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suggestions for bulk made, reheatable meals

CasualCasual Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle Flap Flap Flap Registered User regular
So the title says it all. I started a late shift at work so now all my evening meals need to come out of a plastic box that can go in a microwave. I'm not a great cook to begin with, my ideas here are limited and I'm rapidly growing tired of microwave spag bol.

So help me out please! I need tasty, preferably cheap easy to prepare meals that i can reheat in a microwave and shovel into my face with a fork.

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    FoomyFoomy Registered User regular
    I love rice n beans for a bulk meal that freezes/microwaves well.

    just layer rice, black beans, salsa, cheddar, refried beans, tomatoes, or whatever else mexicanish ingredients you like in a microwavable container.

    Quick to cook and fills you up.

    Lasagna is also real hard to mess up.

    Steam Profile: FoomyFooms
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    CauldCauld Registered User regular
    Most pastas work well, but I also go to lasagna for this sort of thing. Also, beef stews/roasts.

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    TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    Dals.

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    DarkewolfeDarkewolfe Registered User regular
    I am not a vegetarian, but I make a big heaping set of this pretty regularly just to have some healthier stuff:

    m.allrecipes.com/recipe/72508/the-best-vegetarian-chili-in-the-world

    What is this I don't even.
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    schussschuss Registered User regular
    taco salad, stir fry, meatloaf, lamb meatballs with tzatziki

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    zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    When I used to work grave yards I would bake 4oz boneless chicken breasts 3 or 4 of them on Sunday, olive oil, salt, pepper preheat oven to 400 cook about 12-15 minutes on a baking sheet (no pink) fridge and zip lock them, bring some microwaveable rice (I would go with uncle bens in the pouch), cook the rice reheat the chicken break up the chicken on the rice. Chicken and rice.

    If that's too much, get a rotisserie chicken, break it down, bring some rice. Chicken and rice.


    Other thing I like, but precut deli roast beef, hogie roll, cheese and a can of beef consume. Broil hogue roll with meat for about a minute just to toast the bread, pull it out, put cheese on it and put it back in to melt cheese. Heat up consume at work. Dip sandwich in consume.

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    PowerpuppiesPowerpuppies drinking coffee in the mountain cabinRegistered User regular
    Ground beef with taco spices, reheat it, add cheese lettuce onion all into a shell.

    Chili is the best answer of all time for this question.

    I knew a guy who used to do cheese based soups and make 8-10 servings at a time and then freeze and microwave

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    see317see317 Registered User regular
    Do you have a slow cooker/crockpot?
    Cause that's easy to make reheatable meals in.

    My general crockpot meal is slacker's stroganoff.
    Get some beef, stew meat if it's on sale, or get a roast if they're on sale (then cut it down to stew meat sized pieces). Don't need super high quality cuts here, it's going in the crockpot and that can cover for a wide variety of sins. Trim off any large fatty chunks though.
    I generally toss this in a bag with some beef broth, some seasoning salt and some garlic overnight.
    Toss it into the crockpot with a big can of cream of mushroom soup, leave it on low for 6+ hours
    Toss in some sour cream at the end and stir it in.

    Serve it over rice or egg noodles (or toast or potatoes or...)

    When I make a batch, it generally gives me enough for 4 or 5 meals after I break it out into little plastic boxes. I suggest packing your starch in a different container and mixing them together after you heat them up.
    It works great to start a batch up before I go to work, come home to a quick easy dinner.

    Another slow cooker dish:
    Get a couple pounds of boneless/skinless chicken (I like thighs, but if your store's got something else on sale for less...)
    Toss it in the crockpot with a can of enchilada sauce and a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, maybe some chicken stock if it looks like you need more liquid.
    Leave it on low for 6+ hours.
    Pick the peppers out carefully (you don't want the seeds in the chicken), drain the extra cooking liquid and set aside if possible (one of these will be a great help with crockpot cooking for cases like this.
    Shred the chicken, poor some of the cooking liquid back in so it doesn't dry out.

    Serve over tortilla chips with some melted cheese for some chicken nachos.
    Or serve with rice and beans. Also goes great in a quesadilla though that may not be doable at work.

    Pot roasts can also be done in a crockpot and are easy enough to divvy up with side dishes of your choosing.

    Stir fry is also good for cooking in advance. I see it's been mentioned, but I'll drop my preferred recipe here. Beef with broccoli and chicken and green beans are my typical go to for stir frying at home(still looking for a good veggie companion for pork though).
    I follow this recipe, substituting meat and veggies depending on what I have. I suggest mixing up the sauce before you start cooking the meat though, once stuff is cooking in the pan it goes fast. A batch generally gets me 4 or 5 meals. More if I bring rice.

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    PaladinPaladin Registered User regular
    Once you find a recipe you like upping your microwave skill may help as well

    Try reheating food at 50% power for double time. This allows spots of uneven heat to smooth out during downtime in the microwave. This is one method of cooking where checking if it's done a lot actually helps. Let the food sit after cooking for the same reason.

    Consider adding a bit of water to foods that have dried out in the fridge, then covering in the microwave for a steam effect. Too much, though, and something's getting broken.

    Marty: The future, it's where you're going?
    Doc: That's right, twenty five years into the future. I've always dreamed on seeing the future, looking beyond my years, seeing the progress of mankind. I'll also be able to see who wins the next twenty-five world series.
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    DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    Just varying the power and making use of time if you have it can up your microwave game like 1000%. In much the same way you don't run your oven at 600 degrees or turn all your burners to high when cooking things running your microwave a bit lower can really help.

    That depends on work place dynamics though. I can easily toss some food in the microwave 10 minutes before taking break. Others might not have that option.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
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    EncEnc A Fool with Compassion Pronouns: He, Him, HisRegistered User regular
    This time of year you can make a giant vat of chili or beef stew in a croc pot on your day off, portion it out in plastic containers, and likely have meals for a week.

    I like to do the same thing with a pork tenderloin as well, either by slicing it into medallians or shredding it into carnitas, after crockpot cooking it slowly over several hours in beer and spices. Makes for a tasty protein you can nuke up in a pinch and actually is more afforadble than it appear on first blush (a tenderloin is like 10 bucks, but should give you 6-10 meals of high quality protein).

    If you are super on a budget, going with the low-cost cuts of meat (like thighs, hearts, other off cuts) work great in a crockpot as well.

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