Meal prepping can make such a difference when you’re feeding a large family. With nine people in the house, having breakfasts, lunches, snacks and parts of our evening meals already prepared means I’m not constantly wondering what to make next!
For this mega meal prep, I decided to dedicate some time to getting as much food prepared as possible. I made everything from curry bases and freezer vegetables to burritos, marinated chicken, pasties and waffles.
It actually turned into more than one day of meal prepping because there was so much to get through, but having a freezer stocked with easy options afterwards made it worthwhile.
Here is everything I prepared.
Homemade Curry Base
The first thing I made was a big batch of my homemade curry base.
This is one of my favourite meal-prep shortcuts because we eat curries regularly. Instead of chopping onions and tomatoes and preparing the base every time I cook a curry, I can do most of that work in one go.
I cooked a large batch using onions, tomatoes, garlic and ginger paste, spices and seasoning.
Once everything had cooked down and the tomatoes were lovely and soft, I allowed the mixture to cool completely.
I made enough for four curries. I used one portion that day and divided the remaining curry base between containers to freeze.
Then, when I’m making a curry another day, I can simply take out a portion and add chicken, lamb, fish or vegetables.
It’s such a simple thing, but it saves a surprising amount of preparation time.
Preparing Vegetables for the Freezer
I also had quite a few vegetables in the fridge that needed using.
Rather than leaving them there and potentially having them go to waste, I chopped them all at once and prepared them for the freezer.
This is another little meal-prep habit that makes cooking easier for me.
If I’m making something like a chicken curry and want to add peppers, potatoes or aubergine, I can simply take a bag of prepared vegetables from the freezer rather than having to start chopping everything.
My thinking is simple: do all the chopping once rather than doing a little bit every day!
I also placed the vegetables on kitchen paper before freezing to remove some of the excess moisture.
Chicken & Rice Burritos
Next, I made a big batch of burritos to keep in the freezer.
These are particularly useful for lunches when you want something substantial without having to cook an entire meal from scratch.
For the filling, I used chicken mince along with red onion, peppers and tomatoes. I seasoned the chicken with spices, salt, garlic and ginger paste and tomato purée, then added the vegetables.
I also added the juice of half a lemon for some extra flavour.
I cooked some basmati rice separately and later combined the rice and chicken filling inside tortilla wraps.
For some of the burritos I added chilli sauce, while I left others without it so they wouldn’t be too spicy for the children.
These turned out to be really handy to have ready in the freezer.
Tandoori-Style Chicken Niblets
Whenever I’m doing a large meal prep, I think it’s useful to prepare at least one or two marinated chicken dishes.
You don’t necessarily need to cook them straight away. Having chicken already seasoned and marinated means you can simply take it from the freezer and cook it when needed.
For this batch I made some tandoori-style chicken niblets.
I mixed together the marinade, added Greek yoghurt and coated the chicken really well before transferring everything to a freezer bag.
These are perfect for serving with something simple like rice, chips or salad.
Peri-Peri Chicken Wings
I also prepared a batch of peri-peri-style chicken wings.
Again, these were marinated and then placed into a freezer bag ready for another day.
This is the type of meal prep I find particularly useful because you’re essentially doing the messy preparation work in advance.
On the day you want to eat them, you can cook the chicken and concentrate on preparing whatever sides you’re serving with it.
Chicken Tikka & Cheese Pasties
One of my favourite things from this meal prep was the chicken tikka pasties.
I cooked chicken cut into small pieces with seasonings to create a tasty chicken tikka filling. I later added spring onion and sweetcorn.
I cut ready-made puff pastry sheets into sections, added the chicken filling and topped each one with cheese.
I used a little water around the edges of the pastry and pressed them closed with a fork.
Before transferring the pasties to freezer bags, I laid them flat on a baking tray and froze them for an hour or two. This stopped them from sticking together once they were placed into the bags.
When I eventually baked them, I brushed them with egg wash first.
They were absolutely delicious!
Kebab Tortilla Wheels
I also experimented with something a little different — kebab tortilla wheels.
I prepared a kebab mixture and shaped small portions using a cookie cutter. I then placed them inside mini tortilla wraps with some mozzarella cheese and secured them with toothpicks.
They tasted lovely, although there is one thing I would change if I made them again.
I would partially cook the kebabs before assembling the tortilla wheels.
When I cooked mine, the tortilla started cooking before the kebab in the centre was completely done, which meant they needed longer.
Meal prepping sometimes involves a bit of experimenting, and not everything works perfectly the first time!
Homemade Waffles
By the following morning, I still had a few things to finish — so naturally I decided to add breakfast prep too!
I made a batch of homemade waffles and added blueberries, strawberries and Nutella.
They were delicious, although putting the fruit directly on top of the waffle mixture made them slightly messy in the waffle maker.
Next time, I’d probably mix the fruit into the batter instead.
After all that cooking, a waffle and a much-needed mug of tea were very welcome!
Why I Meal Prep for a Large Family
For me, meal prepping isn’t necessarily about having seven complete dinners sitting in containers ready for the week.
It’s about making future meals easier.
That might mean:
- preparing a curry base so half the work is already done
- chopping vegetables before they go to waste
- marinating chicken ready for another day
- making freezer-friendly lunches
- preparing snacks and breakfasts in batches
- turning ingredients that need using into something useful for later
Even preparing just one or two components of a meal can save time on a busy day.
And when you’re feeding a large family, those little shortcuts soon add up.
What I Prepared in My Mega Meal Prep
By the end of this meal-prep session, I had prepared:
- Curry base for several meals
- Chopped vegetables for the freezer
- Chicken and rice burritos
- Tandoori-style chicken niblets
- Peri-peri chicken wings
- Chicken tikka and cheese pasties
- Kebab tortilla wheels
- Homemade waffles
It was definitely a mega meal prep — and I was very ready to stop cooking by the end of it!
But having a selection of homemade food and prepared ingredients waiting in the freezer made the effort worthwhile.
If you’re new to meal prepping, you certainly don’t need to make this much at once. Start with one or two things that will make the biggest difference to your week.
Even something as simple as chopping your vegetables or marinating tomorrow’s dinner today can make family mealtimes that little bit easier.
