Easy make in advance lunch ideas...

[Hazellnut]

Right have managed to get myself into cooking lunch next saturday AND sunday (for 7 adults, 3 under 2's and 6 adults, 2 under 2's respectively).

When I was only doing 1 lunch I was going to do fish pie so this is fine for one of them but any ideas for something similar for the other ? I want to be able to do the work in advance then just bung in oven. One needs to be fish or veggie (but the fish pie will obviously suffice) so can be meat/fish/veg. Have thought about shepherds pie but decided against it.

Puddings needed too but have a seen a couple of threads of these so will peruse these but just in case anyone has any other ideas (again want them to be easy make in advance !)....

(or just hope for good weather and then dh will get all excited and insist of doing a bbq !!)

thanks !

How about Kedgeree?

Lasagne, salad and garlic bread? Delicious when home-made.

Chilli and rice with salad?

Cold ham (some local butchers will cook and prepare it if you give them enough notice) baked potatoes and salad

Any kind of stew or casserole could be cooked in advance and then just re-heated in the oven.

Chocolate trifle for pudding. Is much better if you make it the day before!

I'd do a roast for both I think, they're very easy, it's just about timing and the non meat eaters can have everything except the meat. For that number I'd roast 2 chickens though. Or a huge fish, like a whole salmon, with lots of salads and new potatoes.

Salmon with rice and Brocolli/salad

put salmon steak (frozen) splash soya sauce, 3 knobs of butter,crushed black pepper,salt,sprinkle with garlic & chilli flakes(optional),lightly wrap with foil(leave a little space at the top)and oven bake for 20/25mins...( can be prepped before hand)

steam or boil basmati rice with butter (can be microwaved)

steam brocolli with butter salt and crushed black pepper

garnish with lemon..really surprisingly simple and lovely

m and s lemon tart or waitrose aprocot one

thanks everyone - some great ideas here ! Am thinking the fish pie for the one that needs to be fish/veg. and either lasagne or I remember once doing a chicken and spring veg casserole which would be good although not sure where the recipe is (typically it came out a good food mag and I am sure I tore it out and kept it.......). Salmon and kedgeree sound good for in the week too !

Littlefish - how do you do your choc trifle ?

It's very, very, very easy, but looks and taste impressive! I think it might have started life as a Delia recipe but I'm sure hers is probably much posher

Cut a chocolate swiss roll into slices (or chocolate sponge) and put around the bottom and sides of your bowl.

Drain the juice of a tin or two of stoned black cherries and pour all over the sponge.

Put the cherries on top of the sponge.

Make a pint of custard and then melt a bar of chocolate. Mix the custard and the chocolate together and pour over the cherries.

Put in the fridge to get cold. Pour cream on top of the custard and finish with grated chocolate.

Not for the calorie conscious!

If the bowl is big, then just double all the quantities.

thanks littlefish - might give that a whirl !!