To think batch cooking is awful

@Katemax82 I can get it into them maybe every 3 months!

You need better containers. Proper tupperware type boxes with a rubber seal and those clip down lids.

DD worked in frozen food and part of her job was to test the product as it aged in the freezer. Blind testing. She was shocked by how the flavour of food quickly deteriorated - even when the food was frozen and stored to the highest standards.
I won't mud-fling by suggesting that some people don't notice the tinge because they have an insensitive palate or that those who detect a freezer tinge can't cook or freeze food properly but "tastes of freezer" is definitely a thing that happens to food after it's frozen and if it's not frozen in the correct method or if you are a supper taster that'll happen sooner for you.

I don't batch cook but freezing does change the taste and texture of food doesn't it? I thought that was expected? A quick google brings up a lot of info on it

I love dhal but I made it twice in the space of 2 weeks and my kids have now decided they hate it!

I’ve never really understood it - like obviously I understand what it is, but it seems a bit confusing and time consuming for me although I’m sure you probably do save time in the long run. Takes too much organisation for my liking.

I prefer to make daily 30 minute meals! I WFH so can sometimes make it stretch to both my lunch and dinner. Leftovers going in the freezer is fine but I can’t be bothered with batch cooking.

That said I did have a friend in uni whose mum brought her over a huge batch of spicy Nigerian stew and rice to put in the freezer. She served me some one day and it was incredible. I think it very much depends on the food being frozen.

The only thing that truly tastes like freezer is a choc ice. Blugh
😆😆

I used to do it years ago when I had a huge kitchen...I just can't be arsed now but might go back go it as my chillies and currys were nice

I tend to get a big order, then chop and freeze veg like baby leek, baby courgette, aubergine, cauliflower etc; easy to whip chunks out and throw loads of different veg in a pan to stir fry.

Why not buy frozen veg?

Nothing wrong with beans on toast, if that is what a person wants to eat. I am partial to egg, chips, and beans on quick cook days myself. But having a stock of batch frozen meals is important for my situation. I am disabled, so often I do not have the energy to cook, as I am frequently unwell, and eating good nutritious food, is never going to impair my recovery.

Gosh...only one page in and the Mumsnet classic 'Dhal' has already been mentioned!

😆 I do not get the Dahl love, it does freeze well.

I think if batch cooking seems like a big performance you're doing it ering. If I'm making something time consuming I'll just make double to have another day, which is minimal extra effort. Mostly it doesn't get as far as the freezer - if I make soup in a Monday it's good to stay in the fridge and get eaten on Thursday.

Lots of things I won't necessarily cook in their entirety, but pre-preprare to a certain stage. We had a Thai green prawn curry the other day. I made twice the amount of the curry paste, and froze just that but, so it's easy to assemble the rest quickly.

We don't batch cook, but we do freeze a lot of veg and leftovers. I tend to get a big order, then chop and freeze veg like baby leek, baby courgette, aubergine, cauliflower etc; easy to whip chunks out and throw loads of different veg in a pan to stir fry. DH tends to prep chicken breast for 2 meals at once and put it in the fridge for another day. A cooked meal will often have leftovers, which might be put in the fridge for the next day's lunch or might be put in the freezer for a future day. Often it'll be a meat and veg spicy topping that can then be put with rice, pasta, potato, gnocchi, wrap or other carbs cooked fresh; weekend pasta lunches particularly get saved for a quick DS meal where he can pick the carb to add depending on what he had at school. Wraps can be heated in the microwave, add mayo and eat with knife/fork; the tortilla texture is different but not unpleasant.

I find we can't defrost in plastic in the microwave as it got a flavour (is that your "freezer" taste origin OP?), we put the frozen lump in a bowl to cover and defrost/cook, then it's fine.

Gosh...only one page in and the Mumsnet classic 'Dhal' has already been mentioned!

(I do say this in jest...it's lovely but clearly I spend too much time on MN)

People seem to swear by batch cooking but it's not for me and I don't think it would add anything to my life. I do cook double portions sometimes and either use next day, or freeze the one extra portion. But that's my limit. I can't really articulate why I dislike the idea, I just do! Which I know is silly. It's definitely not about quality, though, which I'd assume is fine.

My Dad did cook me some lovely freezer dinners while I was on mat leave though, for which I'm forever grateful.

Curries, chillies and stews made with pulses freeze really well. Slow cooked tomato based sauces also freeze well with no loss of texture.

Veg with high water content like cauliflower can go mushy and lose texture so I don’t bother freezing them.

I usually have two or three different dhals in the freezer as an instant side dish for a curry.

Ramja is great as a frozen batch cooked meal - I tend to do a full bag of kidney beans at once and portion it up. Soaking and cooking the beans is the bit that takes longest, and that’s the same if it’s one portion or 20.

Made a carrot and coconut soup last month. Took some out of the freezer yesterday to heat. Tasted better than when I made it the first time. No freezer taste. Must be your food or the way you heat it.

you're clearly doing something wrong then - maybe storing it incorrectly in the freezer? What do you use?

We (DH not me) batch cook. He's a chef so that's a no brainer for us. And everything tastes fantastic. Not of "freezer" for sure (whatever that tastes like)

First everything is cooked, then it is frozen in batches in Tupperware * containers, then when frozen we take the frozen bricks out of the box and vacuum pack it. (get good quality vacuum bags/supplies). Pies and things are frozen then put in boxes layered with greaseproof paper.

Then the reheating is key, do that properly.

*other types of storage box are available

I use Pyrex glass dishes with tightly fitting silicone lids. They stack well

I do often cheat to speed up meal prep though, for example the Waitrose Soffritto mix

I think soup, pastasauce or curry is fine to put in the freezer. But I like my food crisp and crunchy and it often looses the bite after freezing and reheating.
We do cook for 2 days ahead and then keep it cool in the fridge, not the freezer. Like a roast or a lasagna, i always cook double portions and eat the rest 2 days later.

I know what 'freezer' tastes like, but I only get this when my husband does the freezing because he doesn't prepare things properly.

Also, I don't freeze whole dishes (e.g lasagne). I freeze components. E.g for lasagna: sauce, cheese sauce, even cheese toppings - all separate. So it defrosts fast. I then assemble and cook.

I found the biggest issues were I would defrost things only to find my H suddenly 'didn't fancy that' - I used to waste quite a bit when I used to do it-

Could you share a recipe please, if you have one, using those ingredients?