5 tips for successful batch cooking!

Batch cooking is the art of preparing the week's meals all at once so that you no longer have to cook during the week and therefore have time for yourself instead of spending them in the kitchen.

Audrey has been practicing batch cooking for years and here are her tips for being as efficient as possible while being economical.

1. Look at what you have in your fridge before making a menu.

Make a list of foods that will soon be no longer good: soft vegetables, overripe fruits, and nearing expiration dates. Your recipes should be based on this list. This technique also helps ensure good stock rotation in your fridge and pantry.

Little tip: Keep in mind that batch cooking is designed to save time, so if you have to go to a specific grocery store for this batch cooking, is it really a time saver?

2. Keep the cooking water.

When boiling vegetables or other things like pasta, don't get rid of the water, but use it to cook something else.

Example: I'm making pasta. I take it out with tongs and then add the carrots. The advantage is that the water is already hot, so it's faster ;)

Tip: Cook strong-smelling vegetables last if you don't want everything to smell like **t (e.g. asparagus, cabbage, etc.)

3. Use the same accessories and pots.

For batch cooking to be effective, it shouldn't lead to hours of washing up afterwards. Depending on what you want to cook, you should have: a large pot for boiling, a frying pan for sautéing, and a baking sheet. That's it!

Same for utensils, no need to take out all the gear: tongs, a spoon, a knife, a peeler. Use the bare minimum but several times by rinsing them each time you change dishes (or not ahaha!)

Quick tip: Cook recipes that use strong spices (e.g., curry) last so you can rinse pots and utensils between recipes without contaminating other dishes. Because we know, it doesn't take much to taste curry!

4. Offer variety

Some people are afraid of batch cooking because they think you'll eat the same thing all week. But no!

There are several ways to get out of this:

• Make dishes (e.g. lasagna, gratins) and freeze half.
• Cooking each vegetable, each protein, each starch independently and in a different way, and then, at mealtime, creating our own plate. A bit like a buffet!
• Mix the two: make dishes and cook whatever is left independently with different flavors (e.g. sautéed zucchini with Provençal herbs, broccoli in Asian sauce, popcorn tofu, marinated tofu, etc.)

Little tip: Don't forget to plan your storage dishes, you need a little more when you cook each ingredient independently :)

5. Optimize your production

To optimize your production, here are some tips in bulk:

• Place the compost bin next to the cutting board.
• Place the box of vegetable scraps (which will be used for making broth) also next to the cutting board.
• First cut vegetables that don't leave any residue (e.g. carrots, zucchini) and then those that leave a little debris like broccoli.
• Cut the vegetables first, then the meat. This way, you don't need to rinse your cutting board between these two steps. If you do the opposite, you'll have to wash your board. The goal is to reduce the number of steps as much as possible.
• Take out all the containers in which you are going to put the cooked dishes and place them on your table, you will just have to pour your cooked dishes directly into them.
• Place what you'll use often next to your stove: oil, salt, pepper, spices, etc. This way, you avoid having to open your cabinet door every time, get it dirty, and move around. Everything is there, at your disposal.
• If you have a dishwasher, make sure it's empty so you can put what you no longer need directly in it. No need to go through the sink and then put it in the dishwasher ;)
• Have an apron to dry your hands quickly. It's crazy how many trips you can make between the stove and the sink! Avoid these trips and dry yourself on your apron!
• Look at the time you start and finish cleaning the entire kitchen. Seeing how long it takes for a whole week is really motivating and makes you want to be even more productive next time.

And you, what are your tips for optimal batch cooking?