Can I freeze a plateful of food and reheat without it being horrible

[Eeeeek2]

Elderly relative that now needs assistance but we're not at the point of accepting meals on wheels. Will only eat a hot meal at lunchtime but I can't be there to prepare at that time.

Can I cook extra portions of things like pie, potatoes, carrots and gravy and put into a box. Freeze and then reheat them when necessary?

Otherwise what other complete meals that I can do that with, currently can only think of cottage pie. Has to be tradition English meals also needs to be complete as I can't get them to cook veg on the side as they won't bother.

Thanks for any help.

I'm not sure - MIL will plate up a meal and put it in the freezer then defrost and reheat but they always taste awful. Things defrost and cook at different rates so I'm guessing that's why.

Yes you can, freeze them and get them to defrost them in a fridge 24 hours before they use them, then blast in a microwave. Must be piping hot before serving.
Recipes could include:
Cottage pie
Beef, potato and veg stew
Veg stew
Chicken or beef pie (pastry freezes well)
Chicken and veg casserole
Mince and veg bake (beef or turkey mince)
Would they eat the following?
Lasagne
Bolognese
Tuna or chicken pasta bake

Yes that's my worry but there is no way we can manage heat this up for 2 minutes then add x and cook for y time.

Sorry misread the first post, I’d do complete meals - definitely not freeze a roast dinner with gravy! Will be grim

Wiltshire farm foods are complete meals that you cook in oven.
Would the frozen small individual bags or veg that you can pop in the microwave be an option. So you do the main bit and she adds the veg.

I find that as long as things have a sauce they’re nice so plenty of gravy or casseroles work well as shepherds pie

I freeze portions of leftover one-pot things, such as pasta bakes, shepherd's pie for DH to take for lunches. I also save mash and he puts a tin of beans and sausage with it. Just simple stuff like that is OK.

So would meat in gravy or pie in one container then a container of mixed frozen veg work?

Can you freeze the main bits of a meal then use those veg sachets?

Veg sachets? Are they like micro rice?

Buy the individual plastic packs of microwave ' steam' veg. Or tinned veg carrots sweetcorn or potato are fine and reheat well in the micro.

I think reheated beans or broccoli would be nasty.

You could make cauliflower cheese portion and freeze or buy the ready frozen kind.

I think buying frozen veg then portion ing it up for them to micro will taste better than pre frozen veg you did yourself and would be cheaper.

Pork in cider is nice and freezes well. You could make it for your family and give relative a portion to try. Slow cooked with onion carrot apple and star anise is nice.

Xpost yes they are really big enough for one or two people and contain a mix like carrots broccoli and peas or cauli peas and sweetcorn.

Yes bird's eye do microwave steam veg which is really nice. You do need to drain it in the bag though which can be a bit fiddly.

Right so I'm going to try

One pot meals like stews/cottage pie
Meat in gravy with frozen veg (Will look to see if I can get steam bags)
Whiltshire farm if I can convince to try

Why “not at the point of meals on wheels” yet? Are they resisting? If so and actually they DO need more help than they’re admitting don’t fall into the trap of knackering yourself to basically enable them to proudly deny the help they need.

You could use one of several companies that provide meals for people in this sort of situation.

If doing it yourself I’d stick to “one pot” type meals as they will freeze and reheat more evenly - avoiding the risk of food poisoning I feel is a bigger issue than taste here.

So:

Potato topped pies - shepherds pie, cottage pie, fish pie

Stews and casseroles

One pot pasta dishes - lasagne, pasta bake, pasta in a beatable sauce

Mild chilli and curry

Can the person cope with adding extra veg where needed? Will they actually do so, do they have the energy and motivation?

You need to be realistic or else you could end up in the situation where the person becomes malnourished/dehydrated.

Meals on wheels don’t only provide meals, they can be crucial in assessing the person on a daily basis and noticing if they are actually eating or if they’re deteriorating and can the alert the relevant people.

Doing it yourself will be far more nutritious and cheaper than using a company.
So yes, one portion of casserole/stew/pie with lots of veg and potato in already...
Then you can get them to microwave a portion of these on the side if they will (I agree you need to drain them as too watery otherwise). They come in individual portion size:

www.birdseye.co.uk/range/frozen-vegetables/steamfresh

Definitely at the point (way passed it) but won’t accept yet. Hoping that by having some meals again might remember that they need/like to eat.

If you spoke to them you’d think that they did their own diy/cleaning/helped the neighbours and run a bloody marathon. It’s clear that they’re not but whilst their marbles are intact there doesn’t seem to be much that can be done if the won’t admit/accept help.

Can they cope with adding veg, probably but will they actually bother?

You could try these, they go in the microwave but don’t need freezing.
There’s a 10 meal special starter offer for £19.99, so many worth a try. We have got some for camping, but haven’t tried them yet so can’t say what they taste like.
www.parsleybox.com/CC28

What about just adding extra veg to one pot meals like casseroles, stews and hotpots so they don't need to cook it separately? Perhaps freezing in larger portions accordingly.

Dh makes extra with our meals and just plates it up and puts it in the fridge for his dm. As long as she eats it within a few days it doesn't need to be frozen

There comes a point where you have to be quite insistent and not least so you're not run ragged making up for the fact they're too proud and stubborn to accept the help they need.

Sometimes you need to "let them fail" so they become aware of the fact they're no longer able to cope alone.

Don't knacker yourself sacrificing your health on the altar of their stubbornness!

Iceland have loads
www.iceland.co.uk/frozen/frozen-vegetables-and-rice/vegetables

Yes, of course you could do this. I’d be more worried about freezing the plate and then bunging it in the microwave from frozen, or have I misunderstood how the meal would be frozen initially?

Tbh I don't think this is very fair or practical. Your time is going to be held to ransom constantly providing meals. Can't he make a toastie or reheat a baked potato with beans ?

If he's not at the point of needing help then he needs to help you to help himself by being a little bit flexible.

Okay, I’ve re-read. I’m a lazy bugger and never defrost frozen leftovers, I always cook from frozen. I buy foil takeaway trays from Amazon and decant all leftovers into those. When it comes to eating I heat them all up (from frozen) for 60mins at 180 degrees (lid on but loosened) and either eat from the foil tray or decant to a plate. I’m 50 this year, have been doing this for at least 10 years and haven’t died yet 😂