When I say this I mean do you make stews or other similar dishes in large quantities so that you can freeze it in portions and have it at a later date. I find this saves money because if I didn't do this I would probably go out and buy something different.
I don't do that. Anyhow, I don't really like freezing things cause it affects the taste. Nonetheless, there is at least one strategy to lower that effect. For instance, some covering is tighter than other types. In fact, where I live, it's available at Wal-Mart, not just as a TV product - as some might think.
I have done this when I know I will be having a busy week so I can save time and money not buying take out. I tend to do this every two or three weeks when I am most busy. I usually make chicken stew to last me 3 days and I don:'t have to buy out. I don't do this too often because I really don't like freezing food too much.
I rarely do that because I really don't cook. My family doesn't really cook in bulk, we usually only prepared meals that will last 2-3 days. Even afterward, we throw out what is left which is a bit wasteful. My family doesn't really cook in bulk because we generally won't eat it after the third day, it would be wasting money.
Never, may be if I have visitors. Why should I make meals in bulk for a family of three? I don't believe so much in long storage of cooked food as I fear diseases. I do only prepare dishes that I am able to finish within a day. The next day I will again prepare fresh dishes.
We don't cook in bulk as we prefer to eat freshly cooked and steaming hot dishes. The cost just goes around when you make stew in bulk quantities for reheating as you'd have to keep the freezer in optimum temperature to keep the food from spoiling and consume gas or electricity for reheating. We only store raw meat that we intend to consume in the next three or four days and cook whatever is needed for the day. Leftovers are not common in our household.
I will be honest and I am not ashamed of it my wife and I are poor. And she cooks in bulk and we freeze it to save money. And if you think about it, it doesn't cost that much more. Take spaghetti, for instance, a box of noodles and 1lb of hamburger and a jar of spaghetti sauce will make 2~3 servings for two depending on how much you eat. And what we do is free the 2 extra servings and that's 1 meal that lasts us 3 weeks.
Generally speaking, I always prepare food in bulk. By preparing food in bulk, I am able tom save cooking time. Usually, I prepare dinner in bulk. The next day I heat the leftovers. In the morning, I do not have time to make food as I have to hurry to workplace. Preparing food in bulk in the previous evening saves time.
We cook special dishes for weekends. And usually, we cook a big volume since special dishes are not easy to cook. It is understandable that our special food would last from Saturday until Sunday. After eating for lunch, we keep the pot in the refrigerator. For the next meal, we get some of the dish and heat it in a smaller pot. We repeat that procedure until the special dish is exhausted. We never reheat the big pot because the content will be soggy.
I do make dishes that can be eaten twice or thrice. The left overs are frozen and brought out sometimes even a week later When you say bulk I make fruit juices that last for months.
I have always been reading about batch cooking or freezer meals lately, and it seems to be a good method to help, especially moms to save time in preparing food. I don't do that, even though I have watched some webinars and read some tutorials on how to prepare the meals, I am still not comfortable to do so. I am not so comfortable to eat the food that has been stored in the freezer for some time, except certain food. I will go and look for more information, and hopefully I can try it out too, as I am sure it will save me time and money to prepare that.
Occasionally, yes, we do cook foods in great quantities. This is what we are doing in a very occasion like the New Year's eve. We do purposedly for the left overs would be brought tomorrow for a family outing somewhere in our favorite hangout or beach. This is our annual tradition among our family
My mom used to make foods which don't go bad soon especially during the winter time just in case if we ran out of food if something happens which is according to my mother. Anyways, nowadays she doesn't do that often but only occasionally. We usually have leftovers after a big family occasion though
