Have you ever tried "Once a month cooking?"?!


Question: Have you ever tried "Once a month cooking!?"!?
Its where you plan out a month of meals, buy the stuff, and then devote one whole day out of every month to cook all the meals and then freeze them and use when ready!. Has anybody else tried this and did it work for you!? Was it hard work and how much time did it take!? How much freezer room do you need!?
Sorry for all the questions, but I've been thinking about trying this and I was curious as to everyone's experineces!. Thanks!Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
I don't think you can do a whole month's worth of cooking in one day!. I used to do a whole week's worth on a weekend!. I'd do a lot of prep, make casseroles, and get meals almost complete and that worked pretty well but I've not done it in a long time!.

What I do now is every Saturday I make up a menu for the week (allowing for flexibility as our schedule can change quickly) and do all the shopping!. As I cook each meal I do prep for the next night by defrosting, marinating, prepping the crock pot, etc!. I still wind up cooking each night but it's worked well and we have a good variety of meals!. I plan the week so I can only shop once and the more perishable produce is used first!. I try to crock pot at least once a week too, that's the easy night!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I don't go quite so far as that, but I DO enjoy cooking and I work on the principle that (within reason!) it takes as long to prepare and cook a bowlful as it does a bucketful, so to that end I've got to the stage where I have six - yes count 'em - six freezers! So, for instant, if I decide to do a batch of mac cheese, I make two large mixing bowls full of it using four pints of milk for the sauce alone, and that usually makes about 10 or more 12oz portions, all of which I bag individually before freezing!. Just as another example, with things like Cornish pasties - it takes the same time to cook a dozen as it does to cook two, so that's they way I do it!. OK, the preparation may take a bit longer with most things, but the washing up is just the same whether it's a small pan or an enormous one, so that's how I like to do things!. Obviously, I don't cook whole chickens or joints of meat in advance - there surely MUST be a limit to what you can do in advance ! ! !Www@FoodAQ@Com

First, cooking a whole month's worth of food in one day would be more work than I would be willing to do!. As a matter of fact, I doubt very much that it could actually be done in just one day!. My suggestion would be to start out simple--3 or 4 days first then increase the amount of menus that you make over a period of time!. Besides, not every recipe works well with freezing and reheating!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

IMHO, this can only work if you have no real interest in what goes into your mouth!. If food exists purely for nutrition, then feel free to plan it a month in advance; it is, after all, simply a question of providing the body with fuel!.

If, on the other hand, you enjoy your food as a sensory experience, where you select a meal to match your mood!.!.!.!.you need to have more flexibility in what you eat!Www@FoodAQ@Com

I had a coworker who did this!. According to her it worked out perfectly!. It's my guess you have to be incredibly organized to even attempted "Once a month cooking"!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

my freezer would neverrr be big enough for this, its already stuffed with crap!. i would do it a week at a time!. watch that show on food network with robyn miller i forget what its called, shes always making meals for the week and doing planning ahead cooking!. i think that would be great!Www@FoodAQ@Com

I do it all the time bought a bigger freezer it's great !
I cook spag bol, curry, shepards pie, chinese, then cook the rice or pasta on the day you can freeze everything!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Wow that really does sound like hard work!.
And some things don't freeze so well - like vegetables reheated - yuk, fresh would be much better surely!.
Sorry I haven't tried it and don't think I will!. Good luck if you do!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Seems overboard for me, but if you are organised enough to try it and you have a huge freezer- go for it :)Www@FoodAQ@Com

It would work for some stuff!. But other things are best cooked and eatern fresh!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

maybe try for pasta sauces and soups!. It seems a good idea!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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