Cooking and freezing
Tips & tricks
Updated
This is general guidance, not medical advice. IBS triggers vary from person to person, so talk to your GP or a registered dietitian before changing your diet.
None of these takes more than a minute, and they work for every recipe on the site. If you cook from the IBS-friendly collection, the last section has a few extra habits for gentler blocks.
Brown it properly
Give mince and chicken time in a hot pan without stirring. The deep colour is where most of the flavour comes from, and it survives freezing.
Season at the end
Taste once the dish has cooled slightly, then adjust. Salt, acid, herbs and heat all dull a little in the freezer, so be bold.
Add brightness last
A squeeze of lime or lemon, a splash of vinegar or a spoon of yoghurt stirred in after reheating wakes a block right up. If acid bothers you, a handful of fresh coriander, parsley or chives does the same job.
Freeze flat, then bag
Fill the tray level, freeze solid, then pop the blocks into a freezer bag. Press the air out so they stay separate and avoid freezer burn.
Label everything
Write the dish and the date on the bag. Blocks look surprisingly alike once frozen, and they are best eaten within three months.
Use whole tins
Plan batches around whole tins and jars so nothing is left half-used. Leftover coconut milk or tomatoes can go into the next block day.
Mix two blocks
A block of curry and a block of dal make a richer sauce. Chicken Tagine plus a block of tomato beans is a quick stew. Try pairs and note your favourites; Build a dinner and Build an IBS-friendly dinner have some to start with.
Swap freely
Thighs and breast are interchangeable, as are beef and lamb mince, or one tinned bean for another. Keep the weights and the timings stay right.
Stretch the meal
Three blocks go further with rice, pasta, couscous, a jacket potato or a wrap. A handful of frozen peas or spinach added while reheating bulks it up. For more fibre, choose brown rice, quinoa, a jacket potato with its skin or a wholegrain wrap.
Reheat gently
From frozen, cover and microwave about 1 minute per block plus 1 minute, stirring halfway. Always heat until piping hot, and never refreeze once thawed.
Cooking for IBS
These are general guidance only. Gentle on your gut explains the rules every IBS-friendly recipe already follows.
A little garlic
Two cloves flavour a whole batch. If garlic bothers you, use garlic-infused oil instead: the flavour carries into the oil but the fructans don’t.
Go slow with fibre
If you’re not used to it, start with two blocks a meal and build up over a week or two, with plenty of water.
Eat smaller
Two blocks with a jacket potato can be plenty. If reflux is a problem, a smaller dinner eaten well before bed helps many people; Feeling better with IBS has more everyday habits.
Check the extras
Stock cubes and spice blends can bring in onion, garlic or chilli the recipe doesn’t list. Low-FODMAP stock cubes keep it in check.