Family friendly freezer meals...

**Jakabella** · January 3rd, 2011, 06:57 PM

I am looking for your tried and tested family favs to cook in advance and put in the freezer for the early days when the new bub comes home - something a Husband, a Toddler and a over tired Mummy will like!

I have a few old favs that I will be doing

Curry snags
Spag boll sauce
Lasagne

Any suggestions would be awesome!!

TIA
Kate xox

**littlelara** · January 3rd, 2011, 06:59 PM

Chicken casserole, shep pie base, beef strog, curries, soups, chow mein. Those are our staples

**Rouge** · January 3rd, 2011, 07:05 PM

Apart from curries, everything we cook is eaten by all. Are there foods your hubby and kids won't eat?

Things we freeze are:

Fresh Pizza Bases
Rice dishes (Paella, Risotto, Kedgeree, Jumbalaya, Spanish rice with Olives, Chicken & Lemon)
Stews are great because you can freshen them with fresh herbs/baby spinach and serve through pasta or risotto or even just serve with steamed rice (we make a mean red wine slow cooker stew which is awesome! Or even Osso Bucco which is cheap and yummy)
Meatballs are great. Cook them up and you freeze them minus a sauce. Can be had with any meal base that you would have meat with ie. Stroganoff, Satay, Cacciatore, Sweet & Sour, Swedish. Just make up the sauce base as you would normally, put the defrosted meatballs in the dish and reheat and serve with whatever side you like. And there's also normal pasta sauce.
Fish Pie (similar to shephards pie) is great to make ahead and freeze in those foil trays. Then just lift out and defrost and bake in the oven. Jamie Oliver makes an awesome one.

If you google "Pot Luck Dinners" there are heaps of freezable recipes that you can put in trays and then just pull out, defrost and pop in the oven.

**LimeSlice** · January 3rd, 2011, 07:06 PM

Meatballs
Casseroles
Chicken cacciatore
I make up a generic savoury mince and freeze in batches - so then it is either pies, sheps pie, savoury mince for rice or jacket spuds.
Chicken Corn and Pumpkin soup are favs here
Lamb shanks
Pasta bakes

I am about to start freezer prep here too next week! lol

**Rouge** · January 4th, 2011, 12:11 PM

Pulled pork/chicken/beef for enchiladas is another fave here.

We've even frozen our own roast spuds on a sheet before to snap freeze then bag in a big ziplock for quick roast spuds that you don't have to prep. Cheaper and tastier (let alone healthier) than the store bought option. You can also freeze gnocchi and roast them. They come out like pomme noisettes. Mashed potato freezes well, just make sure, if you nuke it, once it's defrosted cook it over the stove to dry out the water. Then you can add a touch of milk/butter to freshen it up. Puff

Pastry parcels (chicken, fish, stroganoff etc) are great to snap freeze then you just pop them in the oven.

Home made pies and quiches work too you cab use the store bought base an top with puff then use a large freezer bag to keep it in. We make pie filling from any stew type casserole we do in the slow cooker and it's great every time.

**~Hestia~** · January 4th, 2011, 12:17 PM

When I was pregnant with Moo, I was so into this! I even did up my own bags of frozen veggies

Spaghetti sauce
Various soups
Macaroni Cheese
Chicken Stroganoff
Beef Casserole
Chicken and Mushroom Casserole
Carrot and Zucchini slice
Sausage Rolls
Baked Bean Hotpot

**~clover~** · January 4th, 2011, 12:20 PM

Chicken fettaccini

I think I'll write some of these down & start freezing meals. This hot weather lately has me so tired at nights, specially being run down after christmas/new years & having all the family/friends around.

**meow** · January 4th, 2011, 12:22 PM

I did quiche, curry, soup, burgers, potato bake, lasagne, canneloni, mexi-bean mix for nachos, carrot cake, banana cake & sticky date pudding.

**LimeSlice** · January 4th, 2011, 12:23 PM

Baked Bean Hotpot please?

**Rouge** · January 4th, 2011, 12:27 PM

Another tip is always make double of a meal you know freezes well that way you don't need to spend a whole day cooking to fill the freezer. You'll do it without even realising.

**~Hestia~** · January 4th, 2011, 12:58 PM

Baked Bean Hotpot please?

6 cooked sausages, sliced thinly
1 onion, sliced
1 green capsicum, seeds removed and sliced
440g can baked beans
425g can tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped basil or parsley
season to taste

1. Combine sausages, onion and capsicum in a large casserole dish

2. Stir through baked beans, tomatoes, herbs and seasonings

3. Bake, uncovered, in a moderate oven (180 degrees C) for 25 to 30 mins. Serve with crusty bread.

I usually add chopped mushrooms and we often have it with mashed potatos yum!