. (it's hard cos bf hates going round Tesco and I need him for the car!).

thriftlady_2

If I were you I'd tell them that if they don't say they'll be in for tea in the morning then they won't be catered for. If they say they'll be in but don't turn up I'd put their meal in the freezer for next time