Why you need to try 'dump bags': Mum's genius six-week meal prepping hack will save you money and shave HOURS off your cooking time each week
- A mother has revealed how she prepared six weeks of family dinners at once
- She chopped meat and vegetables and froze them in plastic 'dump bags'
- They can be defrosted as required and poured into a slow cooker to save time
- She prepared the bags days before welcoming her second child to ease stress
- Hundreds of parents praised her approach after she shared photos on Facebook
A pregnant woman has saved time and money by preparing six weeks of family dinners in advance and freezing them in 'dump bags'.
Dump bags are resealable plastic food pouches filled with chopped, uncooked ingredients which are frozen until needed, then defrosted and poured into a slow cooker with sauce or stock.
With her due date and the prospect of having two children under the age of three looming, the mother chopped enough meat and vegetables for 126 dinners - one a day for herself, her husband and their toddler - to 'make life easier' after the birth.
Hundreds of parents praised her thrifty organisation after she anonymously posted a photo of 12 freezer bags filled with raw ingredients for stir fries and casseroles in an Australian cookery group on Facebook on Monday.
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A pile of dump bags filled with raw, chopped ingredients for stir fries and casseroles, which have 'made life easier' by saving time and money for many Australian parents
'The fear is taking hold...just finished six weeks of slow cooker freezer dump bags, and couldn't be happier (or more exhausted!),' she wrote in the caption.
She thanked members of the group for giving her the idea which has eased stress and freed up hours that she can now spend with her new baby.
Other mothers who used dump bags to save time around their delivery dates confirmed the trick is a 'God send' and said they 'couldn't recommend it enough'.
'This is such a great idea if you have a large family to cook for,' said one.
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A second batch of pre-prepared dump bags filled with meat, vegetables and sauce
'It makes life easier when you're time poor,' said a second who prepares the bags to discourage her family from ordering takeaway when she works late in the evening.
A third praised her forward thinking, saying: 'Well done, very sensible. You will definitely need these soon!'
One woman said it works just as well to freeze ingredients in reusable ice cream tubs instead of plastic pouches.
Another said she saves time and money by dicing three kilos of meat at once and freezing the leftovers in family-size portions until needed.
Resealable or 'zip lock' plastic food bags are available at leading supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths from $2 per pack of 40.
