Life is busy and it always helps to have a few meals in the freezer.
Here are five that are suitable for freezing, which taste just as good on the reheat as they do cooked fresh.
This fall-apart beef stew includes a healthy amount of sweet potato, so there's no need to make extra veggies when it comes time to serve. Enjoy over couscous, or with a chunk of buttered bread.
There are so many ways to enjoy this vegetarian chilli, which is made from mostly tinned ingredients. Top it with avocado, sour cream, grated cheese and a squeeze of lime and use the leftovers to make nachos. One batch will feed six.
Bolognese is a classic freezer meal and this vegetarian version hits many of the same flavour notes, only without the meat. It's cooked low and slow to build flavour and feeds six.
Stock your freezer with this simple and filling meal, which includes plenty of veggies. Serve it over rice or your favourite grain. It can also be enjoyed as a soup-like meal with plenty of coriander and fresh lime juice.
Red curry paste adds spice and flavour to this pumpkin soup, which is finished with coconut milk. While the soup is reheating, make the roast curry cashews in the oven for added crunch.
Tips for freezing and defrosting food
- Check the containers or bags you're using are freezer-safe by looking at the label or for a snowflake symbol on the base
- Portion meals into smaller servings as this will be more difficult to do once meals are frozen
- Shallow containers will mean food freezes and defrosts faster and move evenly
- A clear labelling system will help you keep track of what you have and how old it is
- When it comes to food safety, it's best to defrost meals in the fridge. The bottom of the fridge is the best place, as the risk of it dripping onto read-to-eat foods is reduced
- Frozen food should not be defrosted on a benchtop
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