How to freeze large meals?

Funky_Bold_Ribena

I put the plastic bags into the cooking pot it will be thawed out and cooked in; and put the food into the bag. Then freeze and take the bags out of the pots once frozen and remove the pots from the freezer.

Li0nhead

lindseykim13 wrote: »

I think i've seen the big foil takeaway trays (rather than the small ones) more like lasagne size before somewhere but has anyone else seen them? Sure they were in the poundshop.
For what i want to do which is make family of 5 size trays of cottage pie, lasagne, sausage casserole ect. It would be a pain making 5 mini lasagnes or pies especially when the little ones only have a small amount.
Have batch cooked 2 lots of sheppards pie and sausage casserole tonight. But have now used up all my dishes.
Hate spending money on stuff but if i avoid getting takeaways it will be worth it.

Poundshops/homebargains etc

Ebay is also an option for example 100 takeaway metal containers less than £11:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-x-No2-Takeaway-Aluminium-Foil-Food-Containers-Lids-/380354576083?pt=UK_BOI_Restaurant_RL&hash=item588ee63ed3

Edit: Found them at £7.75 for 100:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-x-Aluminium-Foil-Containers-Lids-Size-2-Trays-Tray-Takeaway-Silver-Chinese-/261114690932?pt=UK_Bakeware&hash=item3ccba5fd74

Towser

1. Use the cooking dish.
2. Line it with correct size zip lock bag or any freezer bag.
3. Put the meal in the bag in the cooking dish.
4. Freeze whole thing.
5. Take out meal in zip lock bag. It will be frozen into the same shape as cooking dish then.
6. Wash up, reuse cooking dish.
7. When ready to eat meal take out freezer and take off zip lock bag and put in cooking dish to defrost.
8. Cook in dish.
This way you save on cooking dishes, space, and expensive freezable containers.
Well it works for me.
Hope this helps.

Linda32

I use sandwich boxes. Once you have bought these you can re-use them and they stack nicely in the freezer.

Pitlanepiglet

Towser wrote: »

.
7. When ready to eat meal take out freezer and take off zip lock bag and put in cooking dish to defrost.

Is it only me that fails with this stage? Whenever I do this I end up with bits of plastic bag stuck to the food that I end up picking out!

How do you manage to easily remove the food?

pollys

For liquid based dishes eg bolognaise, sausage casserole I use freezer bags. For lasagne, cheese and onion pie etc I make in the dish and freeze. I have collected quite a few dishes over the years. We are a family of six and this is the easiest way for us.

Pollys

SailorSam

I've even stopped buying zippy bags 'cos cheese normally comes in these anf i can reuse, then i can empty the slowcooker of curry; casserole; and soup into portions that take up less room in the freezer.

FatVonD

I use freezer bags, I put one in a bowl that I know serves one portion and fill then tie. If you wanted you could then put the bag into a sandwich box/takeaway container until it's frozen so they all fit neatly together.

Remember to label your portions though, ahem. *Voice of experience*

FatVonD

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Is it only me that fails with this stage? Whenever I do this I end up with bits of plastic bag stuck to the food that I end up picking out!

How do you manage to easily remove the food?

Defrost it first!