those of you who bulk cook . . . .

[lucysmam]

help me out a little, if you don't mind

We're desperately trying to save to move away from where we are now so I thought a big pan of stew, a pot of bolognaise sauce which could be turned into chilli/lasagne/spag bol, a pot of curry (all made in my huge pot which will feed my oh and me for about 4 nights & the lo as well).

What else do you bulk cook? so that I can make a big pot & have plenty in the freezer to last us a fair while, as cheaply as possible & then just buy odd bits each week

Normally I'd manage to think of stuff fine, but . . . . bank holiday night out hangover has killed off a few braincells & I can't think of anything [tired & hungover]

Thanks for any ideas I can stick on my list

Macaroni cheese freezes well, or just make a few portions of the cheese sauce for tarting things up as you go?

good idea, will add that to my list. My oh will love having cheese sauce to hand whenever he fancies it

I do a shepards pie base then i just have to add the mash in top.

Soups freeze well as does Chilli.

Lentil soup

Soup?
I hate making fish pie so I always make 3 of them at a time.
Pastry cases so you can make last-minute quiches with leftover veg scraps/cheese.
Um...

can I ask you a question?

How do you freeze it (I mean exactly what containers do you put it in)?

And when it comes to eating it, how do you defrost it and cook it or do you cook it from frozen?

Someone on here said to batch-cook tomato sauces as they can be turned into anything - soups, pizza sauce, pasta sauces, stews, fish bakes, etc etc

Mashed potato freezes well, always handy if you're making shephards pie.. plus I freeze onion gravy and then I can just do some bangers and mash with proper onion gravy in no time.

Risotto freezes surprisingly well, I stop it cooking before the rice is fully done so it doesn't go too sloppy when you defrost.

I love ratatouille, I usually do it with some grilled chicken legs or something, and usually have a bit batch in the freezer.

I freeze all my stuff in tupperware boxes and i usually heat it up in the microwave, but pous i just put on a low heat on the hob to warm back up.

Soups i also freeze in freezer bags.

Yes - tomato sauce is brilliant for batch cooking, as you can use it in so many different ways.

I make double of practically everything we eat and stick half in the freezer. Pasta sauces are good, but not pasta so I make that fresh. Curries, anything with mince, quiches, soups etc.
I save those plastic containers that Chinese takeaways come in - they are just the right size for a meal for two and every so often I run out and HAVE to have a take away!

oh, soup! I'm so glad someone's brain is working, it never occurred to me to put soup on my list

I tend to freeze in those plastic takeaway tubs, in a freezer bag. Then when frozen, I can take it out of the tub to re-use it. Then defrost & reheat. Don't do that for pies obviously, or lasagne. They will go in individual sized dishes that look bigger than they are iyswim so I don't look like I'm being too scrooge-like & then defrosted & cooked in those

I freeze them in freezer bags, measured into portions. (Place bag in soup bowl to measure one portion, etc.) Defrost in freezer night before, or stand bag in water until it comes away from the contents, which you then place in saucepan and thaw/heat on the hob.

how do you heat up the soup in the freezer bags Charlee?

so you defrost it first in the microwave and then cook it?

it's the only bit that puts me off because I'm never sure if the microwave defrosts it properly or whether it is easier (or is it safe?) to just put the frozen food in a pot on the hob and then cook for ages?

chicken stew
beef stew
curry
lasagne
quiche
chinese chicken
stir fry
risotto
coq au vin
potato cakes
soup
sausage casserole

i bulk cook and freeze everything ! i buy containers from the pound shop (like the chinese takeaway ones), you can reuse them. when DS was smaller i'd freeze portions in plastic disposable cups.

chicken casserole
beef stew
cheese sauce
tomato based veg pasta sauce
soups
chilli con carne
fish pie
cottage pie
chicken pie
tuna pasta bake
curry

I'm glad someone else thinks like me Rupert!! I didn't realise anyone else was so sneaky

ah ok, sorry cross posted there

I might give this another go then! Thanks.

ha! a million x-posts.
Wot they said!
Oh- and I have some great pyrex rectangle dishes with plastic lids- can freeze, defrost, and oven bake all in one- very useful. They were from woolies, but they must sell them elsewhere. Great for lasagne, pasta bake etc

This is fab, thank-you so much! When I suggested it earlier my oh was a bit & thought we'd be eating the same thing every night of the week, or only be having 2 different meals each week

I slightly thaw the soup out first so it comes out the bag them heat it up.

Everything elese i cook from frozen like a redy meal i just disloge the lid of the tupperware box thats its in and cook it on full power for about 10 mins (depending on portion size) untill its completley piping hot the whole way through.

Pound-shops sell the foil takeaway containers, and the foil pie-plates. I love using those! Makes me feel like I run my own restaurant.

can you heat stuff up in the foil containers in the oven? & re-use them?

Maybe I'd be better off heading to the quid shop if you can & getting some of those for pies/lasagne to go in

Yes you can, you save space in your freezer by using freezer bags where possible though.

I also keep margarine tubs, yoghurt/creme fraiche pots as well.

I keep marg tubs, never thought of re-using the smaller ones though, they'd come in handy. I was only thinking about the foil ones to make it easier to take out a lasagne or a pie & re-heat it, rather than faffing about taking it out of freezer, putting in different dish then cooking it.

But now I know that, I'll invest in some. Thanks Idranktheeasterspirits