Batch cooking, also known as meal prepping, is the practice of preparing multiple meals at once to eat throughout the week. It has become an increasingly popular way for people to save time and money on their grocery bills. By cooking in large batches, you can take advantage of bulk ingredients, prepare food ahead of time, and have nutritious meals ready-to-go when needed. This eliminates the daily chore of cooking and reduces the temptation to eat out or order takeout on busy days.
With some planning and organization, batch cooking can revolutionize your home cooking. Here are some helpful strategies to implement batch cooking into your routine and take advantage of the many benefits it offers.
Benefits of Batch Cooking
- Saves time – The most obvious benefit of batch cooking is the amount of time it saves. Rather than coming home every night and cooking a fresh meal, parts of or entire meals are already prepared and just need to be quickly reheated. This removes the daily cooking grind.
- Eat healthier – Batch cooking encourages healthier eating habits. With meals already prepared, you are less likely to cave into takeout or unhealthy convenience foods on busy nights. This promotes more nutritious home-cooked meals in your diet.
- Reduces food waste – Buying ingredients in bulk quantities often makes them cheaper. When you cook large batches, you can fully utilize ingredients before they go bad. Proper storage keeps cooked foods fresh for the week.
- Saves money – Cooking in bulk means taking fewer trips to the grocery store during the week. You save gas money and reduce impulse purchases when shopping less often. Buying bulk sizes of staple ingredients also keeps costs low per serving.
- Allows variety – Even when cooking large batches, you can prep a variety of healthy and delicious meals to enjoy throughout the week. So you avoid eating the same leftovers repeatedly.
- Less decision fatigue – Having meals already made eliminates the daily stress of deciding what to cook. You don’t waste time or mental energy debating what to eat or running to the store for ingredients.
Tips for Effective Batch Cooking
Follow these top tips for streamlining the batch cooking process and making it a regular habit:
1. Plan out your meals
- Write out the meals and snacks you want for the week ahead of time. Identify recipes that utilize similar ingredients to maximize your grocery purchases.
- Consider meals that hold up well to freezing or reheating throughout the week. Soups, stews, casseroles, and curries are great options.
- Factor in your schedule – choose quick microwave or one-pot meals for busy nights when you want minimal cooking and easy cleanup.
2. Make a master grocery list
- Compile a master list of all ingredients needed for the week based on planned recipes.
- Check your pantry, fridge and freezer to avoid buying ingredients you already have on hand.
- Organize the list by grocery section to optimize your shopping route. Purchase fresh produce towards the end.
- Take advantage of weekly sales and coupons when finalizing your list.
3. Know which meals to batch cook
- Identify 2-3 recipes to batch cook in large quantities such as soups, stews, chilis, casseroles or curries.
- Freeze in individual portions for quick defrosting during the week.
- Cook proteins like chicken, ground meats, or plant-based crumbles to repurpose into multiple meals.
- Roast, grill or bake a variety of vegetables to use as meal sides and snacks.
4. Prep your cooking space
- Clear counters, gather all cooking tools, pots/pans, and prep essentials like cutting boards, knives, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Have storage containers ready for freezing or refrigerating batched foods.
- Set up an assembly line workflow so ingredients and tools are easily accessible as you cook.
5. Tackle the cooking
- Start with meals requiring the longest cook time – simmering soups, braised meats, roasted vegetables.
- Multi-task between recipes when possible to maximize efficiency.
- Follow recipe directions for batch sized proportions. You may need larger equipment.
- Freeze portions immediately in airtight containers after cooking to preserve freshness.
6. Clean as you go
- Wash used prep tools and dishes right away to prevent pileup.
- Replenish ingredients as they run out to stay organized.
- Wipe down counters often to keep your workspace tidy.
- Deal with food waste and compost immediately after prepping ingredients.
7. Store and date batches properly
- Let meals cool completely before refrigerating or freezing for food safety.
- Label each container with name and date prepared. Use oldest batches first.
- Arrange batches to see contents easily. Store produce appropriately in fridge.
- Freeze in portion sizes to avoid waste from thawing more than needed.
Ideal Foods for Batch Cooking
The key to efficient batch cooking is choosing recipes and ingredients that store and reheat well. Here are some of the best options:
Proteins: ground meat, chicken breasts, pork chops, meatballs, plant-based crumbles
Vegetables: carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, peppers, squash
Grains: rice, quinoa, farro, barley, whole wheat pasta
Legumes: dried or canned beans, lentils, chickpeas
Soups/Stews: chili, vegetable soup, chicken noodle, beef stew, black bean soup
Casseroles: lasagna, eggplant parmesan, shepherd’s pie, enchiladas
Sample Weekly Batch Cooking Schedule
To pull everything together, here is an example batch cooking schedule for preparing a week’s worth of meals:
Sunday:
- Roast chicken breasts, roast vegetables
- Make egg muffins, overnight oats
- Cook rice and quinoa
- Prepare marinara sauce, cook ground beef
Monday:
- Make double batch chili
- Bake zucchini lasagna, freeze half
- Cook lentils
Tuesday:
- Slow cook pot roast
- Cook chicken curry
- Prepare hummus
- Bake salmon fillets
Wednesday:
- Make vegetarian soup
- Grill extra chicken breasts
- Cook hard boiled eggs
- Cut vegetables for snacking
Make Batch Cooking Easy
The key to sticking with batch cooking is having an organized system and process. Start small with just a few meals each week until you fine-tune your own strategies and schedule. Over time, you will perfect this meal prepping method and discover just how much time and money it saves on your grocery bills.
In summary, batch cooking is a simple, efficient way to keep your fridge stocked with healthy, homemade meals ready-to-go. A little planning goes a long way towards reducing food waste, your budget, and daily stress levels. Use these batch cooking tips and recipe ideas to enjoy the convenience of pre-made meals that cater to your preferences all week long.
Read Also: