Best family cooking hack

[mumtoallboys]

Feeding a family of 6 is hard work when you work too. What is your best hack for lightening the load?

Meal plan weekly, including 1 slow cook and 1 super easy ( such as frozen pizzas). Get frozen food out before going to work. At weekends, make a double meal of things like lasagne and freeze one.

8 of us...
I married a man who likes making tea!!.

Chopped frozen onions.

Nothing is so much effort if I don't need to peel and chop an onion.

Agree with the weekly planning. I batch cook one or two meals that take longer to prepare and make enough for 6-8 further meals and freeze.

Other meals then include easy ones like sausage and mash, one frozen meal eg chicken nuggets/fish fingers or pizza. Hot dog night with salad and sometimes just egg on toast.

I second chopped frozen onions and soffrito for making sauces for bolognaise, meatballs.

Meal plan every week.
When you make a chilli/bolognaise etc then make double and freeze the leftovers.
Agree with a frozen meal like pizza or fish fingers and chips per week.
Depending on your kids ages get them to make something one night per week - pasta pesto or sausage and mash is easy.
Get your partner involved if not already.

@NoSquirrels

Chopped frozen onions.

Nothing is so much effort if I don't need to peel and chop an onion.

I get the frozen mix of finely chopped onion, carrot and celery. You’ve got a base for pretty much everything and no effort.

@NoSquirrels and @rogerthatoverout

Good idea on the chopped onions, I have walked past them in the frozen aisle but never thought to get them, I will next time! They are a hassle!

I peel garlic a few extra cloves of garlic and store them it the fridge they are perfect for a few days.

@UnconvincingUsername

Even better! I have never seen that mix but will definitely look for it.

@rogerthatoverout do you mean 6-8 portions?

Yes, I love the mix too, that's the best. I'm honestly all about doing the stuff from scratch and not buying ready-washed ready-chopped veg or whatever, but I make an exception for chopped frozen onions and base mix.

Almost every other tip requires a level of forward-planning I don't possess!

@NoSquirrels

I struggle a bit with the planning. I try to do 2 meals in one, but every other day is still a lot of cooking planning.

Like others I do a frozen meal once a week , usually a Thursday and a takeaway on Friday .

@mumtoallboys yes, sorry 6-8 portions then add pasta/rice/veg depending on what it is.

Can any of the other 5 contribute in any way to the cooking & prepping?

DH works very long hours and is never home for dinner. He starts late and finish's late. The kids are reasonably helpful but not at ange's they can really help too much

Sometimes I meal plan but it can be hard work to keep it up. We've had more success with some simple rules like Monday = pasta, Tuesday = fish etc. Leaves space for variation and gives you a starting point every day.

Also try to take note of useful things with long sell by dates and keep them in stock eg halloumi, chorizo etc. Can be lifesavers when the fridge is empty.

The organised mum method has loads of recipes that are quick to prepare, lots use a slow cooker, there are meal plans, shopping lists as well.

DH works very long hours and is never home for dinner. He starts late and finish's late.

How late does he start? He could do a slow cooker meal also surely he's off at least one day a week?

I don't have a big family but I also agree with frozen veg especially diced onions.

How old are dc? If they're primary age they can certainly help with Prep, laying table etc

Another batch cooking idea is soup - a proper hearty recipe with bread rolls or even sandwiches or chips (chips dipped in soup is lush!) would mean a no cook day aside from the day you make it, just defrost night before and reheat.

Organisation is the key I think. Meal planning according to that days schedule.

How old are the DC’s?
Mine started being responsible for a meal aged about 8 or 9.
DD 1 did chops every week and DD2 spaghetti but it was 2 meals I was only supervising, so I could fold washing or do ironing.
Meals planned and shopped for on a Sunday.
Recipe folder on kitchen counter with that weeks menu and recipes in it.
If I was caught at work, it was all there ready for someone else to start.
Also oven with a preset option. I could put the meal in the oven, choose the cook time and finish time. It would turn itself on automatically. It meant meals were ready when we got home from swimming.

I find the sachets of frozen herbs and pre-chopped garlic really good too. And if you get in and need a really quick turnaround, at my most organised I was prepping the meal the night before- so chop any veg etc, put everything ready in tupperware in the same place in the fridge. It meant when we got in from work we could start cooking straight away, then prep the next night while it was cooking.

If you struggle with meal planning, OP, the AnyList app is a game changer. It has transformed the whole shopping/planning shenanigans for me.

Buy the jars of chopped onions and chilies. Freezer pouches of fresh chopped herbs. Frozen mashed potato is lush and serves a purpose.
Buy the packets of chopped stew veg and chuck in the slow cooker with some meat pieces.
But the ready chopped stir fry then just add meat / prawns / rice / noodles or whatever.
Have a jacket potato night once a week, any leftover fillings are tomorrows sandwiches.

Frozen ginger/garlic

Always having a well stocked pantry - I always have:

Tinned -
tomatoes
Chickpeas
Kidney/black/baked beans (you can rinse the baked beans)
Anchovies
Passata
Tomato paste
Coconut milk
Olives
Capers
Stock

Oils

Olive
Sesame
Vegetable
Coconut

Condiments -

Hoisin
Oyster
Rice wine
Soy sauces
Hot sauces
Red/white/apple vinegars
Mustards
Apple sauce
Worcestershire
Lemon/lime juice
Fish sauce

Herbs/spices -

Oregano
Basil
Thyme
Ginger
Cumin
Coriander
Turmeric
Chili flakes
Nutmeg
Allspice
Cinnamon
Smoked paprika

Dried

Lentils - Puy, red and brown
Rice
Pasta
Oats
Cornmeal
Pearl barley
Flours

Freezer

Peas
Sweetcorn
Ginger/garlic
Coriander
Breadcrumbs
Parsley

Fridge

Yogurt (Greek style)
Oranges
Potatoes
Onions
Peppers
Chorizo
Sweet potatoes
Eggs

With that lot I can pretty much put most meals together quickly (from the list I’ve created of quick go to meals on AnyList) with only 1 or two ingredients from the co-op on the very frequent weeks when it’s all gone to hell.

Meal plan but work into the meal plan how knackered you are on whatever day so Friday is always something easy for us whereas Sunday it’s something that takes more effort and kind of alternates in the week although in the week largely easy stuff. Also quite keen on tray bakes where there’s not lots of different things to do.

Frozen mashed potato is a real time saver.
As a change from pesto pasta, pasta primavera is another quick pasta dish.

Do most shops sell the base mix of celery onion and carrot? I have only had it from waitrose.