Batch cooking ideas for gifting after birth

[LoisPrice]

Im looking for some batch cooking ideas that can be frozen, but with limited ingrediant

Im cooking for someone else who presently can't eat

chicken, beef, salmon or mushrooms

will eat tuna, vegetables (no aubergine) pasta, sausages, mince meat is fine

I have got this cauliflower bake https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/cajun-spiced-cauliflower-pasta-bake/

I can make cottage pie and have done, along with burger meatballs and sauce, spaghetti bolognaise, tuna and broccoli crunchy pasta bake

but im looking for other inspiration with this limitations and want more than pasta bake in the freezer

must be able to freeze and pop on side or in fridge to defrost and pop in microwave or oven to reheat

any ideas gratefully received

tuna fish pie
veggie lasagne
lasagne or cottage pie but with lamb mince
sausage casserole

Vegetable curry
Lasagne
Potato Vegetable cheesy bake
Stir-fry rice/noodles

Fish pie (minus any salmon)
pork / quorn or lentil bolognaise
sausage, mash, veg and gravy

anyhow, I wanted to comment to say you sound like a very kind and generous person to look after someone like this 🙏

I second this! I wish somebody had done this for me, you sound amazing op! I hope this person will be so grateful!

I batch cooked it all myself, and the second time with a demanding toddler running about was a challenge to say the least!

vegetable curry
lasagna
potato cheese bake

all sound great - any particular recipes?

she will eat beef mince - but not stewing beef etc, no idea why and she hasn't been able to eat chicken whilst pregnant, last pregnancy it was mince beef

Keema or lamb tagine. Both freeze very well.

ah yes keema would be good - thanks

Chilli con carne
Tuna fish cakes
Enchiladas

Breakfast muffins/bagels (egg, cheese, either bacon or sausage patties- take sausages out skin and fry meat in burger shape).

If you cook egg in sheet pan as an omelette rather than individual fried eggs, it'll hold its shape better and be quicker to batch cook.

Having a freezer full of nutritious food in those early days was amazing after my second, I hope she appreciates your kindness.

Sausage and carrot pasta.

Kedgeree. You could add peas.

Maybe a vegetable dhal? Madhur Jaffrey has a good one with cabbage and tomatoes.

Sandwiches, no I am not crazy, sandwiches can be frozen and either defrosted or made in to toasties in a frying pan. Obviously not salad but ham, cheese, other cooked meats.

Does your friend have a slow cooker? Dump bags might be an idea.

Put things in the freezer as a meal, eg if I am putting chilli in the freezer it will have 2 flour tortillas in a zip lock bag Sellotaped to it.

Meatballs, meatloaf, kofta to use the mince.

Pancakes, who doesn't like pancakes. Make a staff and freeze 2 or 3 in foil. You could also stuff with savoury or sweet fillings and freeze, then they go in to the oven to warm up.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/golden-veggie-shepherds-pie

https://www.marcuswareing.com/recipes/sweetcorn-tarragon-fritters (works with basil if you prefer that to tarragon)

We loved having soups, as we ate a lot more toast, sandwiches and beige snacks than usual and were grateful for some veggies. Out favourite was ribollita which a kind person made for our freezer: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/26/tinned-food-recipes-fearnley-whittingstall but we also had carrot and lentil soup https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-carrot-lentil-soup and some others.

Stuffed peppers are another good option for something healthy and freezable e.g. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spiced-pepper-pilafs (I tend to follow the instructions here but do my own thing with the filling depending on what I have and what I feel like eating)

It's not quite an all-in-one dish, but you can also make a shakshuka base with instructions for defrosting, reheating, and adding the eggs. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2016/mar/03/how-to-make-the-perfect-shakshuka

Thanks for all the ideas

id though of Italian soup with beans and.veggies, but being June wasn’t sure it’s the right season. I guess hot food is hot food though

i can take her sandwiches, and plan on making brioche bread for toast now and then

Sweet potato and chickpea curry
vegetarian chilli
check out Olive magazine or Delicious for some great ideas.