cooking and freezing/storing food

[Rubic]

I think I need to be more organised and also watch my spending when it comes to food shopping too while still trying to stay healthy. I have found loads of nice recipes on BBC good food and I want to make them but most of them serve 4. I could just cut the ingredients and make it for 1 but I don't have time to cook every night. I either need food that can be put in an oven/pot/microwave and left for however long with minimal intervention or that is really quick and easy to prepare but I'm sick of basic chicken, potatoes or pasta and roast veg etc so want to branch out a bit more. I thought it would be good if I could spend some of my free time at the weekend cooking and just freeze or refrigerate portions that I could heat up every evening, that way I could still eat healthily but not take all the time needed to prepare a good meal. (and it would give me more time at the yard for chores and riding!)

When it comes to these recipes I don't know which ones would last in a fridge or freezer. For example there is one with chickpeas in it. Now are they not notorious for going off quite quickly? Would you add the chickpeas in each day rather than include them when you first make to store (it does say to add it in at the very end of cooking for a minute or two).

What things would you never freeze/refrigerate? I don't like freezing meat so that is something I'd add to whatever I was eating each day. I just don't want to waste my time and money making something that doesn't keep and has to be thrown away!

 

[Sunshine-x]

Chickpeas freeze quite well, I had lamb tagine out of the freezer last night and it tasted fine! Most things freeze!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

Most things freeze well if they have a sauce, particularly a vegetable sauce. Curries, stews, casseroles, bakes etc all freeze well. Cooked pasta dishes don't really, they go a bit soggy.

I freezer all sorts of things and make up other dishes out of the bits! I thoroughly recommend finding some simple recipes for curries, tanginess & other tasty dishes with plenty of liquid, then you can freezer and store them in individual portions.

 

[popularfurball]

I bulk cook - stews, bolognaise, chilli, curries, pie mix etc etc

I bulk cook and freeze in take away cartons. I then just shove the carton in the microwave for ten mins while the veg/rice/pasta cooks.

The more space efficient way is to put into freezer bags and freeze inside a Tupperware pot - remove from pot and you have "blocks" of food.

We survive soley off frozen home made food when we are working

 

[popularfurball]

Ps search freezer food on bbc good food and you will find stuff

 

[Trewsers]

Have you thought about using a slow cooker? We find ours handy - make a large pot full and then freeze portions using tin foil trays from Sainsburys. We keep plenty in the freezer all the time that way and of course during the winter because we do get stuck down here for a week every year. The snow does come and even the tractor cannot cope with big drifts. Anyway it's nice to be organised and as you say it does save money. I spent a fortune on junk last night because I wasn't organised and didn't defrost our own gear. Plus we were working away late.
I don't think there's anything much that won't freeze.

 

[candyflosspot]

I bulk cook - stews, bolognaise, chilli, curries, pie mix etc etc

I bulk cook and freeze in take away cartons. I then just shove the carton in the microwave for ten mins while the veg/rice/pasta cooks.

The more space efficient way is to put into freezer bags and freeze inside a Tupperware pot - remove from pot and you have "blocks" of food.

We survive soley off frozen home made food when we are working

same as PFB..i bulk cook and freeze everything.

With regards to chickpeas i have frozen these before and have had no issues when defrosting them.

 

[Rubic]

Have you thought about using a slow cooker? We find ours handy - make a large pot full and then freeze portions using tin foil trays from Sainsburys. We keep plenty in the freezer all the time that way and of course during the winter because we do get stuck down here for a week every year. The snow does come and even the tractor cannot cope with big drifts. Anyway it's nice to be organised and as you say it does save money. I spent a fortune on junk last night because I wasn't organised and didn't defrost our own gear. Plus we were working away late.
I don't think there's anything much that won't freeze.

I did think about a slow cooker but I don't do mornings so I'm not organised enough to use it during the week and the only time I would use it is the weekend when I do have plenty of time to make things and I quite enjoy being in the kitchen. I think it would be a waste of money for me.

Thanks everyone, it looks like most of the recipes I've found will be freezable then! Will try a couple of them this week. There is one for a lentil ragu that looks nice and filling and I can use that for loads of things and the other stuff I was looking at were vegetable curries, dahl and soups. All I'm going to do is chuck in some meat here and there!

 

[candyflosspot]

I did think about a slow cooker but I don't do mornings so I'm not organised enough to use it during the week and the only time I would use it is the weekend when I do have plenty of time to make things and I quite enjoy being in the kitchen. I think it would be a waste of money for me.

Thanks everyone, it looks like most of the recipes I've found will be freezable then! Will try a couple of them this week. There is one for a lentil ragu that looks nice and filling and I can use that for loads of things and the other stuff I was looking at were vegetable curries, dahl and soups. All I'm going to do is chuck in some meat here and there!

how long are you out for during the day? I used to chop all my ingredients the evening before. Throw everything in the cooker in the am and then come home 8 hours later to a nice smelling meal..

ETA or you could leave it cooking over night & then then reheat when you come home that evening?

 

[squidsin]

Have you thought about using a slow cooker? We find ours handy - make a large pot full and then freeze portions using tin foil trays from Sainsburys. We keep plenty in the freezer all the time that way and of course during the winter because we do get stuck down here for a week every year. The snow does come and even the tractor cannot cope with big drifts. Anyway it's nice to be organised and as you say it does save money. I spent a fortune on junk last night because I wasn't organised and didn't defrost our own gear. Plus we were working away late.
I don't think there's anything much that won't freeze.

I LOVE my slow cooker. Got the contents of a steak and ale pie simmering away in it as we speak. (Doing a suet pastry later, YUM.) I use it most days, it is soooooo handy, I can't believe I ever managed without it now!

 

[Rubic]

how long are you out for during the day? I used to chop all my ingredients the evening before. Throw everything in the cooker in the am and then come home 8 hours later to a nice smelling meal..

ETA or you could leave it cooking over night & then then reheat when you come home that evening?

Nearly 12 hours. I'm out of my flat from 7:30am until 7/7:30pm usually. Sometimes a little earlier but as I'm hoping to find another horse to ride regularly then it could possibly be later again! I usually aim to get up at 6:30 and have a proper breakfast etc but I never do, I always end up dragging myself out of bed at 7:10, running round like a lunatic trying to get ready in time :giggle:

 

[candyflosspot]

Nearly 12 hours. I'm out of my flat from 7:30am until 7/7:30pm usually. Sometimes a little earlier but as I'm hoping to find another horse to ride regularly then it could possibly be later again! I usually aim to get up at 6:30 and have a proper breakfast etc but I never do, I always end up dragging myself out of bed at 7:10, running round like a lunatic trying to get ready in time :giggle:

ahh ok - yea i see what you mean. You may come to boiled/dried mess after 12 hours..:giggle:

 

[Kite_Rider]

Same as PFB here too, bulk cook and freeze pretty much everything.

I have a slow cooker and can count on one hand the number of times I've used it I'm always rushing about first thing and can never even be bothered to do breakfast nevermind prepping everything for the slowcooker!