Filling the freezer prior to giving birth

[AuroraB]

Morning everyone,

I am due to have my first baby in two weeks.

what i need is some ideas of things i can make in bulk to stick in the freezer so we don't have to do any cooking for the first few weeks.

Sorry if this has been asked 1000 times, i did do a search but didn't turn up anything

thanks x

[thisisyesterday]

ahh I had this idea too and thought i was so clever. only i am now 40+2 znd have only managed to make 2 things lol

i have done a fish pie and a lasagne.
also planning on doing a chilli (will do that later today I think)

other things that might work out:
stew/casserole
pies
spag bol

[AuroraB]

Thank you, fish pie sounds good, and spag bol v good idea.

i'm also planning on making some pizza bases and tom sauce, Jamie Olivers receipe seems farily straight forward

do you think macaroni cheese would freeze well?

you see we've only just got a freezer after 8 years without one, so i've no idea what you can freeze and what you can't

[ReallyReally]

no this is rubbish

your dh is supposed to prepare you lovingly-arranged sweetmeats for the first two weeks after the baby is born

[Weegle]

shepherd's pie
one pot rice dishes - can then be microwaved
sweet & sour chicken - then you just cook rice to serve
toppings to be served with jacket potatoes e.g. savoury mince, ratatouille

[kitbit]

I made lasagne, spag bog, shepherds pie, quiche, and lots of crumble.

Be careful if you're going to breastfeed not to make anything spicy or with too many pulses in, your little one could get windy!!

Oh, and stock up on pizzas.

[ReallyReally]

or they could not get windy at all

other cultures manage to eat spicy food without complaint

[AuroraB]

Ha ReallyReally, i do want to survive the first few months you know, not sure either the baby or i will thrive on pot noodle and beans on toast!

great suggestions, thank you all.

Weegle, where would i find some receipies for these one pot rice dishes of which you speak?

Forgot to mention i am a very inexperienced cook and don't seem to have the ability to make anything edible without a detailed recipe!

[MamaG]

I ate spicy food all through pg and newborn - BabyG is now 7 months and still bf and no wind

TBH, in the early days, I ate stuff like crumpets, cheese and crackers etc - anything I could throw together quickly, even re heating a lasagne was too much like hard work! I would stock up on stuff like that too

[ReallyReally]

well make him make you some proper FOOD dammit

you are having a baby with him he needs to learn how to be a grown up or you'll have two children to look after, not one

[littlelamb]

nice try reallyreally. And what do you suggest those without a dp do?

[ReallyReally]

oh god yes little lamb, sorry I am so against single parents, must be because I was brought up by one

if you read the op she said "so we don't have to do any cooking"

I assume by "we" she wasn't referring to herself and the baby, because it's really not safe to expect a newborn to work an oven

[nappyaddict]

spag bol
lasagne
shepherds pie
moussaka
meatballs (then just got to cook pasta)
burgers (throw a salad together to go with them)
fish pie
soup
pasta sauces

also things like jacket potatoes and salad, omelette and salad, cheese on toast are great, quick and easy.

[BlueKangerooWonders]

just make sure that everything can be eaten with one hand! You'll no doubt be holding a baby through most meals!

(Fond memories of dc 1, 2, 3 all with pasta sauce stained baby gro's !)

[littlelamb]

calm down dear

[ReallyReally]

I just don't get what you mean when you say 'nice try'

I think it's fair enough to point out that the bloke is going to have to pull his weight when he becomes a father

it's not the 1950s

[Comewhinewithme]

Good idea don't do what I did last Friday had my dd at 9.20am and at 10.00pm was at home trying to rack my brains and think of stuff to order in an online shop for next day delivery .

I must still have been a bit high on the gas and air because when it came it was mainly chocolate ,cream cakes and 8 bottles of fizzy water .

[MamaG]

oh yes your DH should definitely pull his weight

I was lucky in that mine was at home for first few weeks (its a bit hazy how long ) and he made all my meals

When he went back to work, i grabbed the crumpets etc and he made dinner when he got home until I got a bit more back on my feet

[SuperWasher]

I made a few big pots of things like beef/lamb stew, chicken casserole, chilli, bolognaise, curry and froze it all, that way we just had to make rice or pasta. I also made sure we had plenty of frozen peas etc in so we could get some greens in us without too much effort

[AuroraB]

My DH pulls his weight in many different ways, he is very good at hoovering, washing up, doing the laundry, cleaning the bathroom, looking after me, knowing when i need a hug and when to back off and very very good at making babies with me. He just isn't very good at cooking.

So now we have that one cleared up thank you all very much for your suggestions. I've been trawling Delia and Jamie online for recipies, is there anywhere else that is good for receipes online?

now can i just check, say i make a lasagne, obv i cook the meat sauce, make the white sauce put it all togther, with cheese on top, i don't then cook it before freezing do i?

and with a stew do i just cook as i normally would, then allow to cool and freeze?

[nappyaddict]

With the mince dishes, fish pie etc you can either cook them, let them cool and then freeze (this is what i do cos it means you just have to defrost and reheat) or you can freeze it uncooked and then cook it when you need it.

[Weegle]

one pot rice dishes: things like jambalaya (google) or biryani. my basic recipe for such things would be chop and fry an onion, add the rice, cover with stock of your choice then add whatever: cooked chicken, chorizo, red pepper, peas, prawns, some curry paste... whatever takes your fancy

[TheDevilWearsPenneys]

Can I add to the fab advice already here

• local takeaway menus, collect them all and stash them in the kitchen.

• Part baked bread / pittas for lunches

• Online shop, set it up now with lots of fresh fruits and staples, you can add to it post baby and then have it delivered.

• buy 10 times more maternity pads than you currently have.

[thisisyesterday]

god reallyreally, what is your problem?

I have a partner who is willing and able to cook for me,.
but you know what?> when I have this baby I would really appreciate him to be spending time with us, not slaving away in the kitchen.

If I can make both our lives easier by freezing stuff in advance then I will. then all we have to do is reheat on the day, leaving us free to enjoy our fabulous new baby.

[MamaG]

Am still LOL at the newborn working the oven

[littleducks]

Aurora- i think this is an incredibly sensible idea, but am obv living on adifferent planet to reallyreally!

The spice thing is quite interesting my mil and sil are asian and traditionally new mothers wouldnt eat very spicy things, they would have lots of halwa for strength (to me its seems like lard mixed with enough sugar to be palatable so would fatten you up no end) and avoid dhal, chana (lentils, chick peas)

But then traditionally you got bed rest for 40 days with female relatives preparing you special dishes and helping you care for the baby so you wouldnt need to stock freezer

Anyway that was a tangent, but people always say 'other cultures' and ime although only of indian and pakistani people the recommendations for what a new mother should eat are far more rigid

Dishes to freeze:

Meatballs (then can have with pasta or mash)
Lasagne
Chicken and leek pie (like fish pie topped with mash)

Put raw chicken breasts into a large freezer bag with a marinade and freeze, will marinade as defrosts and can be roasted then served with anything but salad good in summer)

IME macoroni cheese doesnt freeze well