Bulk lunch project
Discussion
I've come to the realisation that I need to change my lunch routine, I spend a fortune on lunches, not to mention panini-press-gate and the battles it's caused. So, I have turned to buying ready meals and just using the microwave, you can get 3 for £7 in M&S and some are even edible! But, they seem high in sugar, fat and preservatives.
Currently, the other half does 'fajita mix' and has wraps all week, but this would bore me. I get any left overs for work, regardless, I make it work. But for those days without, I've turned to thinking about bulk cooking (& freezing) home cooked, well made portioned pots for me to just whip out the freezer and take to work.
Personally, I need carbs, if I eat anything without, I'm hungry again 2 minutes after, so I need to have that, it also helps 'bulk'. I will however use wholegrain/heathy options when I can. With that in mind, I've selected 4 meals that can be scaleable, easy to cook, freeze well and should be enjoyable once a week.
Spag bol
Fajita mix with rice
Chili con carne with rice
Chicken and chorizo with rice
I've been sad enough to sit on Ocado and price everything up, I've not taken general salt/pepper & spices, but I have included stuff I'd have to buy week in week out, as well as the foil tubs I'd be storing it in. (yea, I'm sad)
The above yields 16 meals for £2 each, every one to include ~100g+ meat and 125g of carbs. I've eaten to these portions before and it'll keep me full until dinner. I think it'd take 2 hours 1 evening a month to make all 16, then they can all go in the freezer and await.
Currently, the other half does 'fajita mix' and has wraps all week, but this would bore me. I get any left overs for work, regardless, I make it work. But for those days without, I've turned to thinking about bulk cooking (& freezing) home cooked, well made portioned pots for me to just whip out the freezer and take to work.
Personally, I need carbs, if I eat anything without, I'm hungry again 2 minutes after, so I need to have that, it also helps 'bulk'. I will however use wholegrain/heathy options when I can. With that in mind, I've selected 4 meals that can be scaleable, easy to cook, freeze well and should be enjoyable once a week.
Spag bol
Fajita mix with rice
Chili con carne with rice
Chicken and chorizo with rice
I've been sad enough to sit on Ocado and price everything up, I've not taken general salt/pepper & spices, but I have included stuff I'd have to buy week in week out, as well as the foil tubs I'd be storing it in. (yea, I'm sad)
The above yields 16 meals for £2 each, every one to include ~100g+ meat and 125g of carbs. I've eaten to these portions before and it'll keep me full until dinner. I think it'd take 2 hours 1 evening a month to make all 16, then they can all go in the freezer and await.
VTECMFR said:
Sounds like a good plan and will be 100% nicer than any microwave ready meal.
Do you just bang these in the microwave at work, from frozen?
What are the foil compartments you speak of?
No, the idea would be to take 1 out (what ever takes my fancie!) and defrost over night and at work. Then just put in a bowl and warm upDo you just bang these in the microwave at work, from frozen?
What are the foil compartments you speak of?
Frezze in these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ID6OFKO/ref...
C70R said:
I've got nothing to add, other than my life would be crushingly boring if I ate the same meal(s) for lunch every day. Life is much too short to eat dull food.
Helpful, thanks. A tad harsh to judge someone's whole life by their lunch choices...judging someone who bought a active tourer 2 series though, wow. How dull 
Whilst I agree, £7-£10 a day on lunch is not worth it. I'd rather have a small selection for lunch and enjoy dinners and weekends.
C70R said:
I've got nothing to add, other than my life would be crushingly boring if I ate the same meal(s) for lunch every day. Life is much too short to eat dull food.
I work in London and I eat pretty much the same things every week...There are only so many different shops/chains within a reasonable walking distance around my office
I guess it will be similar for most people, particularly in more remote areas?
21TonyK said:
illmonkey said:
Cook it at the same time, mix it up and then reheat. Do it all the time...
You know the rice cook-chill-freeze-reheat rules then yeah?Only asking as many people are quite blase about it and its the one food you really can't afford to get wrong.
gregs656 said:
Curry is another good one to do.
I don't cook for the month, usually a weeks worth of lunches at a time so I don't have to freeze anything.
Problem with that is a week of the same stuff. This is to hopefully give me a week of different things. I don't cook for the month, usually a weeks worth of lunches at a time so I don't have to freeze anything.
As an idea these are three type of pasta we do in school as packed lunch options.
Red pepper pasta with spicy chicken, pesto, olives and feta cheese and red pepper pasta, roast vegetables, olives and chickpea.
Everything except the pasta is prepared in bulk and frozen. On Mondays and Wednesdays we cook a fresh batch of pasta and mix with appropriate base sauce. This is then tubbed and refrigerated.
When we get the orders in the morning we just pour 250g of the appropriate pasta into the box and add the frozen toppings.
21TonyK said:
illmonkey said:
Cook it at the same time, mix it up and then reheat. Do it all the time...
You know the rice cook-chill-freeze-reheat rules then yeah?Only asking as many people are quite blase about it and its the one food you really can't afford to get wrong.
The "be careful when you reheat rice" thing is like a trigger reply in this subforum, but I've never seen anyone post about how they got it wrong.
For context, I don't think I've ever cooked, chilled and reheated rice. Either I tend to cook what I need, or I throw away leftover rice because it's incredibly cheap and things like that never taste as good reheated.
C70R said:
Weirdly, every Asian family I've ever known has been incredibly blase about it, and I don't know that any have died or even been ill.
The "be careful when you reheat rice" thing is like a trigger reply in this subforum, but I've never seen anyone post about how they got it wrong.
For context, I don't think I've ever cooked, chilled and reheated rice. Either I tend to cook what I need, or I throw away leftover rice because it's incredibly cheap and things like that never taste as good reheated.
I've highlighted the reason why it gets picked up on quite a lot in here... its nothing to do with reheating.The "be careful when you reheat rice" thing is like a trigger reply in this subforum, but I've never seen anyone post about how they got it wrong.
For context, I don't think I've ever cooked, chilled and reheated rice. Either I tend to cook what I need, or I throw away leftover rice because it's incredibly cheap and things like that never taste as good reheated.
and... "I've never seen anyone post about how they got it wrong."... well self explanatory
Have a good cooked breakfast regime and you can manage with a sandwich for lunch , then a cooked evening meal.
Otherwise, if you really need to have a hot 'microwaved' lunch. then jacket potato ( takes about 7 mins) with grated cheddar and knobs of butter is another idea on what you've already been offerred.
Otherwise, if you really need to have a hot 'microwaved' lunch. then jacket potato ( takes about 7 mins) with grated cheddar and knobs of butter is another idea on what you've already been offerred.
illmonkey said:
No, the idea would be to take 1 out (what ever takes my fancie!) and defrost over night and at work. Then just put in a bowl and warm up
Frezze in these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ID6OFKO/ref...
If you use plastic containers, no need to decant for cooking in the microwave.Frezze in these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00ID6OFKO/ref...
Basic like these,
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GP-Globe-Packaging-Microw...
or if you want to get fancy ....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Compartment-Meal-Prep-Con...
nadger said:
I know this is going to attract ridicule, but have you considered huel? I basically don’t teally get a lunch break, and huel has been a revelation for me! Plus it costs less than £1 per meal!
A great suggestion! A few colleagues are using it for weightloss, and getting great results.C70R said:
nadger said:
I know this is going to attract ridicule, but have you considered huel? I basically don’t teally get a lunch break, and huel has been a revelation for me! Plus it costs less than £1 per meal!
A great suggestion! A few colleagues are using it for weightloss, and getting great results.ambuletz said:
C70R said:
nadger said:
I know this is going to attract ridicule, but have you considered huel? I basically don’t teally get a lunch break, and huel has been a revelation for me! Plus it costs less than £1 per meal!
A great suggestion! A few colleagues are using it for weightloss, and getting great results.Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff