Batch cooking and storing food safely
As a working mum I understand the pain of making fresh food all the time so what I do and suggest other mums is to batch cook. This saves lots of time and rescues you when you need it the most!
Batch cooking means cooking large quantities in one go. Usually using fresh ingredients (not previously frozen) and store/defrost them appropriately to avoid food poisoning.
Babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to food poisoning so it is important to minimise the risk by following certain practices.
So lets’ have a look how to store and defrost food safely.
Storing:
If you batch cook make sure:
Food is cooled down within one/ two hours and freeze it .
You can use labels and write down the content and the date before freezing it. Keep reading and check out what and how long can different food be frozen for!
If you just refrigerate it use it within two days.
Quick focus on RICE:
When cooking rice it needs to be cooled within an hour of cooking and freeze or refrigerate it straight after it has been cooled down.
Rice in the fridge can be eaten within 24 hours.
You can reheat rice ONLY ONCE.
Raw meat and fish must be kept at the bottom of the fridge to avoid dripping and contamination of other foods.
Defrost
Defrosting should be done in the fridge not at room temperature to avoid bacterial growth.
Use a microwave if it has the defrosting setting.
When food is defrosted, all the way through, it must be consumed within 24 hours.
Reheating
Make sure food is piping hot and if in reheated in the microwave stir it to remove any hot air pocket before serving it.
Let it cool before giving it to your baby/family.
Always check the temperature before feeding food to your family and your baby.
Cooked food should only be reheated ONCE.
Food on the go
It can be stored in cool bags with ice or cold water bottle if don’t have a cool bag then food must be eaten within four hours and discard any left over.
Left overs
To avoid food waste we should cook appropriate amount but sometimes it can be hard to predict how much your little one will eat.
Discard any half-eaten portions of food. Never store/reheat them again.
Only reheat what it was left in the pan and not touched/eaten.
What can you freeze and for how long?
If you have a freezer that runs at -18 degrees Celcius:
Uncooked meat : 4-12 months
Uncooked mince meat: 3-4 months
Cooked meat: 2-3 months
Cured meats (ham & bacon ): 1-2 months
Uncooked poultry (chicken, turkey etc): 9-12 months
Cooked poultry: 4 months
Fish-raw & cooked: 2-4 months
Frozen dinners ( e.g. lasagne, pizza, shepherd’s pie): 3-4 months
Soups, stews and casseroles: 2-3 months
Milk: Up to 1 month
Butter: Up to 3 months
Grated cheese: Up to 4 months
Vegetables: Up to 12 months
Fruit: Up to 6 months
Eggs – either separate the yolk and white, or beat the eggs before freezing: Up to 6 months
Cakes and baked goods without icing: 6-8 months
Bread: Up to 3 months unless otherwise specified on the package
Raw pastry: 6 months
Foods that you can’t freeze are:
Foods with a crumb base: these can go soggy when defrosted and reheated
Vegetables and fruits with a high water content, like lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, radishes and watermelons: these go limp and mushy
Soft herbs, like parsley, basil and chives: these will go brown
Egg-based sauces, such as mayonnaise: they will separate and curdle
Milk based sauces: they will separate
Plain yogurt, low-fat cream cheese, single cream and cottage cheese: these will go watery
Raw eggs in their shells: these will expand and crack
Hard-boiled eggs: these go rubbery
Canned foods