Batch cooking is, hands down, one of the most amazing kitchen shortcuts there is. It might not feel like a shortcut while you’re doing it — since it does involve some work — but it sure feels like an outstanding feat when something unexpected comes up in your day and you realise you’ve got a healthy dinner ready to go in the freezer. That’s where a few smart batch cooking tips can make all the difference.

But even those who understand how useful the concept of batch cooking is sometimes struggle when they’re first starting out. That’s why I’ve compiled five tips for quick batch cooking to make the process a lot easier on yourself. Let’s dive in!

1. Choose simple recipes

It’s a happy coincidence that some of the easiest meals to make also happen to be some of the most amenable to batch cooking. A lot of them are one-dish meals, which means they can usually be made in one pot – or, as is often the case for me, one slow cooker! If you’re just starting out or trying to go quickly, please do yourself a favour and stick with some simple recipes like chilis or stews or curries.

2. Have a list of batch cooking favourites everyone loves

You know that sinking feeling you get when you’ve worked hard on dinner only for it to get roundly panned by everyone at the table? You’re going to feel it times two or even three if you choose the wrong meal to batch cook! Stick with tried-and-true meals that you already know everyone in your house loves. Keep a list of good candidates so you don’t have to lose time flipping through your recipes every time you want to do some batch cooking.

3. Use smart shortcuts 

Batch cooking is all about efficiency, so don’t get bogged down in the minutiae. Use smart shortcuts that make sense to you. For example, I love using frozen diced onions and minced garlic. This lets me skip the tears from cutting onions and the extra scrubbing needed to get the garlic smell out of my cutting board. Find a shortcut for whatever it is that takes up too much of your time in the kitchen or is just downright convenient and free up some of your time.

4. Tools are your friend 

You really do need the right tools to make your batch cooking efforts successful, but the good news is that you may well already have them – you just need to actually get them out and use them! While some of this will depend on what type of cook you are, there are two tools that I think are universally useful. First, a food processor. Life is too short to chop 8 carrots by hand, don’t you think? The second is a slow cooker. It lets you make so many meals without getting the oven involved and such little prep time – then just set it and go. What’s not to love?

5. Reframe your ideas about batch cooking 

Batch cooking doesn’t mean slaving away for hours making full meals. Of course, it can mean that — if you want it to — but it doesn’t have to. You could choose to do a mix of meal prep and batch cooking. For example, make extra of something you’re already preparing, even if it’s not a full meal. Think: extra toasties for the fridge or freezer, or a few extra hard-boiled eggs to have on hand, or a batch of extra marinade, or a batch of extra cooked protein.

Chopping a couple of carrots? Why not chop the whole bag so they’re ready for whatever you’re cooking later in the week? (Hint: vacuum systems are great for preserving nutrients.) Got the grill out? Go ahead and throw on a few extra chicken breasts for another day.

There’s no wrong way to do this — and honestly, this is mostly what I do all week long!

My biggest piece of advice? TRY.
Don’t pass up on something as wonderful as batch cooking before you’ve given it a proper shot. The rewards are endless — I truly can’t imagine my life without making a little bit more of this and that. Start small, use these batch cooking tips, and see how much time, energy, and stress you’ll save in the long run!