What are the best meals for batch cooking?
Making all your meals at once for the week ahead can save you a fortune but many people regard it as far too difficult to be bothered with.
For those who are interested in trying it, cookbook author and recipe writer Sarah Butler believes it can be “very simple” with the right routine.
“At the start of a week, maybe on a Sunday evening, sit down and look at your week ahead,” she told Lunchtime Live.
“Say Tuesday and Thursday are crazy, there’s no time to make dinner. So, try and make a little, maybe on a Sunday evening, or a day that you may have an hour to batch cook something.”
Ms Butler acknowledges people are busy but says batch cooking can be organised around your existing meals.
“Take the time to make a big pot of curry, have that that evening and then always make extra of whatever you’re making,” she said.
“Whether it’s homemade chicken goujons - make an extra batch and have them in the freezer or fridge.
“Have them out in the morning defrosting away and ]then have them] for dinner.”
It’s time for Lunchtime Live’s Big Batch with @ButlerPodcast @andreagilligan
Every Monday we’ll be learning new easy-to-cook batch recipes from cookbook author and recipe writer Sarah Butler
Follow #LLBigBatch for all our recipes. You can find today’s recipes below⬇️ pic.twitter.com/4WvlqbmHHO— Lunchtime Live (@LunchtimeLiveNT) January 8, 2024
Lunchtime Live presenter Andrea Gilligan said she used to do a lot of batch cooking but eventually “got sick of it”.
“You don’t have to be military [about it], you don’t have to do batch cooking for every day of the week,” Ms Butler said.
“If you only do this week… some homemade soup and some brown bread.
“Then maybe next week, say, I’m going to do a pot of bolognese and have some frozen.
“Just ease your way into it gently - even when you’re putting your shop away.”
This week, Lunchtime Live will be posting some of Ms Butler’s recipes on their social media accounts that are great for batch cooking.
“It can be scary because people think, ‘Oh, now I have to be up all night making things.’
“Just try one recipe.”
You can listen back here:
Main image: Lunchtime Live batch cooking logo.
