Freezing food is one of the best kitchen hacks to spend less time in the kitchen. Along with meal-planning, this can decrease the stress of cooking weekday meals in an instant! If you have a busy week coming up, you can grab a meal out of the freezer to reheat. It’s also a cheaper and healthier alternative than ordering a takeaway. I usually cook 3-4 times a week and plan freezer meals for the rest of the week.
I regularly cook double portions of recipes while I’m in the kitchen cooking and freeze what we don’t eat for supper. This applies to a good number of the meals we make and it’s cheaper to buy pasta and meat in bulk, as long as you have the storage. With meals which include meat or easy vegetables to chop, it’s easy to add extra while still keeping the cooking time low.
I freeze most of my dishes, including curries, stews and comforting recipes such as spaghetti bolognaise and Shepherd’s Pie. I also freeze rice and pasta dishes. In my view, pasta is fine to freeze. It does have a slightly different texture, so I understand everyone has a preference. I freeze my Carrot and Sweetcorn pasta salad for work lunches. I usually dress the salad with the mayonnaise and yoghurt once the pasta has defrosted. Freezing pasta salads with this type of dressing can cause the salad to become liquidly. My freezer also extends to sweet treats as well, including my delicious banana and chocolate chip cake.
Freezing meals has also saved me time during the workweek to make lunches. With an easy prep meal plan, freezing food will create quick easy dinners, a stress-free kitchen, and delicious meals during your working week.
I don’t have time to plan my meals? What should I do?
Make a quick note down of what you enjoy to eat. Look for recipes which have similar ingredients and those you could make a double batch of and freeze while you are cooking in the kitchen one evening.
How do I reheat my freezer meals?
I usually heat them in the microwave on High until the food is piping hot. ~5 minutes. Some meals might need water added to them, as the coldness of the freezer will have made the sauce thicken.
Which dinners are best to freeze?
Most meals are suitable to freeze, but curries, casseroles and stews encase their flavour once frozen. They are less likely to change texture than other foods. I like to freeze my Chilli Con Carne and Indian Butter Chicken, as these make quick, easy meals to defrost from the freezer.