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Making and freezing food
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Just wodering if anyone can help me with this, im 31 weeks pregnant and as im finished work next week i was thinking of making and freezing some meals that will come in very handy after the babys born.
The only thing is i have never done anything like this before and have no idea were to start and was hoping for some help or suggestions.
Has anyone any idea's for meals and when i cook the food do i let it cool down and then freeze it and also what do i store it in.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Angelxoxox
The only thing is i have never done anything like this before and have no idea were to start and was hoping for some help or suggestions.
Has anyone any idea's for meals and when i cook the food do i let it cool down and then freeze it and also what do i store it in.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Angelxoxox
0
Comments
I'm addicted to these bad boys... http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/5c/11/Ziploc_Containers_with_Snap_n_Seal_Lids_-_All_Varieties-resized200.jpg The ziploc websites are pissing me off so I can't find them on there. But they freeze and microwave so heat and cold won't ruin them and are really cheap so its ok to lose them
Depending on how much you want and how many you are going to feed, just make a single, double or even a triple batch. I find it easiest to put one serving per container.
Yes you need to let food cool down, for 2 reasons.
1. It'll bring the temperature of the freezer compartment up making the freezer work costing you money and it'll slightly thaw any food in there encouraging bacterial growth.
2. If you put hot food in the freezer, the outside (of the food) will cool, leaving a warmer inside ideal for bacteria growth
Use plastic boxes with lids or i often just use a freezer bag for a small amount. You can also use freezer bags to freeze portion size quantities and take as many out as you like at a time.
Things to make. Chilli, curry, soup, Bolognaise and other pasta sauces freeze really well. I've got some ready made chicken wrapped in bacon in the freezer, that's best wrapped in foil. You can make pastry up for pies and stuff then freeze it in pie size portions.
I also make things like shephards pie and lasagne and freeze them before the final cooking stage - but i freeze them in the dish i'm going to finally cook them in - so you would need to make sure that is freezer proof (saving tin trays from ready made pies and other meals is also a good idea). My mother in law makes up giant batches of tomato tart and freezes them as well - but i think if you were to go for quiche it might be a little harder to get the freezing right but not impossible.
I cook double and then freeze pretty much everything i cook even things like pasta sauce.
The only thing to bear in mind is that you need to make sure you freeze something in the correct portion size as you can't defrost it and then re freeeze it - so for example if there are two of you and you make a chillie that feeds 4 people - you will need to save it in two batches - as otherwise you will end up defrosting twice as much as you need and will then have to thow it away. I normally freeze stuff in two person portions.
I didnt think about freezing foods when I had my baby, I only got some ready made meals for fella when I was in hospital, and he didnt eat them cos I was only in one night!
1st night I was home we had chippy:D Then we had foods like jacket spuds, easy meals.
ETA - unless your feeling super bored or do some very hard core planning - i would suggest just making double of all your usual meals for the next few weeks and freezing them as you go along.