The 6 Steps to Effective Vegetarian Batch Cooking
Hello Veggies!
Are you tired of cooking lunch and dinner every day? Are you exhausted just from thinking about what to cook next? Wondering whether you have all the ingredients at home, or whether you'll need to run out for last-minute groceries? You've dreamed of coming home and just reheating a good homemade dish, because it's true that when you don't have time, you tend to fall back on supermarket processed food or takeout.
No panic! I suggest planning your meals in advance, in a single cooking session of 1, 2 or 3 hours a week, at your own pace and according to your availability, and so relearn how to eat healthily, while freeing up time for other things you enjoy.
BATCH COOKING: THE CONCEPT
Technically batch cooking, also called « meal prep », means preparing more than one meal in advance, in one go. Sounds like more work? Yes, in the moment, because you're cooking for several meals at once, but in the end, trust me, you'll save a lot of time, and for the rest of the week you'll enjoy your meals in peace.
The advantage is that you choose the time that suits you best to do it, on a weekday or the weekend, whenever you want.
So you'll cook once a week, or 4 times a month, or just 48 times a year, and you'll use the time you save to do whatever you feel like — pretty great, right?
Batch cooking has always existed. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers used to practice it, cooking in large batches and — pop! — into jars! Yes, batch cooking is also that!
HOW LONG DOES BATCH COOKING TAKE?
It's up to you, since it can take 30 minutes, 2 hours, 3 hours or a whole day. There are several factors, but it's mainly the complexity of your recipes that determines the time spent, along with the tools or appliances you use (hobs, oven, food processor, heated blender or not, etc.).
"Personally, I decided to do it on Sunday early evening, over 2 or 3 hours max, because after that I start to burn out. Over time I've gone from 3 hours down to 1 or 2 hours of prep, because I keep getting better organized."
Tip: For your first batch cooking sessions, choose simple, quick recipes, so you get good results. Once you've built good organizational habits, you can move on to more complex recipes.
THE BENEFITS OF BATCH COOKING
1 - I free my mind from all these questions
Do I have time to go shopping tonight?
Is there anything left in my fridge, in my cupboards?
What am I going to eat? I have no inspiration, I'm tired, I don't feel like cooking…
2 - I simplify my daily life
Yes, it's true, it's not easy to know what you're going to eat for a whole week, but with a bit of effort at the start and some smart organization, you'll know that:
You'll relearn to eat healthily, and more varied meals
Every day you'll be happy to enjoy your homemade meal
All without blowing your budget, since you'll cut down on takeout or last-minute restaurants
No more lunch boxes thrown together with whatever's around because you didn't have time to prep it
You help reduce food waste by only buying and cooking what you need
And you can have a great time getting the whole family involved! Everyone picks a dish and takes part in the batch cooking.
But don't stress about it — if one day you'd rather order in than eat your ready-made meal, just freeze it for next time!
Now, before anything else, this is going to take a bit of organizing. And I'm going to help you by listing the steps to follow, then it's up to you! You wouldn't believe how much my life has changed since I started using this method.
#1 I SAVE TIME: I HAVE A SMART SYSTEM
I plan my menus for 3 days, 4 days, or a week
I list the dishes I like to eat first: that way, no disappointment
I add dishes I've never cooked before: a bit of innovation to avoid monotony
I make a list of the ingredients I need and their quantities.
Try to plan meals with recipes that share common ingredients, to make prepping easier.
MY DASHBOARD = MY MEAL PLAN + MY SHOPPING LIST
Benefit of a list: when you go shopping you'll be less tempted to buy more than you need, which also helps reduce food waste.
Aside from the market, which I love visiting on weekends to find good produce and new flavors, I generally get all the usual ingredients delivered that I'd otherwise buy at the supermarket — I skip the travel time, the endless lines, the temptation to buy everything and anything, and I save quite a bit of time, it's great!
Tip: Always keep ingredients like flours, rice, lentils, peas, beans, bulgur, quinoa, a variety of spices, plant-based milks or creams, etc. in your cupboards — they'll serve as quick bases for putting together varied combined dishes.
If you're not sure what to buy for your protein, check out my article to help you day to day, with tips and tricks for buying and cooking
plant-based proteins
#2 I PREP MY INGREDIENTS & MY TOOLS
I get out all the tools I need: pots, pans, oven dishes, cutting board, knives, peeler, small containers for your chopped ingredients, and one for peelings (to be composted later if you have a compost bin), food processor, blender, etc.
I get out all the ingredients for the dishes listed in my meal plan: vegetables, grains, legumes, tofu, seitan, flours, oils, salt, pepper and other condiments, plant-based creams and milks, etc.
#3 CHOPPING INGREDIENTS FOR BATCH COOKING
I chop first the vegetables and legumes that will go in the oven: potatoes for gratins, roasted vegetables, then the ones for soups, zucchini, leeks for quiches, etc.…
Then the aromatics (onions, garlic, herbs) for all my dishes
I put all my chopped ingredients into small individual containers, and I use the amounts I need for each dish as I go.
Another option is to do the chopping at a different time, store it in the fridge or freezer, and cook your batch before a meal, later in the day, or another day.
Try to chop enough for 2 to 3 portions of the same dish — one for the fridge and two for the freezer. For example: oven lasagna with textured soy filling, red bean chili, etc.
#4 ORGANIZING COOKING FOR BATCH COOKING
I preheat the oven and put water on to boil in pots while I do my chopping
I put the dishes that take the longest to cook in the oven first.
I put grains, pasta, etc. on to boil, as the base for reheatable dishes or cold salads.
I fry the vegetables that cook on the stovetop: mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, etc.
While things are cooking, I can chop and prep ingredients like raw vegetables, to eat as is, or in salads.
Tip for soups
Option 1: several prepped bags for different soups
I chop the ingredients for each soup
I freeze each soup grouping in small freezer bags
I cook whenever I want, based on what I feel like
Examples:
Soup 1: potato, carrots, onions, leeks, spices, etc.
Soup 2: broccoli, peas, garlic cloves,
Soup 3: cauliflower, carrots, etc.
Option 2: one or two liters of the same soup
I chop my ingredients and cook them right away
I fill small jars to put either in the fridge or the freezer
Tip: I often make my soups based on the leftover chopped bits from my other dishes. Leek gets used for a quiche, a stir-fry, and worked into a leek, potato and carrot soup.
The many combinations and pairings in vegetarian batch cooking save you a lot of time, since you prepare and cook large quantities using several cooking methods (oven dish, soup, pan-fried, fried, steamed, etc.) to eat that day or later. The upside is that you only dirty your tools once a week, which also saves water… and that's good for the planet!
#5 BATCH COOKING'S BEST ASSISTANTS
The heating blender
Essential — it's easy to use, and not too expensive to buy
Cold option
You can make smoothies, pancake batters and sauces.
A heating blender can even crush ice for great cocktails.
Hot option
You add your ingredients, choose your program, with or without blending, with or without the upper tray, it cooks without burning, lets you know when it's done, and keeps your soup or dish warm while you take it easy — and on top of that, only the blender jug needs cleaning. Ideal for smaller budgets. If you'd like to know more, it's right here.
The multi-function cooking robot
Since one of the rules of batch cooking is saving time, using a cooking robot can be very useful for staying organized. It chops your ingredients, minces them, blends them and mixes them; it kneads dough, cooks your dishes without burning them and without supervision. A bit bigger than a heating blender, you'll need room for it on your counter. It's fairly pricey since it does so much.
#6 STORING YOUR DISHES
You have several options:
I keep my dishes in the fridge to eat within 1 to 5 days.
Or in the freezer in individual containers or containers for several portions
I portion my dishes into single servings and prep my individual lunch boxes for the week, mixing it up.
I keep the bases (rice, pasta, other grains, etc.) in a container in the fridge and put together a nice, varied, healthy plate each day, as I feel like it.
Don't hesitate to pair fresh produce with your dishes, like a small green salad or endives — things you can't prep ahead of time.
Someone drops by unexpectedly? No problem! I either pull out a cooked, frozen dish to reheat, or I use my already-cooked ingredient bases stored in the fridge to put together a plate.
Tip: prep your sauces in 1-liter bottles, mixing different oils, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and condiments. That's time saved. And keep fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro and chives in the fridge, wrapped in damp, sealed paper towel, which will keep them fresh for several days — or just buy them already chopped and frozen.
AND TO LEARN MORE…
Feeling ready to get started? To dig deeper into the topic, I suggest a few vegetarian batch cooking books, with weekly recipes you can adapt to your own taste.
And for inspiration for new recipes on video, check out youtube, instagram or pinterest, there's a whole world of veggie and vegan creators, it's great!
Did you find this article helpful? Then leave me a comment, a little heart,
or ask me your questions, I'll be happy to answer.
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