This is a meal-prepping technique I wish I had known about sooner.
It’s what I’m calling Duplo Dinners, and it has completely changed the way I freeze and prep meals. Instead of freezing one full meal, you prep and freeze each component separately: grains, sauces, proteins, and veggies… like building blocks.
Then, when you need a quick meal, you can mix and match different combos to create endless healthy, nourishing, and varied dinners or lunches. It’s like having your own little dinner Lego set sitting in the freezer, ready to build whatever you’re craving that day. I used the meal prep freezer containers from Seed & Sprout (linked here) – they’re the perfect size and make stacking and organising easy.
In this version, I made:
- 🌶 Vegan Chilli Sin Carne
- 🥣 Vegan Sour Cream
- 🍛 Vegan Katsu Sauce
- 🍠 Roasted Sweet Potato
- 🥬 Steamed Greens (for ours we used 100g edamame beans and 150g green beans, chopped into bite-sized pieces, and steamed for 5–7 minutes until tender).
- 🌱 Marinated Tofu Cubes
- 🥕 Roasted Chickpeas
- 🍚 Quinoa
- 🍘 Brown Rice
To plate these up, we add them to glass containers, cover and allow them to defrost in the fridge overnight, or on the bench at room temp for a few hours. Then reheat in the glass in the airfryer for 7-10 minutes (you could use a microwave also). All the recipes are below, but I’d love to know what you’d add to your own Duplo Dinner lineup in the comments!
Chilli Sin Carne
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 150 g dried red lentils
- 150 g dried green lentils (can sub with extra red if you dont have them)
- 1 x 400g can of kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
- 1 x 400g can of black beans (drained & rinsed)
- 1 x 800g can of diced tomatoes
- 375 ml vegetable stock (low salt, can sub with water)
Optional once cooked and bubs/toddlers portions are out
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1-2 tsp chilli flakes
- 1/2 tbsp lime juice
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium-high heat and cook the onion & garlic for 3 minutes to soften.
- Add the spices, cooking for a further minute.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients, stirring and bringing to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 35 40 minutes until the lentils are soft, stirring occasionally.
- Season with the optional add ins once the baby portions are removed and mash the beans for babies under 12 months.
- Serve with rice, a jacket potato, or whatever you like, and a good squeeze of fresh lime on top.
Storage
Store in the fridge for 3 days or freezer for 3 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 1g | Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 1083mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1145IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 8mg
Vegan Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 140 g raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 10 mins or overnight)
- 125 ml water
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp sea salt (omit for under 12 months)
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard (up to 1 tsp for a stronger flavour)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Transfer to an airtight container, or freeze in individual portions.
Storage
This stores in the fridge for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
Vegan Katsu Curry Sauce
Makes 2 Litres
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions (diced)
- 10 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (sliced)
- 3 tbsp curry powder
- 6 tbsp plain flour (spelt works too)
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock (low salt if possible)
- 3 tsp soy sauce (low salt if possible)
- 4 tbsp coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium–high heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and carrot and cook a further 2–3 minutes.
- Add the curry powder and flour, stirring for 30 seconds. Then add all remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer, and stir every 30 seconds (to prevent sticking) for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and use a stick/immersion blender to blend until smooth.
- Enjoy over vegan schnitzels, tofu, or veggies - it turns any meal into something special.
Storage
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 1g | Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1240IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Marinated Tofu Cubes
Ingredients
- 400 g firm tofu (diced to age appropriate size)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (low-salt)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a baking dish or container, cover, and shake gently to coat.
- Bake at 200c/390f. for 45–50 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and slightly crisp on the edges. Note: you can also cook this in the air fryer and it takes around 20 minutes.
Storage
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 1g | Calories: 73kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 456mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1mg
Spiced Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 x 400g can of chickpeas (drained & rinsed)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a baking dish and stir until the chickpeas are evenly coated.
- Bake at 200c/390f for 45–50 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking, until crispy and golden. Note: you can also cook this in the air fryer and it takes around 15-20 minutes.
Storage
Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 1g | Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg
Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (peeled and diced, cut in to chunky wedges for under 12 months. )
- 1 tsp olive oil (spray)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200c/390f.
- Add the sweet potato to a large oven dish, spray with olive oil, and toss to coat.
- Roast for 45–55 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and tender. Note: you can also cook this in the air fryer and it takes around 20 minutes.
Storage
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 1g | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 16031IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg
Perfect Quinoa
Ingredients
- 400 g quinoa (uncooked, rinsed)
- 875 ml water (or vegetable stock)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
- Turn off heat and leave covered for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork before serving for perfectly fluffy quinoa.
Storage
Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 1g | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 282mg | Fiber: 4g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg
Perfect Brown Rice
Fluffy, non soggy, perfect rice!
Ingredients
- 400 g brown rice (uncooked, rinsed)
- 2.25 litres water (boiling)
To Season (optional)
- 1 tsp olive oil (or sesame)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring the water to a boil.
- Rinse the rice well, then add it to the boiling water and boil for 30 minutes uncovered (tip: if it looks like it is overflowing reduce the heat slightly but keep the boil - this gives perfect rice!)
- After 30 minutes, drain the rice, then quickly add it back to the pot and cover for 10-15 minutes to steam.
- Season, fluff, and serve.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.Nutrition - Per Serving
Serving: 1g | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 2g | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?
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4 Comments
Hi, I have been making these & they are great – many thanks for the idea!! I only have a couple of the Seed & Sprout freezer containers so I freeze each component & then take them out to store in another container in the freezer. But the tofu & the chickpeas won’t stick together/stay in place after I remove them. Can you get the tofu & chickpeas to stick together after they are frozen? Or is it impossible? Many thanks again
You’re welcome!
Thats definitely the way to do it, fill, then empty and reuse them. Things that dont have a sauce and are quite dry themselves do often fall opart. Given it will be reheated, you can add a splash of liquid like water or broth, or a spray of olive oil to help it keep together. Hope that helps!
I was wondering if I could add some liquid, if that would work. Many thanks 🙂
That could work, it also ensures everything stays together when frozen and adds a little moisture when reheating. You could add 1-2 Tbsp per section if needed.