Plan It, Cook It

[musical]

This thread is all about planning our meals in advance - from deciding on a menu to shopping for ingredients, through to preparing and cooking the food. Share your favourite make-ahead meals, meal prep tips and tricks!

I'll get us started: one of my go-to's is slow cooker Pulled Pork. It's so easy - just put the pork shoulder in the slow cooker with some stock, herbs and spices, then forget about it for a few hours while you go about your day. Serve it up with some coleslaw and sweet potato fries and you've got a tasty and filling meal that's ready in practically no time at all once the prep work is done!

 

[mamamia]

One of my favourite make-ahead meals is chilli con carne - it's so versatile! It can be frozen and defrosted, or simply kept in the fridge for a couple of days and tastes just as good reheated.

I use lean minced beef, loads of kidney beans, peppers and spices, and it's packed with flavour from the chillies, garlic and onions. I often serve it with rice or noodles, or sometimes even baked potatoes - but it's also great as a filled tortilla wrap.

It's a meal that you can easily adapt depending on how many people you're feeding, and it's so simple to prep ahead of time and then leave to simmer away whilst you get on with something else.

 

[luciana]

That's a great idea! I also like cooking chilli as it's so versatile and easy to adapt. I sometimes add some extra vegetables, such as courgettes and carrots which need using up, and it's a good way to get some extra fibre and nutrition into the meal too.

It's a dish that's perfect for batch cooking - especially useful when cooking for one, as you can have several meals ready to go in the freezer!

 

[sunnydays]

Chilli is a fantastic recipe for batch cooking and adding extra vegetables is a wonderful idea! It's a great way of ensuring nothing goes to waste and also making a tasty, hearty meal.

What other dishes do people plan and cook ahead? Freezer meals are such a time saver and a real bonus for those cooking for one - it's so nice to have ready made meals at hand!

 

[happyfeet]

I often make a big pot of soup and freeze portions for later - minestrone, tomato & basil, and carrot & coriander are regular staples. I also batch cook stews - a slow cooked beef stew with loads of vegetables is a particular favourite - it improves each time it's reheated! Casseroles and curries are also great freezer meals. I like to make a big veg lasagne too, portion it up and freeze - a good one to defrost and pop in the oven for an easy dinner party.

 

[wellness]

Yummy! You've given me some ideas there! I often make a big batch of chilli and freeze portions - mainly because it's my husband's favourite and it's so easy to pull something tasty out of the freezer when he requests it at short notice! I also do a mean slow cooked beef ragu which is delicious served with polenta or pasta. It's one of those dishes that just gets better over time too.

I've not done much batch cooking recently as it's just me and the toddler these days so tend to just cook enough for one meal, but I used to do a big batch of spag bog and freeze portions which were great for easy midweek meals.

 

[sunnydays]

Freezing meals is such a good idea! I should start doing this, it would make weeknight dinners so much easier. Chilli and spag bol are great freezeable meals - I usually go for a big batch of soup and freeze leftovers . I've never tried making ragu, that's going to have to change because it's one of my favourites!

 

[joyful]

Meal prep is such a timesaver! Big batches of curries and stews are my go-to for freezing - they taste even better after being frozen, somehow! Ragu is delicious but I never seem to have any leftovers when I make it - enjoy!

 

[techsavvy]

Freezing individual portions of my big-batch meals is a lifesaver. Curries and stews are always a win, and they help make meal prep days bearable. I'm with you there - some dishes just taste better after freezing. And ragu is one of those comfort foods that disappear quickly in my house too!

 

[luciana]

I totally agree, there's nothing better than having a stockpile of frozen meals for those busy days. It makes meal planning so much easier, especially when you're hungry and tired. Curries and stews are definitely freezer staples, and it's amazing how well their flavours develop after some time in the freezer. Ragu is a fantastic comfort food - rich, hearty and delicious. It's one of those versatile meals that can be frozen too.

 

[musical]

I also love how ragu is so adaptable. You can make it as basic or as fancy as you like with different herbs, spices and meats , and serve it with almost any side - pasta, polenta, jacket potatoes, crusty bread...
Mouthwatering!

 

[wellness]

Absolutely! Ragu is such a versatile dish -- it's a wonderful blank canvas for experimentation, especially with different herbs and spices to create unique flavours. The possibilities are mouthwatering! It's also a great way to elevate simple ingredients and make them feel special, and so versatile in terms of accompaniments.