Batch cooking without a microwave

[Justrelax2022]

Hello, please forgive my ignorance on this subject, but it’s why I’m asking for help!

I’m due a baby any day and I know that batch cooking seems to be key in getting you through those first few weeks.

I’ve never frozen and defrosted food before so don’t really know how it works, I also do not have a microwave and therefore wondered best practice?

for reference, I am a vegetarian so will be thinking about soups, veg curry, lasagne, pasta sauce etc. I do have a Ninja air fryer with a reheat function.

can anyone advise if it’s worth me batch cooking and how I go about knowing how long to defrost things for? I sound so stupid don’t I, just no experience in this field.

thanks in advance for any help offered!

Absolutely worth doing. I batch cook vegetable curries and dhal, risotto, soups and pasta sauces. In the morning I take them out of the freezer and leave on the side to defrost and they are always ready for dinner time. I make rice or pasta to go with it in the evening.

I batch cook at the weekend, it saves so much time during the week so totally worth it in my opinion.

We mostly batch cook stuff that you cook in a saucepan (stew, casserole, soup etc.), so to reheat it just goes back in a smaller pan on the hob. Usually take it out the freezer the night before and leave in the fridge to defrost. Sometimes it's still a bit frozen in the middle but just re heat for a little longer on a low heat until it's hot through.

We don't have an air fryer so can't help there, but I imagine the lasagna would be fine reheated with that, just take it out the freezer the day before and make sure it's hot through before eating.

I usually leave my tubs of things to defrost overnight in the fridge. If they are not done enough couple hours before I want them, I leave them on the counter.
I never defrost on purpose in the microwave unless (like today!) I forgot to get out lunch!

Everything reheats fine in a pan, even if it's a bit frosty still.

Thank you so much everyone for your input and help, I really appreciate it! Especially re the defrosting stuff, super helpful.
I’m gonna give it a go and cook a few things up over the next few days.
I just know I’ll want tasty stuff and my husband tries but isn’t the most resourceful of cooks (plus I want him to spend time
with the baby too!), and takeaways are expensive and would get bored of them very quickly.
thanks again :-D

I freeze in foil containers and either defrost and reheat on the hob, or from frozen, put in the slower cooker surrounded by water and turn on.