Need help with making meals out of what i have.

stealthelf

Hi, I am new to this, but would love some help with becoming more os.

At the minute we are eating more from outside the house that what we have as i can't think of things to cook.But we have lots in. here is a list of the things in my freezer I also have a well stocked cupboard and fridge, and have a large sack of spuds.

Don't mind buying things that i need if i have not got them but sick of takeouts and eating out.

There are 6 of us 2 adults and 4 kids 10,9,7,2 but the 2 year old will only eat plain pasta and sausage or chicken nuggets or plain fish (cod, haddock)most the time i start her of with whatever we eat but she does not want to eat it. As she is scared of the food when she was smaller she was allergic to most things she only has a big reaction to anything with tomato in now. And my 9 year old will only eat plain food no sauces.

I have:
4X 18 pack pork sausage
10X 400g beef mince
17X chicken breast
2x homade chilli con carne
17x6-7oz beef steaks
0.570kg-cod loin
2x 150g each ostrich steak
4x 8oz venison steak
3x 400g- diced chicken breast
1kg steaky bacon
3x pork ribs (very big)
1/4 black pudding
2x 300g -fajita chicken breast
1.90kg beef brisket
2xgarlic bread
1 giant yorkshire
2x samosa pastry
2x salmon fillets
2x haddock fillets
1 whole chicken
6x 1kg egg whites (carton)
1/2 bag mixed peppers
1 bag mushroom sliced
1/2 mixed veg
7 loafs bread
6 pitta bread
very large rind on pork loin

hope someone can help.

themarsbargirl

Ok, just a few ideas-
Toad in the Hole with sausages, either use the giant yorkshire or make your own bubatter with flour milk and eggs, serve gravy on the side for those that like sauce.
Use pittas instead of wraps to do a stuff your own pitta, slice and fry some chicken breasts in one bow-, some fried sliced peppers in a bowl, fried onions in a bowl and grated cheese in a bowl-each family member can chose what they want in their pitta.
Deconstructed shepherds pie (mince and gravy in one bowl, mash in another etc) same idea-deconstructed fish pie.
Steak and hm wedges (just cut potatoes into wedges, toss in oil and seasoning as required, spread on a tray and pop in oven)
Roast dinner with the chicken.

I'd generally suggest deconstructed/put it together yourself type meals to accomodate the picky eaters without having to cook separate meals for them.

stealthelf

thanks themarsbargirl i like the idea of the deconstructed meals has the kids might eat them, and i might not have to cook more that one meal. but alway keep cold sausages and cold pasta in fridge, just in case. As I love to cook but with no one eating it with out moaning I had given up but I want to get back into it.

SailorSam

I think maybe this is a wind-up,
With that much food in the freezer, i think your freezer must be bigger than the flats that some people live in.
Suggestion on what to cook, next time you get a takaway read the label what's in it. Then make your own.

JIL

Make your own chicken nuggets. If using the chicken. You could always use that for the children and use some to make a curry for you and your husband.
I know its not ideal but you could always give the children a taste of the curry. That way if they don't eat it there's no tantrums. What about home made fishcakes? Again leaving some fish and potatoes for the little ones but making them a small fish cake each.

calicocat

SailorSam wrote: »

I think maybe this is a wind-up,
With that much food in the freezer, i think your freezer must be bigger than the flats that some people live in.
Suggestion on what to cook, next time you get a takaway read the label what's in it. Then make your own.

I don't know....i think I could cram that into my Tardis....no, I mean freezer.

gayleygoo

You could live for a long time on what's in your freezer! Check dates on things - do you know how long they've been in your freezer? You could try putting stickers on the things that need used sooner than others.

There is so much food there that there are too many possibilities! Now is a good time to learn how to meal plan. Pick a meat for each night (feel free to have meat-free nights of course), and figure out what you can make with it with other food you have in the fridge. By planning you can use up other things - have the garlic bread with spag bol, meatballs, pasta or homemade pizza. Have the samosas with a curry etc.

It can be discouraging to have to defrost a big lump of meat before even preparing it in a recipe, get ahead of yourself by making meals for the freezer (you can defrost meat, cook it, and freeze the meal safely). If you can be organised, make the meals after you buy the meat and freeze them - you'll be less likely to go for a takeaway if you only have to pop a pie, lasagna, quiche/tart etc in the oven. Batches of homemade mini meatballs will freeze well, and can be made into easy meals or cooked on their own as finger food for fussy children. Meatloaf is another tasty meal (loads of recipes online with different variations, pick your favourite!), and they can be made as mini meatloaves in bun-cases or muffin tins. And frozen in slices (or whole in case of the "muffins")

You can make your own chicken nuggets if you have a blender. Similarly to making meatballs, add some breadcrumbs or stuffing to roughly blended chicken, grated apple and some herbs. Shape into nuggets, or with cookie cutters! Dip in dry breadcrumbs (you may or may not need to dip in beaten egg before the breadcrumbs, it depends on how well the mixture stays together), and fry gently or oven bake until done. Or freeze.

Just wondering if the 1kg bacon is frozen in managable portions or one solid black? If you buy lots of meat to freeze, it is worth freezing in the amounts you'll use to cut down on waste.

My freezer is mostly full of frozen veg, HM meals and leftovers, veg odds and ends for making stock, and ice cream. Meat is too easily forgotten about and not quickly enough defrosted for my liking. It may work out easier to plan your week's meals (or two weeks since you've got a big freezer), buy meat and cook accordingly -even if you cook double batches and freeze half fro another night's dinner.

stealthelf

SailorSam this is not a wind up I have a large chest freezer.

Most the meat is from May this year as i was cooking alot before then but had some health problems and have not really cooked since the end of may. Plus all the pork, bacon,ribs and sausages are from hubbys work from June.

My 10 year old Daugther makes the chicken nuggets and then i just cook 2 days worth at the same time. Plus she makes all the treats for the house.

I try putting a little of whatever we are eating on the fussy kids plates to see it they like it or will try it. I buy my meat online so it is like bulk buying.

gayleygoo- yes the bacon is one block. but most the meat is in meal size but the steak is in one or two in each bag and the chicken breasts are frozen one in each bag and are about 125g when cooked.

But really want to get back in to the cooking again. And use all this food before its no good. oh the pork loin is not frozen as i have not but it in the freezer yet as hubby only got it yesterday as his mother want some, but she didn't mean what she said. so now have more meat for the freezer. I will be chopping it up in to three joints.

I have not meal planned before so will look in to that. I have been cooking this weekend but that was things that was not on the list.

I get the easy meals like sausage and mash or sausage and chips, roast dinner and spaghetti bolognese, steak and chips. or chicken breast with pasta or rice and veg, fish and pasta but thats where i stop and can't think anymore. Yes i know that is alot of meat but if i was cooking everyday plus chicken breast or egg whites for lunch it would be about 1 and 1/2 months worth if that.

But hubby don't train like he did before May as i need the help at home with things so don't eat the same food as he did. (2 chicken breast for lunch a day) plus egg white for supper.

System

What springs to mind to me is how is a 'small' child allergic to something and grows out of it by 2?!

I had an allergy when I was growing up, to coconut, and I didn't grow out of it until 15, and I suffered anaphylactic shock twice.

Being allergic to something and not liking it are two different things. If you only give your child what you want them to eat they won't know any better. If you didn't allow a 2 year old to try chicken nuggets or sausages then they wouldn't want to eat them constantly.

Seems odd a newbie joins up and just happens to mention all this variety of meat and then the website it came from, without being asked I might add.

stealthelf

Plus now that its school Holidays my daughter wants to cook things.
As well as bake thing which she is great at.
And i asked for help on here as i feel like i have let them down the last few months and let them get use to eating junk because i have not been able to cook. I am hoping to get back to somewhere where i use to be. (baking and cooking everyday)

stealthelf

katykicker- there i removed where i get my meat from. i put where i got it from as someone said it was a wind up,

And yes u can grow out of things your allergic to something and by 2 or 3 . When she was a baby she was allergic to cows milk, fish, tomatos plus come other things. And alot of babys have allergics that they can grow out of. before they are 3 years old.

And she has done very good to eat the food she does as she was still eating only mashed up food like baby food about 10 months ago. At least she is eating real solid food now. And my daughter will be 3 years old in November.

As many as 85 percent of children with milk, egg or soy allergy will eventually outgrow their allergy.

plus sorry for being a newbie. I have never want to ask anything before or add anything. just read what others have put. so didn't sign up.