Make Time for Batch Cooking
In order for batch cooking to be successful, it needs to be a priority. For this reason, it’s important to make time for batch cooking each week or at regular intervals. You know your schedule best, so choose a day you’re able to set aside some time. For example, if you do your grocery shopping on Saturday, you may want to do your batch cooking on Sunday. Or, you may want to schedule your cooking day for the same day as your local farmer’s market.
Ninety Minutes, Once a Week
If you can work efficiently, a 90-minute block of time, one day per week, can make a difference in how much time and preparation you need to do for the rest of the week. In that time, you can simultaneously:
- simmer a pot of beans or a soup
- clean, slice, and store some produce
- make a sauce, dip, or dressing
- make a batch of rice or other grain
Do the following activity
Remember to make efficiency a priority. Start with the following and your 90 minutes should go smoothly:
1. Clean and sanitize your work surfaces.
2. Ensure you have all the correct equipment: pots, cutting boards, knives, ample storage containers, etc.
3. Gather all the ingredients you need, separated into their different batches. For example, group your cleaned raw vegetables in one pile; put grains, pot, and water together; and the ingredients and container for your dressing together.
4. Understand the order in which you will prepare your batches. For example, the beans and grains have relatively long cooking times, but the active time to prepare these base recipes takes just a few minutes. They can be prepared first, and then left to simmer while you chop your vegetables for the week.
5. Have some idea of how you will stretch your ingredients throughout the week. How will you use your beans and grains throughout the week in different ways?
Note: Don’t have time to finish eating your base ingredients during the week? Store extra beans and grains in airtight, sealed containers and freeze them. They’ll last up to six months in the freezer, and can be quickly thawed for lightning-fast meals.