Freezer food

[Columbo]

I put cooked rice onto a tray and open freeze it then put it into a bag and put it back into the freezer. I always reheat it in the micro from frozen.

Cooked, cooled rice freezes excellently, and yes it can go straight in the microwave from frozen. No need to add anything, no water, nothing. Full power for a minute, then mix, separate the grains a bit, then back in for a couple of mins or til nice and hot to your liking. Don’t overdo it though or it will start to dry out, clump together and go chewy.

Thanks guys. I freeze curries all the time but always made the rice fresh. Going to do portions of curry with rice next time

 

[Crunky_Snack]

For the last year I’ve tried to only buy yellow sticker/reduced food (mainly meat). It’s honestly a huge hobby of mine now our freezer is full of sausages, chicken, steak, quiche, mince, pies etc. I try not to take up valuable freezer space with low value items, e.g. chips, fish fingers, frozen pizza etc and now our weekly shop for two is down from £60+ to approx £30

 

[Notorious PIG]

Why have I never thought of dividing into portions? I usually freeze a whole lasagne anyone know if cooked rice is OK to freeze? If so can it go straight from the freezer to the microwave?

Cooked, cooled rice freezes excellently, and yes it can go straight in the microwave from frozen. No need to add anything, no water, nothing. Full power for a minute, then mix, separate the grains a bit, then back in for a couple of mins or til nice and hot to your liking. Don’t overdo it though or it will start to dry out, clump together and go chewy.

 

[openbook1]

Premake curries, chilli, other types of stews.
Plus frozen fruits, vegetables (I buy a big bag of peppers from Costco and chop them then freeze), chicken breasts, salmon, basa, sometimes steaks.
And we freeze our bagels/bread, tortillas, etc so it lasts.

 

[Interestingbitsnbats]

I'm loving batch cooking fair enough I make two meals for me and my partner. Before used to just leave it in pan get what you want and whatever left take for lunch at work. But over time we just made pigs of ourselves taking too much wasting it. So meals now i portion 4 out two to eat two to cool for freezer. Then week after that's tea again.

 

[coconochanel]

Very silly question I know but I took some uncooked, unopened sausages out of the freezer this morning and put them in the fridge to defrost as I was planning on using them for dinner tonight. A friend was coming over tonight but has now postponed until tomorrow. Will the sausages be ok to eat tomorrow if left in the fridge? I know it’s a silly question but I’ve had food poisoning before and am rubbish with freezing food.

It normally says you have to eat them within 24 hours of being defrosted.

 

[watermelon sugar]

I have a slow cooker that I found helps me batch cook. I've only made chili and curries with it though.

I tend to buy a lot of chicken i freeze, leave that to defrost and just bang it in the slow cooker to make some sort of meal out of it

 

[Notothefakes]

I have tried batch cooking lots of things but they never taste the same to me once defrosted so have stopped doing it. I am a fussy eater though so that probably doesn’t help.

I do agree on this. Chicken never tastes the same. But I like to have stuff done so I can take it to work. Not sure how it’ll be with use of staff room and microwave when I return though so may just take a sandwich for now!

 

[mcfeez]

Our freezer is mostly frozen veg and like convenience oven food.

 

[LT31514]

Chopped frozen onions and garlic and ginger has been a life changing discovery for me I really hate peeling and chopping onions and garlic!

I bought a box of takeaway tubs from Costco and use those to freeze portions of food in. They stack well and can be microwaved and go in the dishwasher. I also have a roll of labels and a sharpie next to the freezer to try and label everything before it goes in.

I’ve never even heard of chopping onions to freeze but that’s AMAZING! Do you need to take them out the day before when you want to use them or do you cook from frozen?

 

[rivermonster]

Why have I never thought of dividing into portions? I usually freeze a whole lasagne anyone know if cooked rice is OK to freeze? If so can it go straight from the freezer to the microwave?

I put cooked rice onto a tray and open freeze it then put it into a bag and put it back into the freezer. I always reheat it in the micro from frozen.

 

[Freebies_come2me]

whats the best way to defrost stuff? fridge or leave it out?
especially fish

I take out the fish in the morning from the freezer and pop it in the fridge (summer) or on the counter top in colder months.

 

[Fofoca]

I’ve got a 70/30 fridge freezer.

Top freezer drawer - ice cubes, ice poles (freezer pops?), ice lollies, cornetto, frozen strawberries, frozen raspberries (do I need to keep saying frozen - everything in the freezer is frozen!)

2nd drawer - spinach, coriander, spring onions, green beans, peas, garlic, chips (fries), sliced bread, pita bread

3rd drawer - fish fingers, chicken nuggets, home made pork balls, chicken breasts, salmon, samosas

 

[DCICassieStuart]

The most useful things that I freeze are things that you’re not necessarily supposed to freeze. I buy a nice chorizo and it goes straight in the freezer (it says not to on the one I buy). When I cook jambalaya or a fresh pizza I take it out freezer and slice what I need whilst still frozen, then put the rest back in. I used to waste it so much by just leaving it in the fridge to go past it’s date. I also halve lots of fresh things that I know I won’t get used in full, rather than it going off. It feels really efficient to halve, wrap and freeze on the day of purchase, rather than waiting for it to head towards past its best and regret that it didn’t get used. Oh and I love raiding the reduced fridge in M&S and Co-op and stocking up on anything that can be frozen!

I do that with herbs and spinach, and just use them from frozen.

 

[KitSnicket]

I always keep a family size homemade lasagna in the freezer. I have a special container for it. Its my go to for when there are unexpectedly too many people for dinner, although there's not been much of that lately!

 

[cosmo girl]

I don't get home until 7/7.30pm. I don't feel like cooking or waiting too long for food. I freeze spag bol. chilli con carne. Lasagne, cottage Pie. Madras curry. I did use microwave rice sachet which takes a min. I also freeze pasta bake and other pastas. My freezer is full of batch cooking meals. Also some family members prefer different meals. They are all labelled.

 

[Doc]

Oo I love this post!

How do you all freeze/defrost? I try to freeze and use things but it never tastes as nice as fresh so I think I’m doing something wrong?

 

[LT31514]

Oo I love this post!

How do you all freeze/defrost? I try to freeze and use things but it never tastes as nice as fresh so I think I’m doing something wrong?

Ooh I’ve never found this problem before...is it maybe to do with what you’re using as storage? (Just a guess).

 

[LT31514]

I use freezer bags usually! I defrost in the fridge overnight as I don’t have a microwave

That’s what I do too, if I remember to take it out or the freezer the night before

 

[Cobbles]

Very silly question I know but I took some uncooked, unopened sausages out of the freezer this morning and put them in the fridge to defrost as I was planning on using them for dinner tonight. A friend was coming over tonight but has now postponed until tomorrow. Will the sausages be ok to eat tomorrow if left in the fridge? I know it’s a silly question but I’ve had food poisoning before and am rubbish with freezing food.