Having had our third child in November 2020, and with my husband due back at work meaning I'd be preparing dinner while wranging our three boys, I wanted to put together a quick reference list of meal that could either be frozen (or partially frozen), or thrown together in around 30 mins. I pulled together a shortish list and then went to Facebook and enlisted the help of friends and family. The outcome is a fairly long list of ideas that I hope will be as helpful for others as they will be for me. Most of these are just that - ideas, and you'll have to do your own research to find a recipe you like, however I have included a brief method with some and website links for a few others.
Over the course of a week I will often make a double batch of couple of the freezer friendly meals, one portion we will eat freshly made and the other I will freeze for a quick meal the following week.
Let me know if you have any other ideas I should add to the list.
MEALS THAT CAN BE FROZEN
- Meatball bake
- Turkish Eggs mixture (just the mixture, not the eggs!)
- Pie fillings (pop into a ramekin with a pastry lid for pot pies)
- Soups
- Savoury Mince bulked out with lentils and veges - use for Spaghetti Bolognese, Lasagne, Mince on Toast etc
- Mexican Mince - use for Nachos, Tacos, Enchiladas, on Baked Potatoes/Kumara etc
- Butter Chicken
- Pumpkin & Cauliflower Curry
- Corn Fritters
- Burgers (freeze the meat patties)
- Vege loaded Mac n' Cheese
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- Homemade Pizzas
- Roast Vegetable Salad (note: zucchini doesn't freeze well!)
- Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks
- Honey Mustard Chicken - Brown chicken, onion, garlic, then add whole grain mustard, honey and chicken stock. Finish with cream / sour cream - or both!
- Beef Coconut Curry - place a secondary cut of beef in the slow cooker with a tin of coconut milk and 1/2 cup beef stock. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the meat and shred. Add two - three cups of frozen veges into the slow cooker and heat on high until warmed through. Add the meat back in and serve over rice.
* Any slow cooker meals - freeze mixture in a zip lock bag then defrost it overnight and pop in the slow cooker in the morning.
MEALS THAT ARE BEST SERVED FRESH
- Satay Sauce with Chicken & Coconut Rice
- Asian Inspired Salads - Thai Beef / Bang Bang Chicken
- Mexican Meatballs with Rice
- Bacon & Egg Tortillas or Bacon & Egg pie
- Buddha Bowls with smoked salmon, prawns, tofu / paneer / halloumi, chicken etc
- Wraps
- Pasta bake loaded with hidden veges
- BBQ or pan fried meat / fish with salad / veges
- Hash browns (homemade or store bought) with smoked salmon, peas and soft boiled eggs
- Lamb with hummus and Greek salad
- Pitas with meatballs or fallafel
- Falafel salad with eggplant, cherry tomatoes and halloumi
- Bagels with smoked salmon or bacon & eggs
- Steak & Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Fresh Pasta with Broad Beans & Ricotta
- Lamb Shank Couscous Salad - mix Moroccan seasoning and oil together to make a paste and spread over the lamb shanks. Place shanks, and 1 cup chicken stock into slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove meat and shred. Add 1 cup Israeli couscous to slow cooker and heat on high until tender. Mix lamb and couscous together along with fresh or roasted veges of your choice, feta, and herbs.
- Self Crusting Quiche - mix together 3 eggs, 1 cup grated cheese, 1 Tbsp oil, 1/2 cup self raising flour, 1.5 cups milk and pour into a ceramic dish over whatever cooked meat / vegetables you choose. Bake at 150C for 30-40 mins.
- Zucchini Quiche - grate zucchini and carrot and chop onion, along with any other vegetables you have. Chuck in a bowl with 6-8 eggs, 1/4 cup olive oil, grated cheese or cubed feta, salt & pepper, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder. Place in a greased ceramic dish and bake until cooked.
- Lettuce cups (San Choy Bau)
- Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls - everyone makes their own at the table.