Need Advice for Making Homemade Frozen Lunches

TheGoblinRoad

Hi--

Does anyone make homemade pasta and then freeze in tupperware for lunches?

I usually buy Smart Ones Frozen meals but they're $3 each on average. Thinking I'd save a lot by making my own, but I've never frozen a pasta meal and reheated in microwave.

Is there something specific that needs to be done or just toss it in tupperware and then put in freezer?

Simplicity

I just make the usual meal and toss it in tuppaware. Just be careful as some plastics don't freeze well. My last lunch box shattered when I took it out lol. I make lots of things like spaghetti bolognaise and lasagne it's great cause I only have a microave at work. I'm into making my own Quinoa curries at the moment. But pretty much anything freezes. Good luck
Ben

sweetpea03b

I have co-workers that do this. No special tools required. Just put it in the container and reheat. Sometimes you might want to add a little water when re-heating for moisture.

blakgarnet

I make big batches of lasagna and freeze all the time. also works well for chili, and eggplant parm.

chellebelle315

my suggestion when you're prepping pasta meals for the freezer....slightly under cook your pasta, and add a bit more of whatever moisture, or sauce you're using....(if you're not using sauce, i'd just toss the pasta in some water or stock, so that its wet when you freeze it)

This way when you're microwaving your meal to reheat, your pasta won't be mushy.

( I do this with lasagna, and it works great.)

CrystalT

If there is going to be empty space between the food and the top of the container, I would suggest adding a layer of plastic wrap on top. This will help prevent frost on your food.

1Sweets

I agree with the last 2 ladies....under cook & leave room for expansion. Yumm

Magenta15

I just do my regular thing - i dont undercook cuz i usually want to eat some now was well :noway: LOL

lasagna,
chili and rice (here i froze the brown rice seperately in baggies, 1 cup at a time or whatever your serving size is, pop it right into the microwave and the bag will start to puff and the rice comes out great)
shepherds pie [made with cauliflower mash ontop]
soups [not cream based]
almost any kind of casserole really

let it cool before putting in freezer, and agreed if there is extra space in the container fill the gap so it doesn't frost with foil

auntbliz

Tupperware makes dishes that go from the freezer straight to the microwave, and I think they have a lifetime warranty, I think all their stuff does. My mom has some of those dishes and she uses them a lot and likes them. If I were going to taking microwave lunches a lot, I'd get some and save money on having to periodically buy new plastic containers.
I frequently make big meals and put half in the freezer for later, I defrost and then stovetop cook, and the pasta comes out tasting just as good, just sometimes mushier than at first, so I'd give the undercooking advice a go and see where that gets you, if you're going to freeze the whole batch. (Thanks for the idea!)