| Archive for Primary Teacher Resource Centre - Forum A place to chat, share ideas or simply let of steam about current Education issues |
| madax1 |
Freezing foodWe spend a small fortune on ready meals (a) because they're quick and easy in the week and (b) they're good for portion control. We get the good quality ones from M+S with low salt, no additives, etc.... s they're usually between £3 and £4 each.I'd like to start doing more home made stuff. So ... my question is, is it ok to freeze batches of stuff like mashed potato? I'm thinking that at the end of the hols I'll cook loads of batches of braised steak, chilli, chicken casserole, ratatouille etc and then also batches of rice, mash and pasta. Are these ok to freeze? Then most days I can grab a few bags out the freezer before work and then it's just microwavable when we get in .... Ta! |
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| madax1 |
Good point about the slow-cooker - we have one and I'd forgotten all about it. I'm determined to get better at this - the money we'd save would probably be a new pair of shoes every month! Need to do something like mash though as OH doesn't eat rice or pasta .... I KNOW ... I married a food freak!
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| madax1 |
My food freaky OH wouldn't eat sweet potato, butternut squash or swede! It's regular spuds and that's it!!! | ||
| madphil |
Freaky foods - I only eat potato
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| madax1 |
I considered ending the realtionship 19 years ago but stating 'It's because you don't eat cheese' wasn't a good enough reason!!! | ||
| madax1 |
oops 'relationship'! | ||
| madphil |
Normally it's because someone is TOO cheesy
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| smallholder |
I freeze mash in little patties on a baking tray, then when they are frozen bag them up. They are great when you want a quick meal. You can make them look fancy with a bit of nifty fork work before you freeze them. They have a posh name, but I can't remember it! | ||
| madphil |
PO - TA - TO smallholder
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| smallholder |
B..O...L..L ..etc MP!
Madax - just looked them up - Duchess Potatoes! |
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| madphil |
...and there was me trying to be helpful, harumph!
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| madax1 |
Thanks SH - if I called it anything other than mash the OH wouldn't eat it! | ||
| greenteaaddict |
I get an ice cream scoop and freeze left over mash. To reheat pop in the oven until cooked through and crispy (poor mans duchesse potatoes). Chicken is fine to freeze cooked but you must reheat thoroughly. Having a veggie daughter I often freeze meals for her. I batch cook things like mixed bean chilli and rice, ratatouille, fresh tomato sauce with pasta, veggie lasagne, aubergine curry, lentil dhal, cauliflower cheese etc etc |
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| Night Garden |
I freeze most things as great for LO to have for his dinner. | ||
| tui |
i freeze most things in single portions. I haven't tried the mash patties though smallholder. I will try that. | ||
| madphil |
NO TUI - not mash patties - duchess potatoes!!!!!!!
SH won't be happy
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| smallholder |
Maybe I should change my avatar name?
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| madphil |
No mash patty wouldn't suit you
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| smallholder |
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| Louiw |
No, cos she'd have the same intials as you and we wouldn't know which MP we were talking about!!??! | ||
| madphil |
Very true and we can't have that! | ||
| smallholder |
I think people would be able to tell though..don't you?
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| madphil |
Surely not?! | ||
| blossom |
Can I freeze water melon if I open it and cube it first? Local costcutter selling them for £1 and youngest loves them! | ||
| mug! |
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf74467860.tip.html | ||
| blossom |
Thanks mug
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| cherryblossom |
http://www.netmums.com/food/Batch_cooking_and_freezing.721/
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.c...ight=freezable+meals#post14334961 |
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| cherryblossom |
the mse forums are brilliant for getting tips on anything money saving related!!! and loads of very helpful people on there ...
a bit like here |
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| madax1 |
Thanks for the links cherryblossom. Can't wait to get cracking once we're back after the hols. I told OH about it the other day. He loves the M+S meals so much I thought he'd turn his nose up (even though I'm quite a good cook), but he was well up for it. We will save quite a lot of money. The other thing I'm going to do is make batches of fridgeable prepared fruit salads as my OH eats MOUNTAINS of these - at least 2-3 every day which at £2-£4 a throw is a LOT of money! | ||
| jog_on |
I'm getting a freezer when we move! Can't wait I want to do exactly the same...hope it'll help me to lose weight!
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| smallholder |
I make batches of wholemeal/walnut bread rolls and freeze these so that I have nice bread to take for my shcool lunch. I also freeze my own homemade slices of pizza. I freeze fresh fruit like blackberries, raspberries in small twists of clingwrap and stewed plums in littles pots. These are stored in a larger plastic bag then I get these out in the winter to mix in with my breakfast cereal - a bit of summer goodness during the dark days! | ||
| cherryblossom |
wow you are very good smallholder! i thought i was doing well with my soup! | ||
| madax1 |
I love your idea SH. Just thinking now I could freeze batches of homemade soup (which I LOVE) and some intereting bread rolls and take them in to work for lunch every day. (Of course all this planning takes place when I have 5 weeks holiday left. What I'll be capable of come mid-September is anyone's guess!!!) | ||
| madax1 |
Have made 12 portions of a variety of meals. Will make loads of mash tomorrow for freezing. It's working out at less than £1.50 per meal - a LOT less than the individual ready meals from M+S!! | ||
| Rainbow_Bright |
I freeze almost everything, madax. Drives the OH mad as his attitude is if we've got it, it needs eating as soon as humanly possible.
Things I make in batches and freeze include - lasagne, bolognese, chilli, shepherd's pie, cornish pasties, crumbles, pasta bakes, stews and even roast dinners (left overs). |
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| Louiw |
Have you got a recipe for your walnut bread SH? I like the sound of those, and I love homemade soup too! | ||
| tui |
here is Smallholder's bread from an earlier thread.
Walnut Bread 1 cup strong white bread flour 3 cups wholemeal bread flour 2 teasp dried yeast 1 ½ teasp salt 1 tablespoon & 1 teasp sugar 350 ml water 2 desert spoons walnut oil 1 cup of broken walnut pieces Can make as a loaf – cook as for wholemeal Or use dough setting. Then shape into 16 rolls on a baking tray. Leave in warm place to rise for an hour. Brush with milk/egg/walnut oil (whichever you prefer) and bake at 200C for 12-14 mins. |
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| smallholder |
thanks tui - wasn't really with it yesterday x | ||
| tui |
no Prob. I still haven't located any walnut oil. | ||
| smallholder |
Thats a shame - coz its such a wonderful addition to all sorts of recipes. | ||
| Louiw |
Thanks both of you! It's a shame you can't find walnut oil. I like the different flavoured oils, sesame oil smells divine!! | ||
| JD1970 |
Tesco sell walnut oil.
I'm great at freezing things, ready for a busy term ahead. The trouble is that I forget to look in the freezer and keep making fresh stuff instead! Found soup and stock the other day, both frozen in April 2008!!!! Think I need a clear out and defrost. |