Batch cooking!!

[beckyboo1]

Hi ladies...just wondering how many of you are planning on doing some batch cooking for when baby is here?

I did do a bit of this first time when pregnant with my little boy, but I'm after some inspiration of what others have been prepping and freezing

Have to say knowing I'll have a newborn and toddler, I'm looking forward to being able to grab something out of the freezer, fort hosed as when i haven't he time or energy to cook

I'm thinking along the lines of cottage pie (well the base at least) , spag Bol , chilli

Any other suggestions or recipes you want to share? Xx

 

[cossie13]

I've done loads already as most of the time I just don't feel like cooking already! I've done chilli, spag bol, chicken supreme and a couple of curries

I'll have to remember to do loads more for when LO arrives!!

 

[i.love]

Yeah I'm thinking of doing some. Probably a pie, lasagnia, pasta bake, something along those lines. The problem I have is that I usually freeze food already in little trays, and I don't have so many.

I could make meatballs and freeze them in bags I suppose.

 

[Taboo917]

I've done the base for a cottage pie, chilli and soup so far...planning to do a bolognaise as well probably. We've also stocked freezer with easy eats so a couple of pizzas and ready meals and then chicken kievs and sausages that we can just whack in the oven with some frozen veg to hopefully get us through the first couple of weeks!

 

[CARNAT22]

My lovely mum did some for us. We have a few portions of curry, cottage pie and chilli. I did a big batch of bolognaise too. Also have some naan breads, garlic bread and pitta that I've frozen.

Plus we have some ready meals [god bless m&s], pizzas, veg and oven chips in the freezer (even OH can cope with them)

We have loads of cupboard stock.... so we can make easy meals like beans on toast / omelette / scrambled egg.

Also have lots of stuff for James on hand for when I go in...

X

 

[Selina13]

I've done 2 bags of salmon pasta, a bolognaise, a mushroom gravy to whack in with sausage for a quick meal, Spanish chicken, chicken curry and a beef stew so far!
I also have bought a few ready meals/things to throw into the oven aswell as micro rice and lots of tinned veg/fruit! X

 

[mrsjohnson88]

I am definitely going to do this! I was planning on making a lasagne this afternoon so will see how it goes. My only problem is im not sure I have enough containers to store everything in x

 

[beckyboo1]

Ooh got some extra ideas there ladies

Mrs Johnson...I just use freezer bags for things like spag Bo./chilli etc.

For lasagne I usually leave it in the fridge overnight, then the next day it comes out of the dish in a solid block, and I wrap it in cling film. This way it takes up less space than containers.

 

[MrsT2711]

I did this last weekend. ... cooked over 40 meals in total. From the hairy bikers cook book I did chicken bhuna, bolagnase, chilli and a tomato sauce for meatballs. Then slow cooked some beef in gravy, chicken chasseur and some separate shepherds pies. pu them all in containers in portions of two and the freezer is now bursting but at least have some good food with plenty of veg in.

Xx

 

[Durhamchance]

I did this last time and it was a godsend. Fish pie and casseroles freeze well too

 

[mrsjohnson88]

Ooh getting loads more ideas here.

Becky that is a fab idea - im off to the kitchen to make a lasagne

 

[MissLauren]

You've inspired me to make a shopping list to start this! I've been intending to do it all along but time is running out so I need to get cracking. Heres what I've got so far:

Spaghetti bolognese
Shepherds pie
Beef/chicken/sausage casserole
Pasta bake
Chicken tikka masala
Meatballs
Enchiladas (apparently these freeze well although i'm yet to try)
Chilli

I'm gonna stalk this thread in case anyone else has other recipe ideas x

 

[Emmajaine]

I'm going to be doing a leek and potato soup, and some other kind of soup (once I've found a recipe I like!) as well as a beef stew and a chicken casserole. I'm thinking about trying some kind of hot pot too.

 

[mrsjohnson88]

Soup is a good idea, im going to add that to my list and I love enchiladas so might give them a go aswel x

 

[CARNAT22]

Inspired we now have meatballs (i make mine from high pork % sausages) and ive asked my mum to do us some enchiladas.

Also have marinated some diced pork in my Chinese sauce to freeze.

Have bags of pasta and boil in the bag rice (actually have some microwave rice as well if I am super lazy)

We're having steak for dinner this evening. OH's treat.... its all he can cook bless him.

X

 

[Louise2013]

Do you know what? I Spent ages doing this before my LO was here as I had a month off mat leave before he arrived so thought I'd get ahead of myself, and guess what, we never used any of it!!! I was so peed off but we just somehow made dinner each night between me or hubby and ended up ditching the frozen stuff after a few months..... I even made loads of cakes and biscuits for when we had guests round to meet the baby. They're still there!

What we used loads of though was those cook in the bag chicken sachets?? You know, the ones that come with a bag and powder seasonings? Bake a potato and roast some veg and end to end it was minutes of work for a relatively vitamin packed, tasty meal....

 

[firsttimemum29]

I'm planning on doing this. This might be a stupid question, just as I've never tried it but does pasta bake freeze well? I've never tried freezing it before!

 

[beckyboo1]

Louise... There's still
Plenty of time to use them up-they won't be going off in the freezer

Firsttimemum- I don't usually freeze pasta bake for us (as there's usually not much left!!) but I do freeze portions for my little one and they come out ok. For us I'd prob reheat in oven and add some cheese on top to go crispy!!

 

[beckyboo1]

Ooh I'd forgotten about fish pie Durham chance... It's going on my list

However my first job tomorrow is defrosting our spare freezer we have in the garage. I've needed to do this for ages ( one of the drawers is completely stuck shut!)

 

[Jessiecat]

ladies when do you start doing this? I'm in the 'eating everything in the freezer to make room' stage. I know its too early at the minute but I want to have it in the back of my mind so I know when to start planning.

good question on freezing pasta bake, I've never found pasta to warm up very well though?