What’s he best gift food to make someone who’s crazy busy?

[jackieChansBedPan]

Background

I have a friend who’s been an immense support over the last 18 months to me. She’s been a diamond.

Her schedule at the moment is hectic- she was feeling awful the other day she said as her kids are eating very quick “ding food” as she put it.

Please no bitchiness about her lifestyle- she’s trying to build up a family business with her husband and wakes at 5am then finishes work roughly at midnight -I’m amazed she’s able to stand straight with Home, kids, pets and all associated stresses.

Any ideas for nutritious meals that are easy to package up and stick in the freezer greatly appreciated.

I have in mind lasagne, paella (only chicken) and chilli con carne and that’s it- think paella might be a bit of a no no for he youngest who’s quite fussy but likes spag-Bol.

I’m a bit strapped myself but would like to make her at least 3 decent meals . Thanks. There’s 2 adults and 3 kids to feed.

Mac and cheese? Bolognese?

Chicken curry

Mac and cheese! 😱 easy and cheap
Thank you!

None of them like curry (lunacy)

Would they eat stew or casserole?
Chicken, bacon and pasta bake is a favourite in my family, made with cheese sauce and grated cheese on the top.
You could do a filling to put in wraps and pop in the oven.
Lovely idea, lucky friend

Thank you the chicken pasta bake sounds great -mine don’t like PB so its never on my menu.

You could make a big lasagne and add lots of veg into it.. carrots finely diced, mushrooms, spinach cooked in with the bolgnaise and a layer of courgette. I often do this and get all my veg cooked at once!

Macaroni cheese with sliced tomato on top and then more cheese grated.

Fajita mix ready to use, plus a pack of wraps.

You are a lovely friend!

Tuna pasta bake
Fish pie
Shepherds pie
Potato and ham layered bake
Sausage casserole
Spag Bol
Chilli
Lasagne

Thank you!
Potato and ham layer bake? Never heard of it!

It’s just thinly sliced potatoes layered with cheese sauce, chopped ham and what ever veg you want - I do sweet corn and onions

Some sort of pie - chicken and ham,mince and onion?
Soup and plenty of it

Shepherds pie
Fish pie (fish in white sauce and mashed potato on top)
Delia Smiths chicken in sherry vinegar and tarragon with rice
Chicken enchiladas
Shrimp stir fry in a bag

Frozen breakfast burritos
Frozen breakfast croissant sandwiches

Oh and Chili

Or you could buy fresh veg, onions etc. Chop them up and bag them for her freezer.

I’ve never really understood why anyone would do this. It seems like a lovely idea, but I would find it excruciating to be on the receiving end. She will have to be suitably grateful to you for something she didn’t want, then she’ll gave to find a place to store it, then defrost it, then convince her family to eat it. And then, she will have to wash up. And get the dishes back to you.

If you want to do her a favour, have her kids round to yours for a play and tea. Much more helpful and without the ongoing work for her.

Soup

Fuck me User x that glass is half full ain't it

All good ideas, soup would lovely. You're a good egg OP.

Soup is great and can be packaged in individual portions too.

Tuna pasta bake
Veg chilli
A really good veg pasta sauce
Tuna fish cakes freeze well and make a fab change from fishfingers

You’re a lovely friend OP, she’s lucky to have you xx

Ps, I’ve done this for friends a few times. If you don’t mind the environmental impact, it’s an idea to use disposable metal bake tins or the reusable but cheap packs of plastic containers, so she doesn’t need to worry about returning stuff to you, or too much about the washing up.

A couple of rounds of biscuits or flapjacks in the freezer might be welcome too 😀

Beef stew. 400 grammes of beef you get in Lidl for about £3. A bag of carrots, onions and potatoes. Knorr chicken veg stock (I know it's a beef stew, I know, but trust me). Also available at Lidl.
IF you can fry the beef without your stew becoming gristle, then that's what you're supposed to do.
However I slice three onions and about 8 carrots, bung the whole lot in with the beef and bring to the boil and then stew for about 2 and a half hours. Meanwhile, I peel the potatoes, the whole bag, and boil, then drain, let steam, then mash, add butter and salt.
Make into portions or bring as mash in one bowl and stew in the other. Some people add flour to thicken the gravy and some add bisto to thicken. Either way, it's a very healthy and nutritious meal.

Chicken and broccoli bake
Chicken casserole
Sweet n sour chicken

Just read above and my goodness, the only time I ever got a gift of a cooked dinner was when I was breast feeding my daughter and it was ravished by moi and wholly appreciated. That, incidentally was spaghetti bolognese. My spaghetti bolognese is shit though so I wouldn't inflict it on anyone lol.

I think it's a lovely gesture, but I would try to find disposable containers to avoid the 'wash and return'. Or maybe include the dish as part of the gift?

My mac and cheese always has of mountains of hidden veg in it. Sweet potato, carrots, sweetcorn, leeks, yellow pepper etc all blitzed up into the sauce. Tastes delicious and the kids devour it, blissfully unaware.