Six meals that freeze and reheat beautifully, plus the ones to avoid, so your batch cooking never goes to waste.
Not every meal survives the freezer. Some come out better than they went in, and others turn watery or mushy. Here are the meals that are worth batch cooking, and a few to avoid.
Meals that freeze brilliantly
1. Beef or lamb stew
Slow-cooked meat and root vegetables handle freezing and reheating very well. The flavour often deepens after a day or two.
2. Chilli con carne
Mince, beans, and tomatoes freeze without any loss of quality. Freeze the rice separately or cook it fresh.
3. Lentil and vegetable soup
Thick soups freeze flat in bags and defrost quickly. Lentils and beans keep their texture.
4. Curries
Chicken, chickpea, and vegetable curries freeze well because the sauce protects the ingredients. Add fresh herbs after reheating.
5. Bolognese and other meat sauces
Make a big batch and use it for pasta, lasagne, or stuffed potatoes.
6. Shepherd's or cottage pie filling
Freeze the meat filling on its own, then add fresh mash when you cook it.
Meals that don't freeze so well
- Cream-heavy sauces: they can split when thawed.
- Fried or crispy foods: they go soft.
- Salad and raw veg: they turn limp.
- Boiled potatoes in soups or stews: they can go grainy, so mash or add them after reheating if you can.
Tips for better results
- Slightly undercook vegetables in dishes you plan to freeze, since they cook again when reheated.
- Leave a little space at the top of containers, as liquids expand when frozen.
- Use up frozen meals within a few months for the best flavour and texture.
Packing them for the day
Defrost a single portion of stew, chilli, or curry overnight in the fridge, and it is ready to go in a 1.8L Model S heated lunch box, which is big enough for a proper dinner-sized portion and heats it for you at work. If you want a ready-made list of recipes to rotate, our Irish Meal Prep Recipe Guide is a good starting point.