Freezable SW meals?

[Mummoth]

I start my PGCE in three weeks, which means getting a train at 7am & not getting home til 6.30. I'm going to be too tired to cook every night so the family have been told they need to muck in, but to make life easier I'm going to start batch cooking & freezing now.

Can anyone add any meals to my list of stuff I can freeze. I've thought of:

lasagne
shepherd's pie
stews
sausage casserole

Any other ideas?

 

[AmyS]

Chilli/bolognaise then just cook the pasta/rice fresh when you get in.

 

[jaylou]

curry
chilli
bean casserole

 

[Mummoth]

Thanks ladies. Half my lot don't like bolognaise so that's a bit of a pain, but chili's an idea.

Curry's a good one too, thanks

 

[Lucky7]

Even fresh veg / new potatoes - cook enough for 3 days and keep in the fridge to warm through when you need it.

What are you going to do for lunch / playtime snacks? (Staff rooms & stress can lead to syns!!) Alpen lights are good for when everyone else is tucking into less healthy snacks.

Most staffrooms will have a microwave for staff to use. Otherwise flasks of soup are good.

Good luck on your PGCE by the way xx

 

[Lucky7]

Just thought - have you got a slow cooker? That'd be handy.

And, stir fries can be almost as quick as warming things through.

 

[Mummoth]

I don't tend to snack between meals, so hopefully I'll be ok in the staffroom(s). If I do get hungry I have a banana, so that should be fine.

I never thought of keeping cooked stuff in the fridge - that's a good idea re. the spuds & veg. And yes, I do have a slow cooker. I use it quite a but but I find it time consuming cutting up all the veg etc., which is ok now, but when I've got to leave the house at 7.15 it's the last thing I'll feel like doing, so I may have to start buying frozen stuff. Either that or chop the meat & veg the night before.

Other than my littlun, my lot are all old enough to prepare & cook a meal (hubby, 21 yr old, 18yr old & 15 yr old) & I've told them they'll each have to cook a meal once a week, but quite honestly I'm not holding my breath. So I'm trying to get organised now as much as I can.

 

[-Laura-]

Can't really add to these suggestions, but I'm also starting my PGCE in three weeks and will be having this exact same problem! So watching for good ideas

 

[Lovely_Laura]

Have you tried these? I got mine in Asda for less than £1.

They are so handy. Frozen veg take about 4 mins in the microwave. I cook my chips in them before going in the oven, much quicker. You can do fish and meat and all sorts. Best part is they are reuseable. I bought a pack ages ago and just wash them out each time. Maybe not so easy with sauces but plain food doesn't leave a mess. They might be good for adding extra superfree to your meals or cooking a quick chicken breast when you're super hungry.

Good luck with your PGCE, how exciting!

 

[dudette2001uk]

Hi there! You could always make up batches of tomato based pasta sauces and freeze them, which are quite quick to defrost and reheat. Also, homemade burgers could be made and then frozen individually, and are easy to grab out of the freezer early in the morning. Also meatballs would work well.

Veggie risottos can also be frozen for up to a month I think, and would be handy for lunches or evening meals, as almost every staffroom has a microwave!

Things like carbonara are very quick to make in an evening, as are omelettes, frittata etc.

I'm out of ideas at the moment, but I'll keep thinking! Best of luck with your PGCE hun. I did my teacher training back in 2007, but I did a GTP rather than a PGCE. It's a very stressful experience, but so rewarding. It's good that you're thinking ahead about meals, as in those first few weeks you'll be exhausted (or that might just have been me! ) Also, good luck to you too -Laura-

xxx

 

[judimac]

You could cook a load of rice and bag it up into portions and freeze them.