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A good way for the single person to get a varied diet, especially when you have undergone gastric or bariatric surgery and have to eat in small portions, is to cook in bulk and freeze.
There are some obvious benefits to bulk-cooking and freezing. If you’re a busy person, you can save time in the kitchen and on shopping. It’s cost effective, as you can buy larger packages of ingredients, which are always cheaper per unit than single-serve packaging. You can also use ingredients, especially vegetables, that are hard to get in small quantities. By freezing in the appropriate size containers, you can control your portion size. If you have healthy meals in the freezer, you won’t be tempted to get take-out. And you can save money by taking frozen meals to work instead of buying your lunch.
There are several approaches you can take to bulk cooking and freezing. You can make up large batches especially for freezing, or you can cook your favourite family-sized recipes, eat some and freeze the rest. There are certain foods, such as vegetables with high water content – like lettuce and cucumbers – and some dairy products, which don’t freeze well, but most of your favourite soups, rice and pasta dishes will be suitable for freezing. So will most stews and casseroles, though they’re easier to freeze in small portions if you use minced, diced or sliced meat or chicken rather than larger pieces of meat or chicken on the bone. You should also ensure you take the usual precautions when freezing, thawing and reheating food. (I’ve also found it’s easier to store in oblong rather than round containers, as they stack better in the freezer.)
Given the above, the range of recipes suitable for freezing is virtually limitless, so you won’t find them all on this website. Here you’ll find just a few recipes I’ve devised myself, or that I’ve found useful, in that they’re nutritious, easily digestible and suitable for freezing in small portions. As well as recipes for the freezer, I’ve also included a collection of ‘make ahead’ salads, that can keep in the refrigerator for several days.
You’ll most likely be purchasing the main ingredients specifically for these recipes, but you’ll find that the incidental ingredients among your Pantry Essentials.
Recipe Collections:
» Cooking in Bulk: Savoury Rice, Pasta and Sausages
» Cooking in Bulk: Soups and Vegetable Medleys