What are the best meals to batch cook and freeze to eat over 10 days?

[MillyMollly]

I'm going away on holiday for 10 days soon. I'll be having someone coming to house sit for the duration and I'd like to make and freeze 10 evening meals

Trouble is, can't think of anything that's simple to make, delicious, easy to just defrost and then ideally microwave or air fry

Any ideas or pointers please?

As you may father, not a natural cook!

*gather!

Chilli (with microwavable packet rice or wraps)
Curry - can do a few different types eg dhal, spinach & potato. Meat one if they eat it. With rice again or packet naan.
Lasagne
Shepherds pie
Fish pie
Soups for lunch?

Battered fish for the air fryer? With chips and microwavable peas.
(I don't have an air fryer so not sure what can be done)
Can sausages be done in one? Sausage and portion of mash.
You can get little packets of microwavable veg to steam.

I freeze everything to be honest, chilli, lentil dishes, chickpea dishes, curry, ratatouille, ready cooked chicken, houmous, bread, milk, cheese, butter, chunks of tofu

My most recent success was that beetroot salad you get in the deli bits in little tubs, shredded up. Froze it a month ago, got it out last night, fine.

You could freeze quiche, pizza, slices of cake, soup.

Do you know what they like to eat? Vegetarian? Dairy free? etc...

Ooh thanks for suggestions so far!

They'll eat anything - ideally not vegetarian I suppose. The hearty kind of chicken / sausages / fish pie / etc etc

I'd forgotten about those little bags of veg you can steam cook in the microwave

I just want something that can come out the freezer in a tub at breakfast and then be shoved in a microwave or air fryer at dinner time

So I take it you dont want several meals of the same thing?

Dare I suggest good quality ready meals? Cook or Charlie Bingham

Expensive though

@soupfiend I think I'll do a mixture - the Charlie bigham meals are a good shout for the curries - even though half of them say not freezable we all know that's a lie! and I could decant them prior to freezing

The reason I suggest that, is that its quite difficult to cook a chilli or curry or bolognese etc etc just for one portion.

But I dont know how big your freezer is and whether you're wanting to cook up a number of options for variance, then have about 3 portions of each, your house sitter eats 10 of those meals and then you have the rest that you'll work your way through over time

I would make 2 portions of 5 things. Or make extra of things you’re going to eat before then. Chicken casserole and mash with and those frozen veg pouches, curry, chilli, chicken tagine with flat bread and a couple of frozen lasangas.

Sorry to miss the point entirely, but won’t the person house sitting want to do their own cooking? Have they asked you to do this?

@Candleabra yep, don't worry about that 😊

@Choosingmiddleschool that's a good idea. I'll do 5 things and make two of each. Gives variety yet makes it easy for me

I'd look at ranges like Wiltshire Farm Foods or Cook for inspiration, even if you don't buy ready meals.

I'd probably do something like:

• Curry with microwave rice
• Lasagne or pasta bake
• Chilli with microwave rice
• Sausage casserole with ready made mash
• Sweet and sour chicken and microwave rice
• Fish pie with microwave veg
• Beef pie with ready made mash and microwave veg
• Cottage pie with microwave veg
• Oven chips and battered fish

No suggestions OP but you are incredibly thoughtful and generous to look after your house sitter in this way.