What do you freeze your batch cooking in?

[JenniferYellowHat1980]

I've done chilli, Bolognese and cottage pie, and will be doing curry and fish pie. I've bought those aluminium cartons from Tesco, but they're pretty disposable. I can't imagine them lasting more than a couple of batches.

The takeaway style plastic tubs are fine for microwaveable food, but what about sturdier containers for the pies that need baking? Anyone got any reasonably priced suggestions?

i use Lakeland 750ml storage tubs
if I'm making a pie I freeze the filling in one tub, and freeze the pastry or potato topping separately, so I can assemble the pie neatly in my pie dish once defrosted.

Those plastic tubs that the takeaway comes in

I use plastic Lock & Lock tubs for freezing but i don't cook in them.

I'd really like some of these so that i can put things straight in the oven.

Ah. That Pyrex dish is exactly what I need. Lots of. Wonder how many times I'd need to use it to make it cost effective

(fruit) Crumbles go into large-ish square foil dishes so they can straight into the oven from the feeezer when i need them. Altho obvs take a lot less time to cook if defrosted first!
Sauces, stews etc into the aforesaid Lakeland square plastic tubs of varying sizes. They are brilliant and last for years.

www.amazon.co.uk/GSL-LARGE-ALUMINIUM-CONTAINERS-TRAYS/dp/B005UXELMK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1440620159&sr=8-2&keywords=Foil+dishes

Freezer bags.

And www.lakeland.co.uk/p15648/Stack-a-Boxes

I use freezer bags from Ikea. I don't have enough room in my freezer for tubs.

Old margarine tubs

Lakeland stackaboxes. I've had them 15+ years. Freeze in the boxes then decant into labelled bags when solid

I've got a couple of those Pyrex bowls with lids and they are fantastic for things like pies and lasagnes!

I bought some nonstick pie tins from the pound shop for pastry pies. For 'oven dish' things like pasticcio and stuff, I line the oven dish with foil, then freeze the whole thing (dish and all). When solid I pop the slab of food out and rewrap it. I can then stick it back in the original dish to defrost and cook

I have found quite a few glass and other sturdy-type dishes that I use for "freezer to oven" purposes in charity shops, and I would recommend looking there.

It can be very cost effective if you shop around - I got 3 different sized Pyrex dishes with lids for only £2 last month.

Can I ask what portion sizes you freeze?

I'm always freezing odd sixes.

For a family of 4 would you use litre container for stew/chilli or is that way too much?

I think my Lock & Locks are 850ml so i can freeze food for 2 adults & 2 children in those.

I also have a smaller boxes for freezing individual portions as there's days when DS has clubs so he eats before the rest of us.