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If you are anything like me, then the idea of cooking 3 meals per day, every day, is not only unrealistic, but absolutely nightmarish. Between the morning work out, working all day, keeping the house clean, and making sure I have enough clean underwear to get through the week, and I — I barely have time to cook one meal per day! It is so much easier to call my bae, Mr. Postmates guy, and get some sushi or pizza or tacos delivered right to my door. That is why I have been really loving the art of batch cooking.
I streamline dinner prep and save a ton of time by carving out a couple hours per week to batch cook ingredients. I can save around 15-20 minutes in prep time per meal if I get my batch cooking in early on in the week. “But Julia,” you say,”This is all so overwhelming, where do I start!?” And I’m not going to lie to you– this will require a bit of planning and dedication on your part but you will be reaping the benefits all week long. And to help you get started, I’ve compiled a few tips:
Start Small…
You don’t need to prep all 21 meals in one day. Just try to aim for prepping for a few recipes that will last 3-4 days. I like to make my breakfast smoothie or egg sandwich fresh in the morning. I usually prep for lunches and dinners only. If you are strapped for time in the morning, maybe you prep your breakfast instead. For example, make a bunch of hard-boiled eggs (they will stay good for up to 7 days refrigerated unpeeled) and portion out 1/2 cup of strawberries or other fruit for three days. Easy and nutritious.
Plan a “Smart” Menu
I try to make sure all of my meals will overlap the grain, proteins, and vegetables that I plan to use for the week for at least two recipes. I usually try to make 2-3 cups of rice or quinoa at a time, and prep 2-3 cups of versatile veggies. I will use the rice and veggies for 4 days of lunches, and try to incorporate some of the veggies into my breakfasts and dinners. For example, I’ll dice up a 1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes that can be easily sauteed for a breakfast wrap, thrown on top of a pita pizza, or mixed into a quick salad. Or maybe I will prep some lightly seasoned diced chicken that can be used in a quinoa bowl for lunch or tacos for dinner. The idea is to prep ingredients that can be used across several dishes– try looking for 4-5 recipes that share ingredients.
(PSA- Some people are a little grossed out about refrigerating rice or eating leftovers. I’ve done a little research on the topic that says issues are rare if refrigerated properly, and have never had a problem personally. )
Make a schedule— and stick to it!
I enjoy doing my batch cooking on Monday nights… during the Bachelor. I can catch up on my TV while doing something a little productive! Maybe you can only manage to do half of the ingredients on one day, and the other half the next. Whatever you do, just try to keep it consistent and shoot for right after grocery shopping (it’s better to get the prep done right away so that you don’t have an excuse to not eat the food sitting in your fridge).
Replenish and reorganize your container collection
Make sure that you have plenty of containers, with matching lids, and of varying sizes. It may just be me, but there is NOTHING more beautiful than having a container that is just. the. right. size. …Is it only me? There is also nothing more infuriating than having the right size container but no matching lid (reminiscent of the missing sock dilemma we all face).
My favorite containers are pyrex or snap containers, but any typical plastic rubbermaid and ziploc containers are fine as well. No need to break the bank, but bowls with plastic wrap/foil over it just ain’t gonna cut it! You need to keep your yummy delicious ingredients air tight to maintain freshness. If you are freezing ingredients, Ziploc freezer bags are great for laying flat in the freezer and saving space. Don’t forget to label everything that goes in the freezer (yes, it will eventually go bad in the freezer: check here).
Pre-measure and store in usable portions
This sort of goes hand-in-hand with having containers of varying size. If you use half a cup of rice for every lunch, try storing the rice in 4 separate containers. That way, when you are in a rush to throw together your lunch in the morning, you aren’t messing around with measuring cups.
Choose healthful foods that you ENJOY
At the end of the day, you aren’t going to eat food in the fridge if you are repulsed by it. Hate the texture and taste of kale? ME TOO! Don’t force yourself to eat it, and don’t prep a ton of steamed kale if you know you hate it. You’ll be wasting time and energy. And that kale IS NOT gonna get more appealing as the week goes on. Food should be nourishing, but also make you happy!
What are your favorite batch cooking tips? Leave any comments below!