Do you make food in advance?

I cook ahead whenever possible. For holidays, I usually plan side dishes and vegetables that can be prepared ahead and reheated at dinner time, that way the only think I have to worry about is the main course. In the summer, when it's hot out, I frequently cook dinner in the morning while the house is cool. The we just microwave our meals when we're ready to eat. We frequently don't have hot meals in the summer, but when we do it's nice to enjoy them without heating up the house. I have a picky family, who aren't keen on leftovers. What I do it freeze everything remaining, no matter how little or much. Then when I have a good variety in the freezer, we have a 'buffet' night. For a family that doesn't like the leftovers the next day, everyone likes those nights.

I rarely have visitors and if they come it's for a few days. I have to be organised because I can't go to the shops any old time. I tend to cook from scratch with each new day. Living alone though, I often make a dish and serve it into portions and eat one that night and freeze the rest. Saves me having to cook at a later date. I'll be making a potato bake this week and it will go into several portions. I know you love potatoes, do you ever do a potato bake?

I enjoy baking bread! (I've worn out 4 breadmachines) The bread on the store shelf is made with flour and water, artificial flavors, seasonings, and preservatives, which are added to prolong shelf life,and make the bread seem fresh.(Store bought bread is not a healthy food) Homemade bread is filled with the goodness of buttermilk, olive oil,honey,sea salt, and whole wheat flour. I add freshly cooked potato to prolong freshness, and make the bread more palatable.

It depends upon the recipe. Soups, stews, and certain casseroles are best made in advance, as their flavors meld and marry. And, of course, certain sauces can be made ahead and frozen as you have mentioned. Of course, also, cook-ahead and prep- ahead are a boon to the cook, both to relieve fatigue and allow the cook to enjoy company without "slaving over a hot stove".

hi, i want to do that so i dont feel the tiredness when my visitor come to my house,but i could not because the climate here in my country is really hot and food will easily rupture or moldy even we preserve it to the refrigerator.

It's my routine to cook meals in big quantities. I like to put in the freezer for coming days. It's nice when you come home in the evening to have food in the freezer ready to warm up. You can save money cooking with fresh basic groceries, which I prefer. You also know what you are eating, when you have cooked your meals yourself.

I sometimes do advance cooking, especially when I know that I'm gonna be busy for the week. And sometimes, I get hungry in the middle of the night. That way I don't have to cook, I just re-heat the food. It is also economical!

Hi marguicha , you must be excellent in the kitchen! My mother makes sugo alla puttanesca and it is scrumptious. My mother is an excellent cook being Italian and all. Me, I am not so good and I am lucky to get something on the table at all let alone preparing meals in advance for visitors. I have visitors coming this afternoon as a matter of fact and all I’ve done is prepared a cold meat and dip platter and I have mini quiches in the oven followed by a cream cheesecake. I didn’t make the quiches and the cheesecake, I bought them frozen so all I’ll have to do is prepare the platter, turn the oven on and take the cake out of the freezer. Done!

I live on my own at the moment so I usually cook for 2 or 3 meals at a time! I don't like to have the same every day so I freeze some and cook something else another day so eventually I tend to have a few frozen meals in my freezer. When I have people coming for lunch or dinner I usually cook in advance I even have the salad vegies all washed and cover in the fridge so assembling the salad only take a minute...I love entertaining but I don't want to be in the kitchen when every one else is having fun!

yep...we cook in advance whenever we're staying in the other apartment because there is no fridge there. so basically the only way to "preserve" fresh food is by cooking them right away after buying them from the market, and then storing them in a jar for later use. frying is an easy way of cooking , and once the meat is fried, it can be used for many local dishes. like adding fried fish to a local version of a vegetable soup... Anything goes really, just hafta be creative.

I use to when I use to own my home. I always had so many coming and going. Now that we are in our small apartment I don't get guests like before. But one thing I do like to make and freeze is lasagna. My boyfriend absolutely loves my lasagna and since it is only the two of us, I like that from time to time to time we have our lazy days and so easy to pop it in the oven and not to cook a full meal. I have been known to make 2 full batches of lasagna and it never gets tiring around my home, my boyfriend loves to cook and eat. So I like that he will initiate the heating. lol By the way what ingredients are in your yummy looking pot? It is like a stew?

I do cooking in advance too, especially our viand, I wanted to have always ready to eat in the freezer for emergency cases, sometimes I have no time to cooked for my kids and when our maid take her vacation. Just reheat it every time we eat, its good microwave is always available.

I do sometimes. Especially if I have to cook for a lot of people. Usually if I have to cook for more than 4 people I try to cook at least half of what I plan on making a day or so ahead of time. It really helps out a lot. That way I can use the extra time to clean up the house or prepare the decorations!