To think batch cooking is awful

I don't know what batch cooking out of the freezer tastes like @Newyear2025 because I have never done it. I have a life, and I enjoy living it. Better things to do with it than stand there batch cooking like a little hand maid!

I would imagine it would taste rather manky though, compared to freshly made.

I eat a lot of home cooked soups, casseroles and bolognaise. I’m a working single parent, so cook once and eat 2-4 times is how the wheels don’t fall off.

make lots of them in the slow cooker too

we do also do stir fries, but weeknight meals need to be cooked in about 15 mins of effort if I’m not to collapse. If it wasn’t for batch cooking we’d live on oven chips and nuggets.

I can also taste freezer, but I've assumed I'm just fussy! I can also taste slow cooker, aluminium and dishwasher. Spicy or salty tends to be too much for me, so maybe others just season their food more and it hides "appliance" flavours. Who knows.

Me too. That's why I don't have a big freezer also.

I triple my basic mince (semi veggie, with red lentils and plenty of finely chopped veg.) One lot turns into what we call here school dinner mince, though obv. much nicer - a favourite of very easily pleased dh. I add a beef stock cube and some baked beans.

2nd lot turns into spag bol - plenty of tomato puree and Italian herbs.

3rd, chilli - tomato purée, chilli powder and paprika, plus a tin of kidney beans.

No I haven't because it's probably a mixture of both - I can't tell whether someone doesn't like frozen food because they are a supertaster, a shit cook or don't know have the correct containers. But the flavour of food does deteriorate when you notice will be up to a range of factors.

I do things like roast a tray of veg / chopped potatoes and cook some chicken with spices on. Eat a portion that day and then put the rest in containers in the fridge for two other lunches in the week. I don't like cooking in bigger quantities than that - I get bored of eating the same thing.

I batch cook loads of vegan soups, stews, curries, dhal, chilli, lasagne etc and they taste great, often better than before freezing.

I like cooking so enjoy having a full day to make things one or twice a month.

suggest you look at getting a new freezer.

I only batch cook chilli con carne. Only DH likes it so it makes sense to freeze a couple of portions. He loves it but then he'll eat most things!
I do get what you mean about tasting of freezer. I've noticed that sometimes frozen fish has that freezer burn taste and I suspect it's not been stored properly in the shop or in transit to the shop.

This

This is me.

I made and froze 16 portions of bolognese sauce yesterday. I will use it for quick spaghetti bolognese for self and DH, and to use in lasagne for entertaining wider family. It will be tasty and very useful, as it always is.

I also made and froze 100 oatie cookies as family make short work of them and I always keep some in the freezer (freeze uncooked in small balls which can then be put straight into oven as needed. They thaw quickly in oven and are cooked and ready to eat in 15 mins.)

Both those took far less time than it would have taken to make them in, say, four separate sessions.

If your batch cooking meals don’t taste good I respectfully suggest there’s something wrong with either your recipes or your freezing technique.

I agree. I'm very fussy and don't eat batch cooked freezer food.

What I've found helps east prep is to do some stages ahead of time and freeze this.

So if I'm making a sofrito which takes ages to cook down, I'll do a big batch then I'll have the starter for my meal ready to go.

I don't find it a faff. I just portion up and have boxes ready . Some food goes on to the late and the rest into tubs. I label them with the date and what ingredients needs to be added after wards eg stir cream in, sprinkle z'atar on to etc. I have a note on the side of the freezer saying what's in the freezer and whereabouts.

It's usually simple things like dals stews curries, casseroles andpies.that I make. Never tasted of freezer and makes life easier.
My ds who now lives alone has also got I to the habit of batch cooking.
If itt tastes of freezer I'm not sure what you are doing wrong. Are you sealing the containers properly or using the food up sooner rather than later?

If you've got leftovers, you've cooked more than you can eat, so effectively you've batched cooked !
I often cook double what I need & freeze half. Only extra time involved is a few minutes prepping veg & meat.

I do cook double portions sometimes and either use next day, or freeze the one extra portion

@Wonderwall23 I did that when I lived alone.

Unfortunately, DP and the DC seem to regard it as a form of domestic abuse to eat the same thing within a week, the weirdos. So I serve one meal’s worth and freeze the second to use a week or two later.

Agreed! I have ADHD and very fussy about this sort of thing.same goes with slow cooker food and anything from tupperware or stored in cling film 🤢🤢🤢 sensory and taste nightmare.

I don’t batch cook really as cba but with certain meals make double or triple.

Don’t shoot me but I find proper freezer bags work best for me both for efficient storage (flatten them and get all the air out) and without impairing flavour.

Do you guys cook from frozen or defrost it first?

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 that is precisely what you have done🙄.

Some things don't freeze well but most stuff is fine. I made a big lasagne before Christmas and froze most of it, still tastes great.

I find it easier just to make a big lot of something and freeze for later. Takes a bit more time to maybe prep with things like cutting vegetables but once it's done it's done.

Ugh yes I’ve always thought choc ice are disgusting lol they were so popular in the 90s as well - all my friends liked them . The vanilla ice cream and chocolate shell were both so bland.

But nowadays I do eat Mars ice cream bars which I suppose are a super fancy choc ice 😆

I think cooking a curry or a casserole for just one meal is a waste of a life. I freeze leftovers and generally get 2 meals for 4 that we eat that week, plus 1-4 leftover portions frozen. It all tastes the same fresh or frozen.

I was aghast when I did chicken legs curried and rather than break up the meat DH served everyone a leg each whilst I was out leaving most of the sauce and that was curry done for the week!

@Lobsterteapot @SnakesAndArrows

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/coconutdahl86921

this is a foolproof one and lovely ( not sure if you already had a reply ) I use ginger and garlic too, and skip the soy sauce.