Please give me your batch cooking ideas to fill my freezer before baby arrives

[shabbychic1]

I'm going to have several weeks maternity/ annual leave before baby due and I want to stick the freezer. DH normally cooks but I want to take this time to help out before we're in parent mode! Thanks

Argh I posted this twice- thought it hadn't pastors, sorry!!!

Fish pie
Cottage pie
Pasta bake
Lasagne
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni
Chicken curry / vegetable curry
Chicken casserole

Substantial soup, with lentils in.
Shepherds pie meat, so you only have to do the mash
Spag Bol meat
Chilli and veggie chilli
I also had lots of burgers/meatballs in the freezer.

To be honest I wouldn't bother with batch cooking. Just stock up on easy meals- pasta sauces, sausages, chicken pieces, fish etc. Stuff you can just bung in the oven or quickly throw together in a few mins.

Spicy stew with potatoes and dumplings in
Fish pie
Chilli (so you just have to cook the rice)
Lasagne
Ragu (so you just have to cook pasta)

I batch cooked loads as dd was really, really late. I was so glad I did it. It was awesome having good stuff we could chuck in the microwave. I would recommend things you can eat with one hand while holding a screaming baby who decides they must be fed the very instant your food appears. Chilli, curry, pasta sauce. You can even pre-cook and freeze mash in portions if you really want to go for it.

As well as batch cooking, I'd suggest getting a delivery saver from whatever supermarket you use - very handy being able to order in the middle of the night / whenever you have a moment and then have food appear the next day. It's good for things like nappies, pads, emergency cabbage etc too (cabbage is, weirdly, very good for sore and engorged breasts).

Soups - great easy healthy lunch for you both. Homemade always far tastier than shop bought. Substantial ones like ham and lentil, or spicy tomato, coconut and chickpea.

Cottage pie - easy to eat one handed

Beef or lamb casserole, add veg in, can eat with microwave rice or ready made mash

Otherwise buy stuff like ready made mash, stuffed pasta and sauces, microwave rice etc. Keep chicken fillets/ salmon/ cod in freezer, easy to take out and oven bake and add to a quick pasta/ rice/ potatoe

Chicken curry of some description
We had to go back to the hospital when Dd was a day old to have her treated for jaundice, got home at about 2am, and DH defrosted portions of chicken tikka masala from the freezer, and to this day, that is still the most satisfying curry I've ever eaten!!
Chilli con carne is another good one, so all you have to do is cook rice or jacket potatoes to go with it

Cake. Freeze in portions so you can just have one bit (defrosts quicker) or get out just the right amount for people who pop round to visit baby.

Orange - too late for me by many years but great idea !!

Even better freeze muffins, no need to cut.

Flapjacks, hobnobs (recipe on MN) and cake. Other people will bring you meals but not necessarily snacks!

I stocked up before both babies and it was fantastic.

I second/third a lot of the above suggestions. Also:

Sausage casserole. Google the hairy bikers recipe - I add extra peppers and shredded kale. Lovely with some crusty bread

Leek and bacon creamy pasta bake. Delia recipe - very rich but just the job for hungry days.

Chicken in white wine, leek and mushroom sauce. Add a little cream or creme fraiche before serving with rice.

Beef stroganoff - slow cooked stew type. Again the Delia recipe is great and you can stir in sour cream before serving.

Beef goulash or Beef Bourginoun (or any type of beef casserole)

Scones, Nigellas Apple and Spelt Muffins, Choc chip cookies (freeze the scoops of dough and bake from frozen)

Not something you cook in advance as such but I stocked the freezer with frozen fish, oven chips, peas, sweet corn etc. Buy lots of biscuits for visitors (you may or may not eat these if you go overdue!) and plenty of essentials like toilet roll.

Cookie dough, pre sliced into cookies with baking parchment between each one so you can throw them into the oven and have fresh warm.cookies in minutes