Welcome, friends of Paulina Cocina! Today we have a special post about the much-talked-about Batch Cooking .
Basically, we're talking about cooking a bunch of food, all in one day, to store in the fridge and eat all week . Ah, I saw you pulling a funny face. This all sounds familiar because in this community, we've been practicing the art of meal prep for a long time. Well, batch cooking is pretty much the same thing. A great way to simplify our lives while still eating delicious and healthy food.
In this article, we'll tell you all about batch cooking , give you some tips for putting it into practice, and finally, we'll leave you with a list of 30 batch cooking recipes to help you join this great trend!
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About batch cooking
Batch cooking , translated directly into Spanish as “batch cooking,” is a revolutionary culinary approach that involves cooking a significant amount of food in a single session to plan and prepare meals for the entire week.
Instead of cooking daily, batch cooking allows you to spend a concentrated amount of time in the kitchen on a specific day, allowing you to take a break from cooking on subsequent days.
What does this method consist of?
Batch cooking involves preparing several portions or ingredients of different recipes, which are then stored in airtight containers or suitable bags in the refrigerator or freezer .
This way, you always have fresh ingredients ready to combine, heat, and eat, avoiding the temptation of resorting to less healthy options or delivery due to lack of time.
Essentially, it involves investing a few hours on the weekend, or a day off, to cook and prepare a variety of dishes . This technique not only saves time but also helps you maintain more conscious control over your diet.
Batch cooking or meal prep?
The term that encompasses the idea of cooking one day for the entire week is “ meal prep , ” which is very popular in this recipe community.
Batch cooking is a fundamental part of the meal prep process, as it involves cooking large quantities of food in a single batch and then dividing them into portions and using them in different recipes throughout the week.
While batch cooking focuses on cooking large batches of food for later use, meal prep is a broader approach that encompasses strategic planning, cooking, and ingredient preparation to simplify meals throughout the week.
6 tips for making batch cooking recipes… and not dying in the attempt
- Strategic Planning: Before entering the kitchen, plan your meals for the week. Decide what dishes you're going to prepare and what ingredients you'll need. This saves time and ensures you have everything you need on hand.
- Recipe Selection: Choose recipes that are easy to portion and that keep well in the refrigerator or freezer. Soups, stews, vegetables, legumes, pies, empanadas, or pasta are often very good options.
- Smart shopping: Make a shopping list based on the batch cooking recipes you select, detailing the ingredients, and use fresh options whenever possible to make them last longer.
- Cooking time: Set aside a few hours to cook on a convenient day. Cook several recipes at the same time, using both the oven and the stovetop.
- Proper storage: Once the dishes and ingredients are ready, let them cool before dividing them into individual portions. Use airtight containers or food-grade bags to maintain freshness and prevent cross-contamination.
- Menu Rotation: Vary your meals throughout the week, and from one week to the next, combining different ingredients and creating new batch cooking ideas to avoid boredom and ensure a balanced diet.
Why choose batch cooking?
Batch cooking is much more than a culinary trend; it's a practical and tasty solution for those looking to simplify their kitchen life without sacrificing the quality of their meals.
By adopting this approach, we can plan our meals strategically, saving time and energy, and maintaining a healthy diet without the hassle and stress of cooking every day.
32 Batch Cooking Recipes
Batch cooking ideas for dinner
6 recipes with lentils
In the video, "6 Recipes with Lentils ," you'll find a list of ideas that will make several meals, with tasty dishes. All are lentil-based preparations, with vegetables lentil stew , hamburgers , salad , croquettes , and a delicious lentil soup .
5 recipes with chicken
Chicken is a great ally in batch cooking or meal prep. You can make tons of recipes with a whole chicken or chicken breasts. In this video, Paulina suggests making five chicken recipes in one hour: chicken wok, spring rolls, chicken rice , nuggets, and chicken mayonnaise.
5 recipes with minced meat to freeze
Paulina surprises us with five recipes using ground beef that we can prepare to make several meals. Hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf, koftas, and Scotch eggs. Five delicious options with clear steps for preparing and freezing.
Healthy batch cooking ideas
5 healthy recipes with chickpeas
Chickpeas are perfect for batch cooking , as they are a great food for making so many dishes. They're also great for storing in the freezer. In this video, Paulina suggests making five healthy recipes : falafel, salad, chickpea curry, hummus, and medallions.
4 healthy and easy meals
If you're looking for delicious and healthy recipes to take to work, the video in 4 Meals in 1 offers options that are quick to prepare and convenient to take anywhere.
7 recipes for a healthy, homemade breakfast
Breakfast is usually a time we don't spend much time on, but it's a super-important meal that will give us the energy we need to start the day.
In this video, I'll give you 7 healthy and delicious breakfasts in one hour , which will help us make the first meal of the whole week.
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