Batch cooking on a budget!

Tink_04 · 22 March 2019 at 11:17PM

I'm going back to work in a few weeks and I'm really pleased I've managed to clear and defrost my chest freezer :j (4 months of eating from the freezer!)

I am going to start a big batch cook so I have some easy home made meals and snacks in the freezer ready to just reheat or 'dump' in the SC

What are your best batched cooked meals and snacks? My family eat most things & I usually freeze in Pyrex or Tupperware but I'm looking for some good freezer bags to use to save space

So - here is my list so far;

• SpagBol
• Chilli
• Lasange
• Shepherds pie
• Sweet potatoe & spinach curry
• Sweet potatoe chips (HM & cook from frozen)
• Soup

I find batch cooking works for me with my illness and makes it easier to cook good food for my family on the days when I just can't cope. I'd love to do more as a lot are mince based. I always have chicken left over from a Sunday roast so these either go in the curry or smaller bits in omelettes etc. I'm not very good at baking or having sweet stuff in the freezer, I'd love to do more :T

Thanks

Tink :j

Tink_04 · 22 March 2019 at 11:20PM

Ooh I forgot I usually make a big batch of tomatoe based sauce (hidden veggies in it too) for pastas and I freeze smaller portions for making pizzas with the kiddies.

We either use HM pizza dough or if I get and YS pitta type bread these work well too and are good for lunches :j

Tink

maman · 22 March 2019 at 11:30PM

For you with a spacious chest freezer and health issues it probably makes sense to make up many of your sauces into ready meals.

Personally I prefer to freeze basics like Bolognese and savoury mince and then make them up into lasagne or cottage pie on the day.

I cook for 2 so those take away type boxes from the £shop work well for me and they stack really well.

For soups and things like braised red cabbage I use bags. They're just the usual Aldi roll of freezer bags.

Tink_04 · 22 March 2019 at 11:56PM

Maman - I used to do that but found I could easily cook something and freeze into family size portions if I doubled the amount. It went from there really.

Sometimes I make things in stages too - so I will make savoury mince & onion and freeze in a dish then next time I make a Sunday lunch I'll make extra mash and top the frozen mince to make a shepherds pie.

I find it easier to have meals I can take out and leave to defrost then just add pasta or rice too as means we have a family meal ready with little effort.

I like the £ shop tubs but find they snap some times - think different stores have different versions so I may try another store.

Soups are great as can make with almost anything and is a quick lunch for the kids and I.

The cheat freezer is great - I have only had it a year and was gifted to us by SIL so have been trying to fill it with good food rather than frozen pizzas etc

Tink

Brambling · 23 March 2019 at 12:07AM

I often see beef cheeks reduced, put in the SC or pressure cooker with tin tomatoes and make a beef ragu, one cheek makes four portions.

What about meatballs you can pad out the mince with mashed sweet potatoes or I add grated apple to pork mince. As well as the usual mince lasagna I make vegetarian options using roasted vegetable or a spinach and ricotta.

I batch cook just for me so I tend to freeze the pasta and rice as well. I don't do it myself but a friend cooks jacket potatos when the oven is on and then freezes them

Tink_04 · 23 March 2019 at 12:46AM

Brambling I have heard about people freezing jacket potatoes but never tried it. I usually chuck them in the SC for 4 hours on high wrapped in foil and they are fine. I wonder how they reheat after being frozen?

I have never had cheeks before - I am always wary as not sure how to cook things like that.

I find meatballs & burgers hard to make because of my hands. DH will sometimes make them but wouldn't stand and make loads like I would with things tho.

I do keep rozen chopped veg the I have got either YS or was about to be done in the fridge in a bag in the freezer for soups. Just gets all chucked in.

Celery and onions are great and if I have loads of carrots I grate them & freeze. I find this makes my YS fresh finds last longer.

At Xmas A$da has sprouts and carrots for 5p on Xmas eve so I did well with them for the freezer. We had carrot & coriander soup. I grated loads and blanched and froze the rest. Even had some mashed to go in with potatoes.

Tink

Tink_04 · 23 March 2019 at 3:11PM

Portioned up my soup into single servings today and have chopped all the YS peppers I got from Mr M yesterday.

Going to snake a spag Bol for the freezer and some pasta sauce too

Tink

Primrose · 23 March 2019 at 8:25PM

I think you're on the right track with these menus. I'd just add some kind of basic stewing beef, shin beef or lamb shank type casserole with lots of Vegs in them.

I find that keeping a few tins of beans such as red kidney, canneloni, or butter beans in stock means that you can add some of these and serve a filling meal in a soup bowl, perhaps with some crusty bread very quickly

I freeze home made soups in plastic milk bottles, zapping them first with a stick blender so they decant easily. . You can always add chopped cooked potatoes or chick peas or various tinned beans to them when reheating to make a more substantial meal.

And if yiu have difficulty using bread crusts save them and freeze them and every so often chop them into to small cubes and sprinkle with chopped garlic and oil and make soupvoury croutons in the ove. They dress up soups nicely.

Tink_04 · 23 March 2019 at 8:42PM

Primrose that's a great idea about the milk bottles! Will slot in the freezer very well so a good space saver too!

I make casserole usually beef but haven't for a while - I normally do beef and butter bean as these go down well with everyone. I think a freezer used well can save you a fortune. It also means we always have something to eat that's made and I can just take out on a morning or the night before

Tink

caronc · 23 March 2019 at 8:55PM

If you are cooking a joint buy a bigger one and slice & freeze the extra meat in gravy for another roast dinner day. Ditto a big batch of cauliflower cheese for use either as a side or mixed with cooked macaroni for a quick & cheap mid week meal. If you are looking to save having your pyrex in the freezer, line it with a freezer bag or film, fill and freeze then remove the frozen contents and free up the dish. All mainly just cooking for me these days I still make big batches of mash then portion and freeze, if you pat into disks or rectangles it can then either be used as mash or a topping for fish pie etc.

Primrose · 23 March 2019 at 9:02PM

The great thing about freezing soup in plastic milk bottles (a pint bottle makes two good servings) is that they dont risk leaking like bags and when you want to thaw them you just throw them in a bowl or big saucepan of hot water for an hour if you have time.
You obviously have to zap them first with a stick blender so they pour through the holebut it,s easy to bulk them up afterwards by adding other components when reheating. My husband often adds a chopped up frozen skinny frankfurterif if he fancies a bit of meat in his soup.

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Batch cooking on a budget!

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