[Lunch boxes are easy! ] Techniques and recipes for effectively using frozen side dishes

Making lunch boxes every day is time-consuming and difficult.
When you don't have time in the morning or can't fill up on one more item, frozen side dishes are recommended.

By using frozen side dishes, you can shorten cooking time and make making bento boxes easier.

We will introduce the points you need to know when using frozen side dishes, recommended recipes, how to make frozen rice balls that are convenient for making lunch boxes, and how to use commercially available frozen foods.

Tips for pre-made frozen side dishes

Lunch boxes are a great way to save on food costs and are good for your health, so many people make them by themselves.

By making and freezing meals when you have time or when ingredients are cheap, you can save yourself the trouble of cooking in the morning, which is also economically advantageous.

There are five key points to making well-prepared frozen side dishes.

1. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to avoid exposure to air and freeze.
2. You can maintain good quality by freezing as quickly as possible.
3. Foods with a high water content are not suitable for freezing as the texture will change.
4. Food spoils easily in the summer, so when packing it in lunch boxes, use ice packs to prevent food poisoning.
5. For hygiene reasons, it is recommended to consume the food within about 2 weeks.

Just freezing it will reduce its deliciousness by half, so it is important to seal it tightly and freeze it as quickly as possible.

Also, by identifying foods that are not suitable for freezing and being careful about hygiene, you can use frozen side dishes without making mistakes.

Furthermore, there are some points that make standard frozen side dishes even more delicious.

hamburger

Bake into small lunch box sized pieces, remove from heat and wrap each piece in plastic wrap and freeze. It's delicious whether you freeze it with the sauce or pour it over it when packing it in a lunch box.

Omelette

The key is to cook it properly, as the texture will be bad if it is not cooked well. Cut into bite-sized pieces, wrap each serving in plastic wrap and freeze.

Green beans with sesame dressing, kinpira burdock, simmered hijiki, etc.

Place in cups, wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze. It can be thawed naturally, so all you have to do is take it out of the freezer and pack it in your lunch box.

Tonkatsu

Cool the fried cutlet well, cut it into bite-sized pieces, wrap each serving in plastic wrap and freeze. Before putting it in the lunch box, toast it in the toaster to give it a crispy texture.

Neapolitan spaghetti

After cooking, remove from heat, pack into cups, wrap each in plastic wrap and freeze. When using it, it is important to warm it up properly in the microwave.

Recommended recipes for frozen side dishes

What kind of frozen side dishes are useful for making bento boxes? Here are some recommended recipes that are easy to make.

Stir-fried corn and bacon

Ingredients are corn, bacon, and butter. Put the butter in a frying pan and fry the corn and bacon. Season with salt and pepper, but add cheese to make it Italian. It is a convenient side dish that is easy to make and easy to use.

lotus root kinpira

Ingredients are lotus roots and minced meat. Stir-fry the minced meat in a hot frying pan and add the sliced lotus root. Cook well and season with sugar, sake, and soy sauce. With Japanese-style seasoning, it is perfect as a side dish for lunch boxes.

Stir-fried eggplant with miso

Ingredients are eggplant and sesame seeds. Add sesame oil to a hot frying pan and fry the eggplant. Season with sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and miso, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Lunch boxes tend to lack vegetables, so this is useful when you want one more item.

Tamagoyaki

The material is eggs. Mix sugar, soy sauce, mayonnaise, and potato starch in a bowl, then whisk in the egg.
In a well-heated frying pan, fry the eggs thoroughly.
By adding sugar and mayonnaise, the texture will not lose its texture when defrosted.

In addition, we will introduce recipes for frozen side dishes with a little extra effort, recommended for those who want to expand their repertoire.

Saury and king king stew with tomato

Ingredients are saury, king king mushroom (buna shimeji mushrooms are also delicious), and whole tomatoes.
Cut the 3 pieces of grated saury into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with potato starch.

Cut the Kingfish into small pieces and simmer them in a frying pan with whole tomatoes, season with consommé base, salt and pepper, and add the saury.

Heat for about 3 minutes and once the saury is cooked through, it's done. It has a beautiful color and is a highly nutritious side dish.

Grilled chicken with eggplant scissors

Ingredients are eggplant and ground chicken. Add miso to the minced chicken and mix well. Spread the mixed ingredients between eggplant slices and fry until golden brown on both sides.

In addition to eggplants, you can also make it with green peppers, lotus roots, etc.

Tips for making frozen rice balls that you may not know about

Frozen rice balls are convenient when making bento boxes.
By making it when you have cooked a lot of rice or when you have leftover rice, you can easily use it when you need it.

There are some things to keep in mind when making frozen rice balls, so I'd like to take a look at them.

Hold the cooked rice and add the ingredients. Wrap it in plastic wrap and let it cool, then put it in the freezer.

Placing the rice balls in a storage bag such as a ziplock bag will prevent moisture from escaping and keep them from smelling like the freezer. It can be frozen for about 1 month.

When ready to use, thaw in the microwave while still wrapped in plastic wrap.
Starches such as rice turn into white wax when frozen, so be sure to thaw them by heating.

Ingredients suitable for freezing include pickled plums, kelp, salmon, salmon flakes, kelp tsukudani, and minced meat.

Basically, ingredients with low moisture content are recommended. Seasoned rice such as cooked rice and pilaf are also suitable for freezing.

On the other hand, unsuitable ingredients are tuna mayonnaise and salmon roe. Foods with a high moisture content and raw foods lose their flavor when frozen.

Additionally, rice balls sold at convenience stores can also be frozen. If you have any leftovers, put them in the freezer and use them effectively.

By the way, you can also freeze the bread you need to make sandwich lunches.

The storage method is very simple. Just wrap the bread in plastic wrap, put it in a storage bag, and freeze it.

Bread loses flavor and dries out as it approaches its expiration date, so storing it in the freezer will keep it delicious.

Frozen foods useful for making lunch boxes

Making bento boxes will be easier by using commercially available frozen foods wisely.

Easy-to-use frozen foods with a rich repertoire are being developed one after another.

For example, it is a convenient product that can be eaten after being defrosted naturally, and can be simply taken out of the freezer and packed into a lunch box.

There are many side dishes that can be used as side dishes, such as simmered hijiki, kinpira burdock, ohitashi komatsuna, mapo eggplant, and green beans with sesame seeds.

There are also products that allow you to separate the tray and use as much as you want.

There are many side dishes on sale that can be used as main dishes, such as gratin, spring rolls, croquettes, shumai, and squid tempura.

Another advantage of frozen foods is that you can easily prepare dishes that would take time and effort to make by hand. Deep-fried foods are a staple of time-consuming dishes.

You can easily use it by heating fried foods such as fried chicken, croquettes, fried shrimp, and cutlets in the microwave or toaster.

The seasoning has also been carefully thought out so that you won't get tired of it. For example, various types of fried chicken are sold, including roasted sesame flavor, curry flavor, and tartar sauce flavor.

Furthermore, I would like to introduce some simple recipes that will allow you to make more effective use of frozen foods.

Easy oyakodon

Ingredients are fried chicken and green onions. Thaw the fried chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped green onions, mentsuyu, and sugar to a hot frying pan.

When it comes to a boil, add the fried chicken and beaten eggs and heat over medium heat for about 30 seconds. You can put it on top of rice to make oyakodon (oyakodon), and you can also put it in a cup and use it as a side dish.

stuffed peppers with meat

Ingredients are mini hamburgers and green peppers. Thaw the mini hamburgers and cut them in half. Cut the peppers in half, stuff them with hamburgers, and fry them in a frying pan.

Finish by adding your favorite sauce. It's more luxurious and colorful than just a hamburger.

sweet and sour pork

Ingredients: fried chicken, onions, and green peppers. Thaw the fried chicken and cut it in half. Cut onions and peppers into bite-sized pieces and fry in a frying pan.

Once it's cooked, add the fried chicken, vinegar, ketchup, and sugar to taste. You can easily make sweet and sour pork without the hassle of frying chicken.

Conclusion

By making good use of your own frozen side dishes and frozen rice balls, you can reduce the burden of making bento boxes.

There are recipes that are easy to make, points to keep in mind, and precautions, so please refer to them.

There are also a variety of commercially available frozen foods on the market, so if you can't make your own, you can use them as appropriate to make bento fun.