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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think frozen mash is a work of genius?

276 replies

BriechonCheese · 07/10/2017 19:25

I had resisted for ages but bought some on a whim earlier this year and found it incredibly handy for those nights when I'm picking up and ferrying DC to various activities. It doesn't beat the real thing but it comes pretty damn close.

Does anyone else have any genius home or food products that they expected to be crap but now use to happily to survive family life?

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 07/10/2017 20:47

I am a connoisseur of mash.

Sadly, home-frozen seems to go watery.

squoosh · 07/10/2017 20:47

I wouldn't buy it but that's because I don't like mash. Otherwise I'm all for time saving ingredients like bags of frozen chopped onions.

Some people on MN though just don't approve of such things though. Why don't you chop and freeze your own onions? Mash your own spuds and freeze them? Because that defeats the whole purpose! Grin

speakout · 07/10/2017 20:47

Frozen chopped onion, frozen crushed garlic and ginger have transformed cooking work

DarkDarkNight · 07/10/2017 20:48

Not sure about the frozen, but when I buy it from the chiller I make sure it is normal ingredients (potato, salt, pepper or you can get ones that have milk/butter as well). I bought some from Spar without checking and it had preservatives in but most are just normal ingredients.

SabineUndine · 07/10/2017 20:50

I made the revolutionary discovery that if you microwave s baking potato, cut it in two and put first one then the other piece through a ricer, you don’t have to peel the spud, it’s no mess and no waste. You just remove the skin after each piece.

kaitlinktm · 07/10/2017 20:50

Frozen chopped garlic, frozen chopped red onion, frozen diced butternut squash and frozen diced sweet potato - basis for my soup (with veg stock and seasonings). Hitherto I have had to peel an ordinary potato but am now wondering if I can just shake in some frozen mash - do you think it would work? I blend it all up anyway at the end.

VittysCardigan · 07/10/2017 20:54

This week I bought frozen crushed garlic, crushed ginger and a bag of frozen cheese sauce. Not tried the cheese sauce yet but thought it would be handy for a day when I'm rushed or don't have time to shop. Garlic & ginger are for those days when I need it but have run out

Original poster
BriechonCheese · 07/10/2017 20:55

I don't be know kait the mash I buy comes in sort of half sausage sized pellets.

OP posts:
VittysCardigan · 07/10/2017 20:56

I guess if you just chuck it in for the last couple of mins it would work kait

VittysCardigan · 07/10/2017 20:57

I've put left over mash in soup before now

frieda909 · 07/10/2017 20:59

I've always been quite a snob about prepacked/ready-made stuff, only because I never really had much of it growing up. My mum is allergic to quite a few common additives that tend to crop up in ready made sauces and stuff, so I had it drilled into me that we only ever cooked from scratch.

However, my partner recently persuaded me to try the microwave pouches of brown Tilda rice and they are a life saver! I will never bother boiling brown rice again. The pilau one is my favourite. It makes an amazing quick store-cupboard kedgeree if you mix it with some tinned smoked mackerel and some frozen peas 😋

passmethewineplease · 07/10/2017 21:10

I love frozen mash. Grin

Aldi do a gorgeous cheesey one.

Sometimes time is of the essence.

wheresthel1ght · 07/10/2017 21:17

It is bloody marvellous. And Aldi frozen Aberdeen anguished mince is fab too. Shepherds pie last night mmmmmmm

Holland00 · 07/10/2017 21:17

How did I not know about this!!!

viques · 07/10/2017 21:18

I buy tubs of mash but only when I see it in the reduced section. I portion it up into freezer bags and squash them flat so they stack in the freezer and defrost in minutes .

PrintedInk · 07/10/2017 21:28

Aldi frozen Aberdeen anguished mince

Grin awesome typo

Scrumptiousbears · 07/10/2017 21:31

I don't feel so bad using it myself now.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 07/10/2017 21:40

Tesco own is amazing!

fantasmasgoria1 · 07/10/2017 21:41

Icelands mash is the best for us having tried several! So much easier than peeling and mashing potatoes and no lumps!!!!!

MusicToMyEars800 · 07/10/2017 22:02

There isn't anything nasty in the frozen mash though, it's only potato, milk and butter and salt.. all things you add to homemade mash anyway.

MusicToMyEars800 · 07/10/2017 22:02

Dame I love the Tesco's own brand mash, it's so delicious!

PolaDeVeboise · 07/10/2017 22:25

4% butter? Mine is usually 50%! Grin

QuackDuckQuack · 07/10/2017 22:38

We have a potato ricer (like a giant garlic press) and I’ve discovered that you can microwave potatoes in their skin, then slice them in half, put in the ricer cut side down and it makes mash leaving the skin behind. But I’m now tempted to get the frozen mash too. But my favourite easy potato thing is waffles in the toaster.

We get frozen chopped garlic and ginger as we use them sporadically and are a pita to prepare.

PickAChew · 07/10/2017 22:39

Yes, the tilda ready to heat basmati is pretty good. Not as good as fresh, but when I get in from the school run at 5:15 (knackered and desperate for the loo, usually!) and want dinner on the table for 6, it makes life a whole lot easier

Haffiana · 07/10/2017 22:41

I can make mash in 20 minutes. It is really quick and easy - the secret is a good peeler and a good masher. Most peelers and mashers are complete crap.

I just cannot believe that frozen mash tastes as good as proper mash...