What Homecooked meals freeze well?

[74Jamie]

Okay am now on maternity leave and in prep for new arrival am going to fil my frezzer with stuf to eat after the baby gets here but not sure what to freeze and what to make so i want you ideas of what to make and freeze - as am keen to avoid the senario i had at the weekend - i defosted some fish pie i had made too much off and - it was horrid yet the original was loveley so i guess this doesnt freeze well?

Spag bowl, lasagna and shepherds pie all freeze well

Casseroles (as long as you don't use cornflour to thicken, I've found)

Pasta sauces, chilli con carne (can be used as a jacket potato filling or with rice)

Enid's famous chicken nuggets, home made burgers etc.

Get stuff in that you don't mind eating but are quick to cook - like sausages for bangers and mash.

You can always make a quick meal with potatoes and salady bits when the baby is here, so don't have to have every meal frozen.

74Jamie, I've found that anything made with mashed potato (eg, fish pie!) doesn't freeze too well. It's ok for a few days but no more. Ditto anything made a cheese sauce.

Georgina's right that every meal doesn't have to frozen.

Things like steak or omelettes with chips and salad are quick and easy.

Shephed's pie
Cottage Pie
Pasta dishes - bakes, ;asagne
Meat balls
Burgers
Fish pie
Chilli
Casserole
Soup

Also some food is very quick to cook anyway and easy to have stored in freezr. Things like tuna takes minutes to cook and don't need any prep as it tastes so good without any messing about with. Also steaks. Just throw some rice in a pan with some frozen veg (or have preprepared veg to microwave in a bag) and you have it all sorted in munites.

macaroni cheese freezes very well and if you use those disposable alumminium foil containers you can just put it straight into the oven same can be done for individual lasagnas too.

I find the mash freezes better if you haven't added liquids to it to make it into mash. I use a potato ricer so I microwave my potatoes (no boiling in water) and then just rice them - no added milk, cream or butter. Seems to cope with freezing much better.

greatr thanks everyone - will try tehe no liquid mash you suggest hullababy.

does anyone know whether a spiach and ricotta lasagne will freeze welll and survice the defrost and cook okay?

yes.

Curry and sauce based things which you defrost and then cook rice for on the day. Ditto with shepherds pie etc, freeze the filling and make mash on the day, much nicer.

Raost veg freezes ok although can be a bit chewy (soon hidden with gravy )