Single meals!!

[LookAtMeImJennyDee]

Hi all -

Am a single parent - my little one is not yet weaning - and, daft as it sounds, am really stuck when it comes to meal inspiration! I'm not the most accomplished cook but have recently been introduced to the wonders of freezing home cooked meals so would love some advice on relatively healthy & cheap recipes.

Please note am an absolute complete novice with cooking & freezing meals - do I prepare the meal, then freeze it before I actually cook it? Then take the meal out of the freezer in the morning and cook it that evening for the same amount of time and at the same temperature I would have cooked it at if it was prepared that day, or does it need longer? Told you I'm pants at this! Also, does anyone know if I can freeze ready made curry sauces and if so, do I put raw chicken in with the sauce, freeze it and then cook as I would if it as fresh?

I have faith in all you lovely MumsNetters & looking forward to hearing your suggestions!

Thanks :)

[cdtaylornats]

For things like curry cook in a batch, freeze what you don't eat and then when you want it again defrost overnight in the fridge and microwave while you do the rice.

You could do worse than the "A Girl Called Jack" book also her website and blog.

[barbidou]

I live on my own during the week so am used to cooking for one!

As PP said, cook in a big batch, divide into portions, freeze, put in fridge the night before (or morning before if you forget, or defrost in the microwave when you want it if you really forget!)

Not sure what you mean about freezing before you cook it. If it's something like a chilli then you cook it all and freeze in batches. For something like a shepherd's / cottage pie, I cook the mince base, put cooked mash on the top, then freeze it (without putting it in the oven - I then defrost it in the fridge, put cheese on top and into the oven when I am ready to eat it).

For curry sauces, cook it all (so cook your meat, cook your veggies) and freeze it in the sauce. Then it will only need reheating in the saucepan / microwave.

Stuff I always have in the freezer - chilli, bolognese, thai green curry, some other form of curry using sauce from a jar, shepherd's / cottage pie, soup, casserole...

Of course there are things that you can just make and eat two nights running or similar - I do this with risotto and pasta bake as I haven't had much success freezing either of those.