Freezer friendly meals.

[Ghost9525]

Any tips anyone has on cutting down waste and reducing cost I would be grateful for as I’m a total novice and have been wasting so much money & food due to been scared of not knowing the basics eg how to defrost?! Is there anything that doesn’t freeze well or anything you recommend? Thanks in advance.

Hello op
You need the batch lady follow her on Facebook and look at her website
She covers all
Of this and food waste as well
It has actually revolutionised my
Life

Bolognese sauce - can be used for pasta bake, lasagne, etc. Lasagne can also be frozen
Cheese sauce- use for macaroni cheese or cauliflower cheese
Curry sauce
Soup
Tagine
Chilli
Chicken and mushroom sauce - use for pasta or pie filling

You are supposed to defrost in the fridge which can take hours. I quite often defrost on the worktop and then put in the fridge after its defrosted (not supposed to though).

You can freeze parts or full meals

So if I have say onion, carrots and celery at the end of their life, I blitz them in a mini chopper and freeze. Can then use for pasta sauce or stews etc
Pasta sauce, curry sauce etc

But then I freeze full meals as it's only me so pasta bake, beef stew and mash etc all in glass containers

I tend to take whatever I want out and defrost it in the fridge

Thank you for the recommendation lin, and the cheese sauce is such a good idea demented wasn’t sure if it was safe to freeze dairy! Thank you do you put it in the fridge the same day or night before?

I sometimes freeze that day or put in the fridge overnight and freeze the next day - just make sure it’s cooled down first and try to put it in fridge or freezer within 2 hours if you can

As a rule of thumb I defrost everything in the fridge for 24 hours before I need it, whether it be a batch cooked meal or chicken breast or sausages or something. But if something bigger - like a whole chicken it might take longer

Good things to make and freeze are:
Bolognese
Chilli
Curry - veg or chicken or any other meat
Sausage or chicken casserole
Lasagne
Tomato sauces for pasta etc
Fish pie
Cottage / shepherds pie
Soups
Tomato / butter bean stew
Beef or pork stew

I also freeze left over mash potato and have frozen roast potatoes before now

Thanks so much @Mrsdoubtfireswig if you don’t mind me asking how do you reheat the them? X

We use the microwave a lot for reheating especially sauces/soups. Other things would be reheated in the oven e.g. lasagne, pie, etc

Anything meat based - stew, curry, bologanise. Cook double and freeze half. Doesn't save money but saves time.

@Ghost9525 different ways depending on time. In the oven in oven proof dish or the foil tray (if you freeze in that) 25 mins on 180. Or on hob in pan until piping hot or as pp said in microwave

BBC good food website is good for recipes and think they have ‘feezeable family favourites’ too if you search on that which might give some ideas also

Good luck - it’s always nice to have a stash of home cooked meals !