What food prep job are you really lazy about?

[iCod]

Christ, I hate grating cheese. If I have to grate, I buy it grated. (But not Parmesan because I'm not a savage)
also real garlic if it's going in a tray bake, but anything else I buy the frozen stuff from Tesco
Dried chilies instead of fresh, and cooked food
haven't sieved flour for 30 years yet unknown for my brilliant sponge cakes

I buy large blocks of mature cheddar and grate them in one go in the food processor then freeze on a large tub. That’s pretty lazy I guess and beats grating as you need it

Grated cheese!! When our kids were at that messy cooking stage, where almost every meal or snack they made involved grated cheese, I thought I would lose my mind from the mess. They COULD NOT clean up cheese bits properly, and the grater was never clean if I needed to use it. In the end, they were banned from cheese grating. I would get a huge block of strong cheddar, put it through the food processor with the grating disk, and then open freeze it on a big tray. When frozen, it was transferred to a big Tupperware which lived in the freezer. They had access to the frozen stuff only, and the mess subsided. We all lived happily ever after 😂

Garlic, ginger and chilli, definitely from a squeezy tube or dried chilli flakes. Can't be bothered and I really don't think the flavour suffers

Frozen veg
Dried herbs.

Another thread made me laugh, reading all the disbelief that Parsley could actually be bought in a jar!

I don’t peel anything - the skin is good for you, fibre! 🤣
Lazy garlic & frozen veg (though do buy fresh too)

Chopping onions - I just use my little mini food processor thing my mum gave me.

My husband uses the same device to grate cheese!

I buy massive blocks of cheese and put it through the magi mix then store in a freezer bag.

I buy this sometimes since discovering it via Mumsnet. It's nice to have when I really don't have the hands for chopping or the enthusiasm for using the processor.

Peeling potatoes 🥱

I’ve just discovered frozen mash. Five minutes in the microwave, quick stir and voila!

Picard frozen veg range from Ocado. Especially their potato dishes for date night or a fancy supper.

Hate the word lazy

we are busy and prioritise how we choose to spend our time

love packet cheesecake's
M snd s microwave meals
Box of plain cakes from pound shop then add topping for bake sale

I don’t like grating cheese either. So, as much as I think a block of grated cheese tastes better, I usually buy it ready grated. We also don’t eat massive amounts of cheese so a full block goes off before we can use it.
Other short cuts I use include lazy garlic (again too much waste if we buy it whole and it’s a pain in the ass to peel and crush/chop), ready chopped veg (only for soup, for other dishes i chop it myself) and bagged lettuce leaves. I don’t like ready chopped onions much so I always buy those whole. We also buy frozen berries as my daughter likes smoothies and it’s so much easier to buy frozen that spend a fortune on fresh and tones of ice. Food warehouse is good for deals on. Frozen fruit.

Waitrose soffrito, frozen onions, chilli & ginger. Spicery spice pots & super simple recipes.

If you do your own grey team and put it in a big freezer bag, doesn't it just clump together because it hasn't got whatever makes the processed stuff de clump

I buy minced garlic and ginger and grated cheese. I buy shaved Parmesan unless I’m making something where I want the heel. I bought one of those chopping gadgets and actually it’s really good.

Food is just fuel for me most of the time, particularly during the week. Meals are simple and need to take less than 30 minutes due to the kids sport stuff. Pretty much all shortcuts welcomed.

My DH makes the most incredible triple cooked chips with the skin on which gives crispy potato skin and fluffy inside the chips sublime

I also cook anything I can without peeling - I’ve managed to successfully rebrand skin-on mashed potatoes as ‘rustic mash’!

My husband is assigned cheese grating role , he does a big tub at a time which lasts a couple of weeks

I use a rice cooker for rice. And generally roast potatoes in their skins smooshing them half way through to increase surface area.

I hate chopping big butternut squash/pumpkins.

I have often seen the frozen sofrito mix in M&S

Frozen peppers were definitely a game changer when making some dishes. I use scissors to cut them in the pan if too big. I do sometimes use the frozen chopped onions and the sliced mushrooms. If doing a BBQ I buy already chopped fresh onions. I have a lot of frozen veg which I steam.
I have a pampered chef rice cooker high up in a cupboard which I have yet to use. I believe it's great and keep meaning to ask my neice how it works. Meanwhile I buy ready cooked rice which goes in the microwave. I used to buy frozen Uncle Ben rice but haven't seen it for yonks.

waitrose do bags of frozen (and fresh!) soffritto, I get it in my delivery every week and I’ve never had subbed. Maybe try that!

No, I do this all the time with any cheese that is heading out of date. Very easy to grab as much as you need.

I'm not sure I could stand the whole village watching a Waitrose delivery to my house and muttering to infinity about 'there's too much money there, clearly...'

They had soffritto in Asda yesterday when I went. It's just a bit hit and miss.