How To ‘Batch Cook’ & Sort Your Week’s Meals To Save Those Sweet $$$

“Fuck, the last thing I want to do on a Sunday afternoon is slave away in the kitchen, making healthy meals for the coming week,” I hear you say. And I get it. 

But take a moment to close those tired, bloodshot eyes, and imagine your Monday Self. 

That same self who has just experienced a weekend that went off like a soggy biscuit dipped in Yakult and left in the sun for 12 hours.

That self that is so tired, hungry and deathly bored at work.

That self that told themselves they would start eating healthier today.

Now that you’re in this frame of mind, cop a load of these tips and tricks on how to make your life easier via BATCH COOKING. What is it? It’s when you prep alllllll the meals you gon’ eat in the upcoming week in one single sitting (or standing, rather).

You’ve no doubt seen bodybuilders or #paleolyf-ers raving about the practice on social media, but it can be for the rest of us too, especially if you’re trying to save dosh and keep track of what you’re eating. 

Although it might take half a day of your time to prepare and cook, it’ll cut out the grind and mental energy of making meals every single night. (More time to smang / watch GoT = good juan.)

Batch cooking might take you a little while to get used to, so when you first begin start by prepping two or three meals for the week. This way, you ease into it, and have less of a chance of giving up if you find it a little too hard. Once you nail a few recipes that you enjoy, you can increase to 4, 5, heck, even 6 days a week.

In order to win the batch cooking war that is keeping motivation and saving time, you gotta have the proper weapons. 

Forget Tim – Tupperware is your new best friend. 

If you’re strapped for cash and can’t afford the branded tubs, click around eBay. You’ll find some sweet deals. If you’re planning on batch cooking for a long while though, you may consider going for the fancier glass options. There’s something nice about eating out of a glass container.

Grab some ziplock bags in various sizes and a sharpie to label your shiet as well, and you’re good to go.

Think of a rotating roster of what you’ll be eating each day. 

If you live by the motto “variety is the spice of life”, go for a 2 week plan, or change up the days you’re eating certain meals. If you’re stumped for ideas, help and salvation is but a Google search away. NutritionStripped is a nifty blog – it’s hard to read without wanting to batch cook for life.

If you’re making a roast pumpkin, quinoa, beetroot & feta salad (click that link, the recipe may well save your life) as well as a pumpkin soup, get the pumpkin chopping out of the way in one go. It’s tempting to do recipe prep one by one, but by figuring it out this way, you’ll save even more time. Which is the point of this very exercise, isn’t it?

It’s hard to find motivation to get out of that soft, velvety corner of the couch to prepare grey goop you hate the taste of. Do a little bit of research into what’s healthy and marry this with flavours you enjoy. Simples.

Freeze it, fam. And if you need tips on how to do that, check these out.