Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Alis girls]

ES struggling a bit generally - I packed him off with some frozen bits to start him off eg homemade lasagne ,ragu bol etc - he wants to cook for himself but due to feeling unwell and homesickness is struggling a little. I wrote down all my recipes for him.

I have done the above plus shepherds pie and cheese and potato pie.

Anyone got any homecooked recipes which freeze well

cant be nut based as severe allergy, he cant eat curry or chilli as seems to have adverse effects on him. And hes not a pie kinda bloke (not sure why as me and his dad love pies!!)

 

Tall order I know but I am clean outta ideas. I dont want him to live on ready meals and hes adamant he wants to self cater. I am sure someone will give me some inspiration as I'm clean out of it. Thanks Ali xx

[Charlottechicken]

What about stew or casserole? Nice and easy one pot meals

 

I used to make a chickpea casserole with dumplings, when I lived alone. Dumplings appear to freeze well!

[Charlottechicken]

Just found the previous thread I posted the recipe on a few years ago

 

**clicky**

[Lavenders_Blue]

Anything mince based is great as it's so versatile. He can cook up a big batch of mince/toms/veggies, freeze in portions, and have it as a bolognese sauce, put mash on top for a cottage pie etc.

 

Tomato and veggie sauce is another good one to make. Tinned tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers etc as a base, freeze in portions, then depending on what he feels like adding on the day it could be meatballs, chicken strips etc and do some pasta/rice/garlic bread to go on the side.

 

I know it's not a freezeable meal as such, but I find the bags of frozen veggies (green beans, broccoli, peas, sweet corn etc) are great for quick stir fries. He just needs to heat up some oil in a wok or frying pan, cook some meat (or if the budget is tight a tin of beans would be fine) chuck in the veggies and add some sauce if he wants to. The veggies will defrost and cook very quickly, do some noodles or rice to go on the side and voila!

 

I'll have a think and see if I can come up with anything else.

[Alis girls]

Forgot about noodles - will suggest the frozen veg idea and the chickpea thing sound yum - cheers guys

[mullethunter]

Not frozen stuff but when I was first at uni and learning to cook for myself I did loads of 'Sizzle and Stir' meals. It's a jar of two parts, the top has a paste that you fry chicken in until it's browned, then the rest is a sauce that you stir in and simmer for 20 mins. So all you need to do is chop some chicken (or even buy stir fry strips) and cook some rice (I think you can even get microwave rice these days). I know it's not the best food ever but it's a good way to get confidence cooking a meal and better than a ready meal.

[sadietoo]

My ds is a very competent cook at home but reluctant to cook in his uni kitchen because of the general state of it which means he has to spend time doing everyone else's washing up first and washing down work surfaces and also freezer space limited! .he does make himself veggie chillis and cauliflower and lentil curry but those won't suit your ds .... So there's ready meals and ready meals. They don't have to be full of rubbish. Ds eats fish but not meat so for instant dinners he will cook himself veggie sausages mashed potato ( ready made reheat in micro) and broccoli with gravy, chunky fish fingers and oven chips (chunky home made potato slices on baking paper with olive oil) and peas or green beans. Also for a posh version of the good old student favourite of baked beans he loves the merchant gourmet ready cooked lentils and sun dried tomatoes (in asachet) on sour dough rubbed with a clove of garlic and drizzled with olive oil,(I know!) or sometimes their ordinary puy lentils with the aforesaid ready made mash as a shepherdess pie! And don't forget the humble baked potato and tuna. My Ds won't eat eggs but if your son will there's nothing wrong with an omelette and salad! We've found this "homemade" ready made approach has worked well. Quick to make but not a complete cocktail of chemicals!

[chickencam]

My ED eats a lot of stir fry meals and pasta with just about anything, she makes a lot of pasta bakes, the left overs of these freeze well. Pasta, tin of tomatoes and veg pretty much some paprika to give a flavour boost, perhaps he could buy a chorizo they are great at giving a meaty flavour without the cost of meat and a little goes a long way, then loads of cheese on the top, a good way to use up odds and ends.

[bluekarin]

A very simple lunch, which probably could also be a dinner, which I make fairly often. Uses packets of quick cook noodles with the flavour sachets. Usually about 30p ish a pack in Lidls and if you have an Asian supermarket nearby they can even be about 20p per pack!

 

Fry a sliced onion and some mushrooms, if you have them, stir in the flavour sachet, pour on the required amount of boiling water and break up the noodles into it. Add frozen peas and sweet corn if you have any. Cook for approx 3 mins. When done you can grate some cheese on top. Delicious, if I do say so myself Might even have it for lunch today

[Lavenders_Blue]

Good old beans on toast and cheese on toast are great quick meals too, and good for low budgets.

[Alis girls]

great ideas - will look for sizzle thing - he can do omlettes and pasta and rice - also egg fried rice and OH got him a George Forman thing to use in kitchen (but goes back to his room when cool) for grilling stuff. Hes competant just not confident. Adv him to get 1 or 2 big spuds - he has tuna, cheese or beans for them and I also sent him with some spag hoops which I dont remember ever serving but hes asked for them (I am a shocking mum - hes deprived of spag hoops!) He needs to organise himself - adv him do his sarnies for packed lunch night before and put in fridge. I suspect hes going with out breakfast but has got quite worried as someone on his floor has been diag with glandular fever. Thankfully has own bathroom. Adv him to get hand gel and not to kiss anyone he was not impressed with that. Thanks everyone - plenty of food for thought there.

[Chucky Mama]

I think it is really easy to get carried away with meals at uni for some that are not cooks or don't have the time to cook. We must not forget good old beans on toast (can bung and egg on top or cheese and cand can put some chilli flakes in to spice it up), poached eggs on toast (grate some cheese on top) mac and cheese, baked potatoes, meat and 2 veg including things like chops. They are all nutritious, especially if eaten with a bit of veg or salad or with a piece of fruit or a smoothie to follow. It doesn't have to be what we now consider to be a 'meal' - it has all got rather sophisticated and we have moved away from some very good basic easy to cook food. It is cheap to keep some bought frozen fruits in the freezer and a tub of sliced banana. With a stick blender and some budget concentrated apple juice +/- a cheap yoghurt you can make a good nutrition smoothie.