Freezer Friendly Meal Ideas

Hello all - I am newly PG (4 weeks) and have just found out DH will be going O/S for about 4 months from the middle of next month :eek:. I remember how tired I was during first trimester last time round so I'm looking for some ideas of dinners we can lay down in the deep freezer before he goes - looking for some variety, healthy choices and preferably some nice veggie things as well.

Here's my usual repertoire of cook and freeze:
lasagna (of course)
quiche
moussaka
sausage and bean casserole
tuna mornay (freezes surprisingly well)
fish pie
chicken/pumpkin/lentil soup
cauliflower cheese.

We will be heading into autumn so things that can be reheated in the oven are fine.

Any ideas?
:-)

I usually always have Spag bol sauce (so I only have to cook the pasta), curries, vege/meat and vege soup, or just meat and veg casseroles.

stirfries are easy!
casseroles
blanched vegies
quiches
meat pies

well you can do anything that you'd find in the frozen food section of the supermarket;)have a look for some idea's;)
rice and curry, pizza, all the mccain meals like roast meats, potatoes, veg..etc, pasta meals (just dont cook the pasta 'aldente' before freezing, leave it slightly undercooked - that way it wont be mushy when defrosted but just right), any soup (just add cream when defrosted if it has it), what about veggie burgers or meat patties (cooked or uncooked), spaghetti bog sauce, used for other things like shepard's pie (spag sauce with frozen veg mix and topped with mash potato and cheese), lasagne, canneloni (i have 2 yummy veg recipes if you want just ask). taco meat already cooked, then just have to chop up salad stuff...

other meals / things like chicken kiev/cordon bleu/ marinated chicken wingettes uncooked in freezer, you just defrost the night before in fridge, they cook quickly and easily in the oven by themselves, just add some oven fries and frozen veg or coleslaw (buy ready made)??

i'd just think of your normal meals and then figure out if they are ok frozen? there are lists on the internet about what freezes well and what doesn't:)

Curries are great frozen - they taste even better the second time around.
I usually just use a jar of Pataks curry paste, add a tin of chopped tomatoes plus whatever the back of the curry jar suggests (e.g. lamb, etc) - scrumptious!

This is a great thread - I'm going to start stocking up my deep freezer for after Bean arrives, so I don't have to cook so often and DH can have some time off too.

OMG - how funny! We made a list at dinner tonight! LOL. Coz DH desperately needs to take lunch to work.. he's spending way too much, and being about to TTC #2, I know I was hopeless in the 1st trimester too.. so I need to stock up on dinners as well! I've gotta get cooking!

Here's what we came up with:

• Fried rice
• curries
• stir fries
• vegetable soup
• chicken/veg soup
• roast (will cook a massive roast - this will carve up to be MANY dinners! I was also thinking of freezing the meat portions first, then opening up the container and throwing in some frozen veg from packets! LOL. but I'd still do my own potatoes probably.
• Chilli Pork (to go with freshly cooked noodles)
• Other meat sauces that only need pasta/noodles/rice to be cooked.

Poor DH lived on lean cuisines last time. LOL. He quite likes them tho, so he didn't mind - and I think he lost a bit of weight too with the small portions! LOL.

Any sauces are good to freeze..

Cannerloni ( i cook a yummy chicken one)
Um i cant think today leave it with and good luck........

Ladies thanks very much for the suggestions, Please post any canneloni recipes you have cos the only way i know how to make it is spinach and ricotti in the filling with tomato on the outside!

Curries are a great idea, however since it'll just be DD and me (and she doesn't always enjoy spicy foods) might have to give that one a miss. Veggie burgers and pizzas are a good idea too. The idea of doing a roast (it would freeze quite well in the gravy, I think) is a goodie, and also I'd forgotten that for years I did a really mean shepherd's pie. Using Sweet potato topping's a good way to lower the GI of it too!

Keep those ideas coming!
:-)

Do you have a slow cooker?
Beef casserole and beef strog (leave out the sour cream until you reheat it) freeze really well, and are cheap and easy.
I also marinate uncooked chicken breasts and freeze them in snaplock bags, marinade and all. Then just defrost and bake in the oven or throw them on the barbie.

grr i a having massive problems trying to post here with the other one:(

BEAN CANNELLONI

1 tablespoon oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium red capsicum, finely chopped
1 medium green capsicum, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
1 tablespoon fresh chooped basil
1 x 440g can 4-bean mix, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
12 instant cannelloni shells
1 x 425g chunky pasta sauce (or you could make sauce from recipe above;))

Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and onion; cook, stirring, until onion is soft. Add capsicums stir for 3 minutes. Stir in herbs.

Blend or process half the bean mix until smooth. Combine with remaining bean mix, onion mixture and tomato paste.

Spoon mixture into cannelloni shells.

Spoon a quarter of the pasta sauce over base of a heatproof dish (8-cup capacity). Top with filled cannelloni; spoon remaining sauce over top.

Cook in a moderate oven, 180 degree C, for about 25 minutes, or until heated through.

Marydean - do you have a slow cooker? Just about every casserole you can cook in your SC can be frozen. Check out the SCer thread for some great recipes :) I'll be slow cooking madly in the 3rd trimester to stock up on meals for when little bee is here.

LEEK AND MUSHROOM CANNELLONI

1 large leek
1 medium onion
olive oil for frying
125 (4 oz) mushrooms, very finely chopped (I like swiss brown or portabella)
125-175g (4-6oz) well favoured cheese, grated

1 small onion, very finely chopped
400g can tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube
300 ml (1/2 pint) hot water
a dash of vegetarian worchestire sauce
15 instant no need to precook cannelloni tubes

to be continued...aurgh!! why cant i post

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PREHEAT OVEN TO 190 degrees C, or according to cannelloni packet instructions.
Use a food processor to chop leek and medium onion very finely. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry them until softened. Add the mushrooms and cheese, and cook, stirring until the vegetables are golden. Once the cheese has melted into the mixture, remove from heat and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, in a separate fry pan, fry the small onion in a little oil ,until brown. Stir in tomatoes. Mix stock cube with hot water and add to onion and tomatoes with the worchestire sauce. Cook the mixture until reduced by half. Fill the cannelloni with the leek and cheese mixture and place them in a greaseproof ovendish. Pour over the tomato sauce and bake for 25-30 mins.

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just posting for Joh :)

Tuna patties
homemade sausage rolls
egg and bacon pie
homemade pasties

Ok heres a GREAT one:

Chicken and Cheese Canneloni

600g Jar Mild 'n' Chunky Salsa
2tsp crushed garlic
300g chicken mince
1/4 tsp chicken stock powder
250g tub smooth ricotta cheese
1/4 Cup chopped fresh herbs (i just use mixed herbs in the jar just as good)
120 pkt instant canneloni (i always buy 2 pkts just incase)
30g Butter
2Tbl Plain flour
1 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup grated tasty cheese
1tsp pepper

1. Set oven at 180c, grease pan (i use a large lasagne dish), spoon salsa into dish and set aside.
2. Place Garlic, chicken mince, stock powder, ricotta and herbs into a bowl and mix well.. Spoon or pipe into canneloni tubes and place ina single layer over the salsa.
3. Heat butter in a small pan. Add flour and cook for 1 min. Remove from heat and add milk gradually stirring constantly. Return to heat and cook for 3-4 mins or until thick and smooth. Stir in 1/2 cheese.
4. Pour the sauce over the canneloni tubes and sprinkle with remaining cheese (i always add extra cheese) and pepper.. Bake for 35-40mins or until canneloni is tender (cheese melted and starting to brown).....

YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flea - what marinades do you use on the chicken breasts? I LOVED that idea as I LOVE chicken so I thought I would ask. I usually throw a thawed chicken breast in the oven with olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning sprinkled on top and it is YUM but new ideas are always good!

Thanks ladies, those cannelloni recipes sound superb (tho if I get lazy I might just use the large shells - easier to stuff)! YUM!

I'm going to print these out and get cooking!
:-)

Another thing I'm doing is making a big batch of chicken stock, and a big batch of wontons. Freeze it all.. and it's really easy to whip up a quick soup! Just chop up some shallots, chuck it in the stock, add some sesame oil, and some chicken powder... throw in some wontons, fishballs... anything you like! LOL. DH love it. Oh and some chopped chilli :)

But it's really handy having a big batch of wontons in the freezer (uncooked.. but frozen). They are fiddly to make tho.. need a whole afternoon to sit and make them. hehe.

Liz, I would love your wonton recipe, I've never made them but wonton soup is my all time Chinese soup favorite! DD and I have Chinese soup every friday night when DH is away!

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Flea - what marinades do you use on the chicken breasts? I LOVED that idea as I LOVE chicken so I thought I would ask. I usually throw a thawed chicken breast in the oven with olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning sprinkled on top and it is YUM but new ideas are always good!

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Oh sorry I only just got back to this thread :biggrin:

Here's a couple of ideas - I'm into quick and easy so all of these you just mix up, pour in a bag and chuck in the chicken:

Greek Chicken - about equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice, some chopped oregano and garlic to taste, salt and ground black pepper.

Honey Mustard - 1/3 cup wholegrain mustard, 1/2 cup honey, 1tbsp curry powder, 1tbsp olive oil. This one is good on pork chops as well.

Marydean - I don't have a strict recipe.. but it's basically to taste. I use pork mince, ginger, garlic, chilli, shallots, and a splash of soy sauce.. mix it all up, put a small spoonfull in a wonton wrapper, and then freeze them. Some people like to have 1/2 meat 1/2 prawn, or you can add chopped waterchestnut. I've also done one with chicken mince which was nice, I can't remember what flavours I put in it tho. Can't go wrong with garlic, ginger & chilli tho. hehe.

I'm pretty sure you can cook them different ways too.. you could possible deep fry them.. or even steam them? I just chuck em in soup tho :)

Thanks Liz, you make it sound so easy!
:)

Wanting to make up some dinners and snacks for after bub arrives and just wondering what foods you've had success in freezing and what you haven't. Mainly I'd like to freeze dinner type things - esp the veges if possible. Thanks for any help

Hi Saram -

I find that spaghetti sauce and soups freeze really well - what season will it be when bubs is born? Along with freezing meals ahead of time, I would highly recommend buying a slow cooker if you don't have one already - they make meals SO easy!!

Oh I do have one of those slow cookers, thanks. We are having lots of family coming up to visit bub in March so I really want to have whole meals ready to go. Doing thisngs like shepherd pie etc might do up some soups and things as well. Thanks

Lasagne freezes quite well. I cook mine all the way through, cool it in the refridgerator and then freeze. I've only tested this on a vegie lasange though, I think meat versions would freeze just as well.

Thanks

My DH was working away over the ski-season last year and would spend a 5 nights a week on the mountain, so i would send him up with heaps of frozen meals for lunch and dinner to reheat whilst he was away...i did..

Soups
Lasagne - meat & veg
Shepherds Pie - with extra mash potato and peas & corn in the container
Curried Sausages - with rice in the container
Chow Mein - with rice
Rissotto
Fried Rice
Rissoles - Cooked and in container with vegies
Tuna Cassarole - he'd heat it and put it on toast

You could also do....

Sweet Curry - with rice
Homemade Chicken Pies
Curries/Stews

The list is endless....Good luck Sarah....not long to go now...xxx

curries freeze well, soups,

I also freeze stir-fries (without the noodles)
Pasta sauces


With stuff like risotto, the key is in the reheating. Gentle reheating is better, thawed if possible.

If your family are visiting in March, when the baby is newborn, they are cooking. And yes, I'd do the same to my family without hesitation (because they're all fab at cooking and it tastes so much nicer if someone else makes it and washes up!).

Frozen meals in my freezer right now:
Salmon, broccoli and potato wedges in a cheese sauce (need to add veg when cooking)
Bacon, sweetcorn and broccoli with potato slices in a cheese sauce (again, veg needed)
SC porcupine balls
Cauliflour cheese (with carrot, sweetcorn, lentils and bacon)
Fish pie (with a peas and a mashed potato topping)

Might get DH to help me do a tuna pasta bake in the SC and freeze down a couple of portions of that too. You can chop and blanche veggies pre-freezing, just put them in little portion bags.

Also, get your DH to learn how to do easy meals, like fish and chips or risotto and let him cook every now and then. You can stock up on frozen pre-chopped veggies (as I have) and ready meals and frozen pizzas if you run out, or your DH can help you prepare the slow cooker the night before (and my DH is usually OK with the same meal two nights running).

Thanks for all those great ideas and thanks on the vege ideas Ryn. haha on my family cooking when they visit. They barely cook for their own family and I would much rather cook my own way - I'm a bit of a nazi when it comes to nice healthy meals esp in my own kitchen. DH is fantastic and will help out as much as he can

Hi,

My DD is due in 6wks and it is time that I do some extra meals for the freezer.

On my list so far is:

Spag bol
Sheppards pie base
Home made pizza bases
Pumpkin Soup
Stews
Caserol
Pre-made meat patties

I would appreciate any ideas, recipes, or tips. Also because it is summer I won't be cooking too much heavy food.

My freezer is always pretty packed. What about a few curries if you like that kind of thing? You can also chop up your (eg chicken, steak) meat, add a little marinade (but don't use a very acidic marinade) and then freeze ready for stirfries or bbq or similar. Other freezer goods might include some cookie dough. You can also freeze savoury muffins quite well and they can make a nice lunch.
Good luck with your freezer stacking!
Ruth

Thanks Ruth. In the last couple of days I thought of family size meat pies!!!!

I really like lasagne for that, it freezes perfectly. Have you ever tried those crispy chicken wraps from old el paso I think, so easy to make, just stock up on some chicken breast pieces. Um, curries, stir-frys, meatballs, quiche... I'm just trying to think of the meals I make here that I freeze for Shel's lunches at work, and things that freeze and reheat well...

Can I just ask how you do your pizza bases? Do you cook them first or put them in as dough?

I'd be making some hamburger patties (like with a tupperware thingo and seperated with go between. You can make them from your own meat (less fat) by processing meat with whatever flavours you want.

Curries are also great and they don't have to be hot.

What about marinading your own meat? That can be bbq'd and served with a salad? Like grabbing some chicken/beef and pouring in some marinade (or making your own) and then freezing? That way you just lift it out, and in the time it defrosts it marinades and is perfect for the bbq.

With our pizza bases we don't cook them, we just put a layer of baking paper inbetween them and pop them in the freezer.

Hi Bek,
When I had my bub my freezer was fully stocked with all types of goodies. But it turned out that for the first few weeks, my bub didn't want to be put down and I ended up having to eat when I could with one hand. Mainly fruit etc. So my tip is to stock up the house with healthy one handed snacks too.

Thanks for you imput.

Pizza bases: I cook them at 180 for around 10mins and then freeze. I don't over cook them.

Bakz don't forget to make ahead meals for Sara - I am making a nice selection of meals for Flynn JIC. I know Sara being older than Flynn will probably be eating more adult food but I figure mine and DH's diet can go by the wayside easily but at least he will have a nice assortment of meals.