Stock your fridge or freezer with nourishing dinners that can be made ahead

The evening, when time and patience are at their shortest, can be the worst part of the day to throw a meal together. And then there are the unexpected mouths to feed: a friend with a new baby, an elderly family member, a couple of uninvited ravenous teenagers.

Enter the Dinner Ladies, the fearsomely organised duo bringing delicious peace to busy households. They are the mistresses of stocked-up fridges and freezers thanks to a wide-ranging repertoire of nourishing, reliable make-ahead meals.

Family-friendly favourites dominate: there are spiced slow-cooked lamb shanks; warming curries; veggie-focused 'thinner dinners'; and easy desserts that may not make it as far as the table, such as apricot, raspberry and coconut crumble or chocolate mint honey pots.

Welcome the Dinner Ladies to your kitchen and reclaim your evenings.