Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (2024)

Table of Contents
If you are only making enough food for one night, you are doing it wrong. 1. Stew a vegetarian chili that feeds a table of six with just five ingredients. 2. Build "meal components" if you want to prep breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week on Sunday. 3. Slow-cook this Bolognese sauce and serve it over pasta or zoodles. 4. Blend a week's worth of green smoothies to get your morning greens without waking everyone up. 5. Dump and bake this chicken fajita casserole for a meal that is kid-friendly and adult-healthy. 6. Chop up a "lazy man's ratatouille" that tastes even better the next day. 7. Skip the expensive salad bar and pack your greens into mason jars. 8. Bake eggs and roasted veggies in muffin tins for a quick bite. 9. Top off lentils and spinach with sweet potato for a vegan shepherd's pie that rivals the original. 10. Reheat beef bourguignon, which, legend has it, tastes better a few days later. 11. Stuff peppers for a dinner that portion controls itself. 12. Simmer some chana masala for a stew that is vegan, gluten-free, and yummy. 13. Buy a whole salmon instead of fillets to reduce waste and keep it fresh. 14. Build a stir fry by individually freezing veggies, protein, grains, and sauce. Dump everything in the pan when you're ready. 15. Mix up beans and sweet potatoes for a veggie burgers that rival Trader Joe's. 16. Make freezer burritos with whatever the hell you want. 17. Fill a baking tray with chicken and butternut squash to cook a bunch without cleaning a bunch. Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! FAQs References
Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (1)

Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

If you are only making enough food for one night, you are doing it wrong.

Instead of spending hours at the stove and with the dishes, or giving up on your best-laid plans and grabbing McD's on the way home, you should batch cook — or cook enough for several meals so that you can save some for later. The recipes below are designed to make 6 to 10 servings, so that you can eat tonight and later in the same week. Most are also freezer-friendly, so you can even eat them later in the season.

1. Stew a vegetarian chili that feeds a table of six with just five ingredients.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (2)

minimalistbaker.com

Freeze the leftovers in muffin tins and separate the servings into baggies. When you are ready to defrost them, the smaller volumes will heat up a lot faster. Don't forget to let your leftovers cool before freezing them so that you aren't warming up the freezer.

Get this vegetarian chili recipe on Minimalist Baker. If you're a carnivore, here is a five-ingredient chili that answers the question, "Where's the beef?"

2. Build "meal components" if you want to prep breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week on Sunday.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (3)

Nutrition Stripped

Nutrition Stripped recommends cooking foods dry and adding sauces, dressings, or seasonings later to avoid making them soggy.

3. Slow-cook this Bolognese sauce and serve it over pasta or zoodles.

Spend With Pennies

The slow cooker is the crème de la crème of batch cooking. This Bolognese is legit, and even though it takes a few hours to cook, most of it happens in the slow cooker, which doesn't require too much attention — plus it makes 10 servings and freezes well. Spiralize some zucchini if you want to pack in a few more veggies.

See how to make it on Spend With Pennies.

4. Blend a week's worth of green smoothies to get your morning greens without waking everyone up.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (4)

helloglow.co

This piña colada green smoothie from Hello Glow makes five servings. Pour them in mason jars, freeze them (see how here), and put one in the fridge before you go to sleep so it will defrost by the time you are zooming out the door.

5. Dump and bake this chicken fajita casserole for a meal that is kid-friendly and adult-healthy.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (5)

theseasonedmom.com

This casserole from The Seasoned Mom is veggies, chicken, and quinoa so it's a perfectly suitable option if you are in a time crunch but don't want to resort to unhealthy options. You can either refrigerate the whole casserole dish and rewarm it in the oven, or separate into portions and refrigerate or freeze it.

Get more casserole tips from 13 Smart Ways To Improve Any Classic Casserole Recipe.

6. Chop up a "lazy man's ratatouille" that tastes even better the next day.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (6)

ourfoodfix.com

This easy take on a classic serves six to eight portions that are filling (thanks to the veggie stock and eggplant) but totally veggie-based. Get the recipe from Our Food Fix.

7. Skip the expensive salad bar and pack your greens into mason jars.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (7)

jessicainthekitchen.com

This hipster tradition is a classic for a reason. All you need to do is prep a protein or cook a grain and layer in any variety of salad toppings.

Why not just throw it all in storage containers like mason jars? The ~layers~ keep the ingredients separated, so nothing gets soggy before it's time to eat. Pouring the dressing on the bottom keeps it separate from the greens without the hassle of an extra container. Once you are ready to eat, shake up the jar to mix in the dressing and pour everything into a bowl.

Find the recipes for these mason jar salads on Jessica In The Kitchen.

8. Bake eggs and roasted veggies in muffin tins for a quick bite.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (8)

Natalie And Cody Gantz

Egg muffins will keep for about five days. Eat them cold or reheat them in the toaster oven or microwave. Find the recipe on The Gantzery.

9. Top off lentils and spinach with sweet potato for a vegan shepherd's pie that rivals the original.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (9)

oneingredientchef.com

This vegan shepherd's pie from One Ingredient Chef makes six servings so you can eat healthy comfort food for days.

10. Reheat beef bourguignon, which, legend has it, tastes better a few days later.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (10)

food52.com

This recipe makes six to eight servings. See Food52 for reheating instructions.

11. Stuff peppers for a dinner that portion controls itself.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (11)

farmsteadchic.com

These peppers are Whole30-sanctioned if you are in the midst of "pushing the reset button." This recipe from Farmstead Chic makes six dinners. Learn how to reheat stuffed peppers here.

12. Simmer some chana masala for a stew that is vegan, gluten-free, and yummy.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (12)

minimalistbaker.com

Chana Masala is a chickpea curry that is from Indian and Pakistani cuisines. Store it in the fridge for four days or in the freezer for a month. When you are ready to eat your frozen stew, put the container in hot water so that you can easily pour it into a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl.

See the recipe on Minimalist Baker.

13. Buy a whole salmon instead of fillets to reduce waste and keep it fresh.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (13)

cleanfoodcrush.com

Salmon is safe to eat for up to three days after it’s cooked, but if you don't want to be ~that person~ reheating fish in an office microwave, you can definitely try it cold — like in mason jar salads. Check out a few ways to use leftover salmon here.

This recipe from Clean Food Crush makes six to eight portions.

14. Build a stir fry by individually freezing veggies, protein, grains, and sauce. Dump everything in the pan when you're ready.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (14)

thekitchn.com

You obviously want to do your dumping in stages (which you can find in the recipe from The Kitchn), but the dumping is dumping all the same.

15. Mix up beans and sweet potatoes for a veggie burgers that rival Trader Joe's.

ruchiskitchen.com

This recipe from Ruchi's Kitchen cooks 16 patties so you'll have plenty of leftovers to freeze.

16. Make freezer burritos with whatever the hell you want.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (15)

bonappetit.com

Bon Appetit offers some words of wisdom for how to prep Emergency Freezer Burritos (EFBs). You can even use leftovers from other big-batch meals.

17. Fill a baking tray with chicken and butternut squash to cook a bunch without cleaning a bunch.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (16)

foodandwine.com

Get this recipe (that makes six servings) from Food and Wine and get a few others at 30 Easy One-Tray Oven Dinners. Chicken (like most leftovers) stays good in the fridge about three to four days. To make it last up to four months, tightly wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and a freezer bag, and stick it in the bottom of the freezer.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments!

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (17)

freezerlabels.net

See the whole chart of foods to freeze (and not freeze!) on Freezer Labels.

Do you like batch-cooking on the weekend? Share your favorite cook-and-freeze recipe in the comments! (2024)

FAQs

Why I think this is a good idea by sharing traditional recipes? ›

Honours Family History

It's also a way for the younger generation to learn the skills and knowledge passed down through generations of cooks so that they live on for years. It's important to share the love and care that goes into making food so that it's always remembered by those who eat it.

What does "batch cooked" mean? ›

Batch cooking, or cooking in bulk, means cooking larger amounts of food so you can store some for later. If you don't have time to cook every day, it's a great way to make sure you have healthy meals ready when you need them.

What foods can be prepped and frozen? ›

Can You Freeze Anything for Meal Prep? The short answer is that pretty much any food can be frozen. The US Department of Agriculture explains that you can freeze almost any food, except eggs in their shell and canned products. However, you may not want to eat every food after it has been frozen.

Why do people like to share food? ›

“When we share food, it shows trust — it shows we're willing to give up some of our resources, and it shows we want to get close with someone,” said Omri Gillath, professor of psychology at the University of Kansas.

Why is it important to share a meal with others? ›

Whether it's a business lunch or a holiday dinner, shared meals bring people together, build community, and create a sense of belonging. Since early times of social development, gathering, preparing, and sharing food has been a pillar of community-building.

How to batch cook for the week? ›

One of the simplest ways to approach batch cooking is to make one base recipe which can be adapted into different dishes. There's no need to eat the same thing all week – you can freeze the base in portions and then defrost and use in different dishes.

What food is good for batch cooking? ›

Stews are a fantastic option for batch cooking and this Caribbean Jerk Stew recipe is a tasty, alternative to the more classic dishes. Packed full of flavour and simple to make, it can easily be bulked out with extra veg as well.

What is the purpose of batch cooking? ›

Batch cooking lets you plan and prepare large quantities of food in advance, so your crew isn't crushed during rush periods. This makes scheduling staff more strategically easier, reducing serving time.

What food Cannot be cooked from frozen? ›

Whenever it is unlikely that the core temperature will reach the required level for the correct amount of time then food should not be cooked directly from frozen. This is often the case for large joints of pork, rolled beef joints and large poultry. There is then an increased risk of food poisoning.

What foods cannot be frozen? ›

Foods That Do Not Freeze Well
FoodsUsual UseCondition After Thawing
Icings made from egg whitesCakes, cookiesFrothy, weeps
Cream or custard fillingsPies, baked goodsSeparates, watery, lumpy
Milk saucesFor casseroles or graviesMay curdle or separate
Sour creamAs topping, in saladsSeparates, watery
11 more rows

What is the best meal prep to freeze? ›

  • 1Cheesy Italian meatloaf. ...
  • 2Get-ahead chicken tikka masala. ...
  • 3Spaghetti, pepperoni and lentil bake. ...
  • 4Chicken & feta filo parcels. ...
  • 5Lasagne parcels. ...
  • 6Better-for-you chicken cacciatore. ...
  • 7Vegetarian pasta bake. ...
  • 8Spanish-style meatballs.

Why is traditional cooking important? ›

They connect people and help others understand cultures through food, which is people's identity. Another reason it's important is because you can share these traditions with other people outside your family. Food is meant to bring people together; cultures are meant to be shared.

Why is this traditional food important to the cultural group? ›

Food is considered a part of intangible cultural heritage, a way of life that is passed down from generation to generation. Traditional recipes, cooking techniques, and dining etiquette can reflect the values and beliefs of different communities and are all vital parts of cultural heritage.

What is the cultural significance of sharing a meal? ›

Key points. Among our hunter-gatherer ancestors, the feast after a successful hunt was a celebration of skill, cooperation, and survival. Since our hunter-gatherer days, human families, friends, and associates have come together over food in every culture.

What are the benefits of using recipes? ›

Recipes provide consistency in the production of menu items. Recipes provide food cost control. Recipes provide knowledge for front of the house staff as a sales tool and to help consumers with dietary concerns and allergies.

References

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