2 weeks Meal prep for Isolation

sazaccount

Hello Lovely OS board,

I am looking for some inspiration and help... From the 30th December for 2 weeks I will have to be self isolating, I am looking for some ideas that I can cook up and freeze over this weekend so I don't need to be cooking too much for the 14 days isolation, I lodge so will be keeping to my room/back garden and not wanting to "hog" the kitchen for the family to use as they will not be able to be in there while I am and disinfecting the surfaces after myself.

So far I have chili and bolognaise as these are my go to. Bonus for extra veggies that will freeze well, I can cook pasta/rice/potato when needed. any easy to follow recipes/shopping lists would be great too.

Thanks       

PollyWollyDoodle

How about some roasted vegetables- they can be defrosted and used as a side dish, or stirred into pasta. I’d probably invest in some of those microwaveable packets of rice or couscous, not very MSE but quick to cook. 

joedenise

Curries, tagines, stews are all things which are easy to cook and freeze.  Probably easiest to do them in a Slow Cooker or a Pressure cooker if you have either.

Agree it would be worth investing in some microwave rice; and microwave veg.  Couscous is also a good idea as only takes 5 minutes to cook.

sazaccount

PollyWollyDoodle said:

How about some roasted vegetables- they can be defrosted and used as a side dish, or stirred into pasta. I’d probably invest in some of those microwaveable packets of rice or couscous, not very MSE but quick to cook. 

Yes... I can't for the life of me cook rice without something going wrong, Believe me I've tried, on the hob in the microwave, lots of water less water, ratios etc, I even had ladies in India try and teach me how to cook it and nope LOL. So the rice is defiantly going to be the 1 minute packets. 

Does HM roasted veg freeze ok? 

PollyWollyDoodle

Yes, I’ve done it - roasted root veg, one of my favourites, and also tomato-pepper-onion type mixes. 

annieb64

I freeze roasted veg then nuke it from frozen and stir it into couscous.

JIL

Macaroni cheese with added extras such as leeks, broccoli, bacon chorizo.
Sausage casserole, chicken casserole, curry, 
You can buy bags of frozen rice, or quick cook pouches, as well as frozen jacket potatoes.
I freeze leftover roasted veg, but usually as a ratatouille to make a pasta sauce that often gets eaten with meatballs.

Apintplease

I cant abide frozen veg, im not fussed on veg at all so my go to freezer meals for one include thick creamy vegetable soups, leek and potato, lentil tomato and coriander, butternut squash and red pepper, curried parsnip etc. You can roast all the veg in one oven sitting and make them all in one morning, freezing into bags

Roast a chicken at the same time, then slice and portion up and freeze. Even a chicken sandwich with a bowl of soup is a welcome sight compared to a micro meal, or some chicken and salad

If you have some takeaway cartons handy then make up some ready meals, sausage and mash with onion gravy, curry and rice, bolognaise and rice

If you are making curry, carne, bolognaise, dont forget they all go really well with a jacket spud or on top of wedges and chips if you dont want to be fluffing with rice

Take a kettle into your room. get a few pot noodles, tea, coffee and get some crackers and stuff like that cos believe me, when home alone self isolating the boredom will have you reach for food and in your situation you need to keep your visits to the kitchen to a minimum. Also a fruit bowl and even ring pull cans of fruit

Think now about all the things you tend to reach for when needing a hug and get them in. Ive not done self isolation myself, but I have had three weeks stuck on my own at a time with no access to shops and believe me, when you need chocolate - you need chocolate 

All the best xx

VintageHistorian

Meatballs in tomato sauce freezes very well. I also do a chicken and chorizo pasta sauce which is basically two diced chicken breasts, some diced chorizo (however much you want), and a carton or jar of passata. Cook it in a pan for around 15 to 20 minutes and serve with penne or fusili. Depending on sides (i.e. garlic bread or a salad) you should be able to stretch it to make 3 portions, so eat one on the day and freeze the other two.

Depending on how much freezer space you have I'd also suggest sticking an extremely easy meal in there, like one of the smaller Pizza Express pizzas. Then you can just take it out, bung it in the oven, and chuck it on a plate when it's done. That way if you've had a bad day then you don't need to think about cooking up sides and the like, it's just a one plate job.

baggins11

Some great suggestions there. What I would say is it's worth freezing the portions in sandwich bags laid flat. Its great use of space and really reduces the defrosting time.  I did this when I prepped for covid.  Little did I know we would catch covid a couple of weeks after stocking up the freezer.

It worked brilliantly for easy food when we where up to eating. We had the bologs/curry/chilli with microwave rice or frozen chips.   

We also bought tinned soup. Some tinned soup is rubbish but some brands taste ok with 3 portions of veg per tin. Obviously making your own and freezing is better if you have time.

Floss

Roasted veg lasagne frozen into portions. 
Veggie bake frozen in portions.