Do you all "bulk" cook?
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17798)
United States
March 29, 2008 8:16pm CST
By that I mean make a single menu item in double or triple portions and freeze for later in the week? I started doing this when I was a fulltime working mom of 2. You know, gotta get 2 kids to 2 differnet schools and myself to work all by 8am and then leave at with all the other mases of people, stop at 2 schools to pick up (after school day care) and get home and start cooking, homework, cleaning etc.
So I'd often spend Sunday just cooking. Sat was always for the kids, and then I'd get them to help cook or at least do something at the kitchen table so we could talk. I'd make up a few dozen beef burittos, chili for 4 meals (thank you crock pot and Carroll Shelby!) lasagna for 2-3 meals, things like that. Then all I'd have to do is take ito ut of the freezer before i go to work (microwaves were around, but I never liked the result of anything acutally cooked in them since they just generally boil and re heat) but once home, I'd turn on the oven, pop the container in and then go about business until done, then add a salad, vegetable and meal is done!
Now, cooking for only me, I still prefer to do a mass meal - I have no problem eating chili (Carroll Shelby only) for the week or a buritto for breakfast every morning (well, I prefer my home made sausage/biscuit sandwiches) and just cook one time.
I am not a microwave person at all, I only use mine to reheat or boil water or just warm up a bit, but my toaster oven is absolutely perfect and I work it over time!
What about you.. do you "mass" cook? Do you have your favs or your kids favs that you like to do?
7 people like this
26 responses
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I'm not a microwave person either but I have never "bulk" cooked. I always say that I will try it sometime but I never do. I was wondering something about it though if you could help please?
When you freeze the food and then defrost again...does it taste good still when you heat it up?? I always wondered if it did or just tasted bad like some leftovers can...
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Mar 08
On tasts after freezing, guess it'd matter as to what you were freezing. I do freeze ready made things like chili, spaghetti sauce (not the noodles, I do them at the meal time), stews, lasgna, burittos, things like that and they taste fine. Sometimes you want to just cook it till not quite completely done, as it will cook more as you reheat it, especialy if you use the microwave to reheat. It is cooking in there, not just reheating. Put the chili in a pot and heat that way... When you freeze things including meat raw, just make sure you get out as much of the air as possible. the air with the moisture in the food is what causes freezer burn on the meat/food and that cam change the flavor. That is why freezer bags are better than tupperware. Easier to squeeze out all that air. If you have chili or a liquid thing, bags work well for that to, but if you still want to use tupperware, just make sure you fill to the very top. I even but a small strip of saran wrap on top if it -actually lay it on top of the liguqid nad then put the plastic lid on.
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
1 Apr 08
Thanks so much!!! It was all very helpful, I think next weekend I will give it a go!
I appreciate the help! :)
1 person likes this
@NotaBene (111)
•
30 Mar 08
I always cook in bulk for myself, usually 3-4 portions at a time. Chicken curry is one of my favourites because a large amount of it can be prepared in a wok at once.
It can safe a lot of time later on in the week when you need to eat in a hurry; it's only a sake of putting it in the microwave to defrost and reheat for a few minutes.
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
2 Apr 08
Even it if is just once a week, that time is still valuable to use on other things. And in a hurry - need it then too!
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Mar 08
That's close enough! That works! I did the same thing - place I worked NO ONE EVER brought their lunch! I always did and got the really "she's a weirdo" looks, but after about 4 months, one person would join me, another month, another person and so on until practically the entire office (of the peons, not the "upper" management!) were all bringing lunch!
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
30 Mar 08
y es, when all my girls were at home and I worked full time nites and took care of my grandson full time days, I discovered the benefits of cooking ahead and freezing . now it is just me and one girl and I still often freeze left overs for later on. I don't use my microwave to cook but I do use it to reheat foods that have already been cooked. Another thing I do is to freeze all my leftover veges and use them in stews the following week.
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Mar 08
Left over veges for stews and soups in a good thing to do!
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I wish I did. It makes so much more sense, but I have just never got up the gumption to give it a try.
When I was living alone I normally didn't cook for myself at all, but once or twice I made lasagna and froze it into smaller portions that I knew I could eat up in a day or two, and that worked out ok.
Now that it's Tom and I, I could do a lasagna and it would be gone in a couple of days and not really need to be frozen for later.
I guess I have trouble thinking of what things I could do in bulk. I've done meatloaf on occasion in the past too. What else works good?
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
2 Apr 08
Yeah, forgot about the meatloaf. I did that one to. I did any kind of meat sauce and if it went over noodles or something like that, I made that as needed but froze the meat sauce. Enchilladas - I'd make a long plate of them and freeze, and once thawed, then pour the sauce over the top while heating them up.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
2 Apr 08
Yeah for one, not much a reason to do it! I am on my own now and do my favorite things like burritos and taquitos and chili and spagehetti (that is for the grand kids) but I do it now cause I don't enjoy cooking for just me but by doing it some it frees up more time for me to be on MyLot!
@p3halliwel2005 (3156)
• Philippines
31 Mar 08
Usually our cooked food last a day or 2 it never goes for a week. We just cook the right amount of food that fits our need for the day. I just don't want to have food wasted. Sometimes having leftovers accumulate bacterias that are harmful to us. I don't like having any foods wasted since I know lots of people don't have any to feed themselves.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
31 Mar 08
If you cook and freeze properly, there shouldn't be any trouble with bacterias. That is why confining the food to an airtight container completely is important. Not just to stop freezer burn, but no allow space or air to get in there. People have been doing freezing for so many years, and I've never heard of any case of anyone getting sick cause they ate something frozen. Think of it this way - how many frozen food isles are in your supermarket? Those things are all frozen and transported and in and out of different temperatures....and if you look at the majority of it, they are not air tight, just sliding around in the box. I bought some chicken nuggets and there were about 3 dozen nuggest in there, just in there rolling all around, not individually sealed or even in a plastic bag sealed and then the box. Just loose in the box. Most frozen food items are like that. A bag of tater totes, or french fries, just loose in the bag and the list can go on. If you do it right, the food will be fine and healthy. And trust me...not a morsel of food goes to waste in my house. Never did. Cooking in bulk just gives you more time for other things in life - in my case it allowed me time with my kids.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I call it make-ahead cookery, and yes, by all means. It is much easier to make some things in larger batches and then I divide it all up for portion control before freezing or refrigerating. Pasta is a good example. I always make more pasta than we need because it is so versatile (and so yummy)--burritos are another example. They are very easy to freeze and much better than the store bought frozen ones.
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Mar 08
Aren't those store bought burittos horrible? I can't figure why there is a market for them. I am not a perfectionist in food, but those are hideous!
@vicki2876 (5636)
• Canada
30 Mar 08
I have been getting into that now that I got a slow cooker. I make soups and stews and store them in the freezer for another day. I have been loving having a meal that is healthy whenever I want. It is like having those expensive frozen dinners at pennies too
2 people like this
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
31 Mar 08
I have not cooked anything in bulk since last year. I was leaving for a few months. My husband was going to be here alone for a couple of weeks before he left for his deployment.
I made a bunch of dinner meals and froze them in individual containers for him. I made a bunch of rice in different flavors. I made other food too but he eats lots of rice so that was a main staple.
My freezer is prone to freezer burn food, so I don't make a lot of something unless I know it is going to get eaten right away.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
31 Mar 08
It only works if you need it to. no sense doing it if you have no use for it! But hey, you use it when you need it!
@chrislotz (8137)
• Canada
15 Jun 08
I bulk cook, but not on purpose, I just don't know how to cook for two anymore. I started cooking when I was a young girl and since I came from a family of ten we learned to cook for a crowd. Then I had my own family and got used to cooking for 4 but with great difficulty. Now there is just my daughter, 25 years old, and myself and I am still cooking for a bunch of people. I have to freeze a lot of it because if I put the leftovers in my fridge they almost always end up in the garbage because we don't end up eating it. So I now freeze it instead and have a quick meal for those times when I have no time to cook. My freezer is getting too full and I need to do a clean out, soon.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
15 Jun 08
Sounds like you just created "no cooking week" for yourself! What a dream of a week you will have!
But I to was used to cooking for 4 and went to cooking for one. Bit hard to make the adjustment and I'd almost rather just not do it at all!
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
30 Mar 08
i don't do this very often, i tend to be kind of squeamish about leftovers, i think this comes from working in restaurants though maybe. sometimes i will make extra french toast and freeze it. it freezes very well and my son eats it fast enough it doesn't go bad and i hate all the work involved so it's nice to get it done and out of the way...i do buy things like meat and bulk freeze them though for spaghetti or tacos or something like that - meat is so expensive so i try to buy it when it's on sale...
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Mar 08
nothing wrong with that. Freeze that meat. Use ziplock freezer bags -quart size works great, and fill the bag with enough meat for 1 meal. That way you do the "one grab, one meal" transaction and still save time! Like hamburger meat, fill it and squeeze all the air out -making it flat as possible. Easy to stack and freeze,s aves space in the freezer and you know waht you are reaching for!
I used to make waffles and make a larger batch of batter and then make them on the griddle and then freeze them for the kids (and me!) in the mornings. This was back before froze waffles were in the stores! Should have patented that! But now, my 8 yo grand daughter, she'll eat the frozen ones, but she always asks if I have time to make "your kind"!
@above31rubies (1863)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I have in the past- I did the "Once a Month Cooking" though I did the two week plan. I loved it! I ran into trouble when I had one of those ridiculous side by side refrigerators...no room for all the food.
I made sure I bought an upright freezer for my new house so that will not be a problem anymore.
I should also be able to stretch the two week plan into a month now because we eat primarily fresh, natural whole foods (fruits and veggies). It will be nice to have some meals all prepared and ready to go for those really busy days or when we just want a change from the "usual".
I also pretty much use my microwave to heat water and reheat leftovers- though I even prefer leftovers reheated in a fry pan on the stove. I call my microwave a glorified (and expensive) water-heater-upper...lol. My parents recently got a toaster oven and I love that thing! Reheats left over french fries and pizza almost as good as fresh cooked! It is definitely on my list of wants...along with a new stainless steel water-heater-upper to match the new appliances. 
2 people like this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I'm telling ya - toaster ovens are a God-Send! They are quick and easy and convenient and make the food taste just so much better! I use mine daily! Yeah, an expensives water-heater-upper - that's a nuker! I heat my cup of tea in it in the mornings that I made in the coffee maker last night!
I was the other way around with the freezer, I found the top freeze I lost to much! But side-by-side I put certain things on shelves, meat dishes on one, snack dishes on the other (like burittos) and frozen veges on another. Just was more organized for me and I got alot more in there.
Plus ... remember freeze things in freezer bags instead of tupperware when you can. Saves space and freezes better with reagrd to freezer burn. Things like when you buy hamburger meat in bulk. Fill a quart size freezer bag with the meat for 1 meal. flatten it as much as possible to get all the air out. NOw you have "one grab, one meal" going on in there plus, it takes less space so you can fill the freezer more!
@Breath (1297)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I have never thought about bulk cooking for my family.With so much going on in my life that would be a very good ideal to help save me time through the week.I always have a free sunday where I would have the time to do this.A complete meal for the week sounds wonderful.Thank you so much for the ideal.:)
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I found that the little bit of time invested on the weekend gave me lots of free time during the week, at at least releived some stress of having to do so much in one long day! ANd think about it...how long does it take to make a pot of chili in a crock pot? Then divide into 4 meals in a tupperware container and freeze. But come Thursday night when you are worn out, you throw that in the pan on top of the sotve and heat it up (or microwave, I just don't do microwaves much) and in minutes your meal is done!
@aretha (2538)
• United States
31 Mar 08
no i don't but have thought about it. the most i do is cook a little extra for supper so we can warm it up for lunch the next day. no one here really cares for much that is reheated and i don't work so i clean through the day and get most everything done through the day.
i would have to do something though if i had to work.
i always wonder how you working moms do it. i clean nonstop most days and then i am good till supper then i need to do more cleaning. i don't understand how you get it all done.
1 person likes this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
30 Mar 08
It is only my husband and myself now at home. I see no need to bulk cook. My husband is a very easy person to cook for and I don't have any particular foods that I like so anything satisfies me. Even when my son was living at home it wasn't a problem for me to cook the meals day to day. I do have a microwave and that is what gets used a whole lot.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
2 Apr 08
For just me, I almost do it more so I don't ahve to do dishes as much! But it isn't much fun to cook for just one. Sure miss my kids1
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
31 Mar 08
OH yes, I do that quite often.
As you say, when we're working - sometimes more than one job - have kids and have to be ready to help in all family emergencies, it's good to have a back up.
Or sometimes just to have a day here and there where we don't need to cook.
I usually do this with our families favorites - if they're suitable for freezing - and then we can all enjoy it, specially me LOL
As for reheating my frozen meals, it really depend on what they are. Some are ok if I use the microwave. Some are so much better if we use the oven or the toaster over depending on the quantity.
SOmetimes I freeze individual portions so each person can choose a different meal if they want. Other times I freeze enough for all of us.
I do freeze lasagna, Sheppard's pie and chili often, but I never thought about the burritos. Do you put everything in it and then just reheat? Or how do you do it?
@Samanthavv (1380)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I bulk cook sometimes. I really shouldn't. I just am bad at estimating how much I need, and so then I think, "I can eat it for leftover" and half of the time, I never do. It's kind of wasteful, but I've been really trying!
@teeaye98 (287)
• United States
30 Mar 08
I only cook like this with meals that include pasta. My children are little and don't eat much at all. My husband on the other hand isn't a big fan of left overs. I'll make enough food to last about 3 days and my husband will only eat it once.
My mother taught me the trick of only cooking Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. You re-heat the meal from Monday for Thursday, re-heat the meal from Tuesday for Friday, and re-heat the meal from Wednesday for Saturday. Sunday we eat out. I my husband doesn't want a certain meal, then he's on his own!
This helps me manage my time and not have to cook everyday!
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
2 Apr 08
I would freeze in individual size containers and the kids could take what they wanted and heat just for them.
@twinrachel (215)
•
30 Mar 08
I do not tend to mass cook at all! Our freezer tend sto be stuffed full of frozen veg and emergency stand bys so there isn't much room. If I cook too much I will store it in the refridgerator and eat it up over the next few days though.
My Mum always use dto dish out an extra 'Sunday Lunch' and pop it in the freezer to reheat in the microwave during the week when she cooked us a pasta dish as she hates pasta. I was never sure how nice this reheated meal woudl be, but she always seemed to like it.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
2 Apr 08
Reheated can be just as good as the first time. Just watch how you reheat it. Remember the microwave COOKS it, even tho it says "reheat". So you haev to watch your temp on that and also depending on the food, don't completely cook it in the first place to allow for this second cooking time. A toaster oven is a good tool to use for reheating or just the stove top! I'm not a microwave person.
