Batch cooking will change your life. Never again will you have to ask yourself “What should I eat?” This lifesaver helps you figure out what you want to stuff your face with after your mundane work day. Now, you’ll have access to an all-inclusive buffet in the comfort of your own home… without all the costly extras.
Let’s Get Cooking Up in This Batch!
For those who aren’t familiar, batch cooking is when you cook a lot of food at one time. Basically, enough to feed the entire neighbourhood. Afterwards, you have a few options:
- Freeze food in its entirety (such as a casserole)
- Freeze individual portions (soup, leftovers, etc.)
- Slice and dice food in advance for later use
Don’t feel limited though; you can do this with baked goods, doughs, and breads as well. I’ve already covered that part in another handy dandy article.
The possibilities are endless, and so is your stomach! Feast like the king or queen that you are.
I highly recommend you clean out your freezer before doing this so you have more room for goodies.
A Few Tips to Get Started
Before we dive into the wonderful world of batch cooking, I’d like to cover some basic guidelines for an optimal experience.
Use Appropriate Storage
Airtight containers or Ziploc bags are most commonly used.
Keep a “Batch Inventory”
Write dates and descriptions on your freezer bags/containers or keep a log book. Do you really want to eat that fried rice from 2 years ago? It may be growing legs and a conscience by this point.
Don’t Freeze Stuff for an Eternity
I know that, technically, everything lasts indefinitely in the freezer. For your taste buds’ sake, though, try not to keep anything in there for too long. Keep in mind that the longer something is frozen, the more it loses its taste and texture. I personally aim to eat any frozen food within 2 weeks to a month.
Don’t Bend the Rules With Your Batch
As I said above, technically, anything can be thrown in the freezer, including your hopes and dreams. (Maybe defrost them in 2035?) For some things, however, you should not freeze. I have compiled a list which we will look at later on in this post.
Plan Ahead and Thaw Your Batch
Thaw your batch overnight in the fridge. It’s much easier and takes less time to heat up.
Maintain the Temp
Make sure your freezer is below 0°C and stays at a consistent temperature.
Don’t Fill Your Containers to the Brim
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Foods and liquids need room to expand, so don’t overpack. After all, I’m sure you don’t want a “leftover cocktail” of random leftovers living in your freezer.
What Can I Stick in There?
The answer is a lot, but unfortunately, not everything.
The following info I’ve complied over time through my own research and experiences. While I have strived to cover the most common items, I apologize in advance if I missed anything. You’re more than welcome to contact me so I can add it to the list, or you can tell me about your own experiences, successes, etc.
Please note that experience and results may vary. If you’re unsure, you can always freeze a small “test batch” and see what happens.
Ice, Ice, Baby! The Yes List for Batch Cooking
The side everyone wants to be on. The ultimate yes list. Freeze to your heart’s content. You shouldn’t experience any problems freezing and thawing these batches.
In case you missed it up above, I did cover baked goods in a separate article.
Proceed With Caution – Batch Cooking
Freezing and thawing can sometimes mess with your textures. No one likes a pile of mushy food. If you don’t feel like taking a chance, then just stick to the yes list.
Things like cream cheese and sour cream are ok to freeze if you’re only using them for baking afterwards, for example. I also recommend that you slightly undercook any rice, pasta, etc. I’ve personally never had any issues with freezing rice and pasta, but it came up on a lot of “no” lists while I was researching.
The Danger Zone! Do Not Attempt!
Don’t. Just don’t.
What Can I Batch Cook? – Recipes and Ideas
As I’ve stated before, the possibilities are truly endless! The most common batch cooking is usually soups, stews, casseroles, and any other easy dinner favourites. I’m personally hooked on making casseroles. They’re quick and easy and require you to wash fewer dishes.
You definitely can’t run out of ideas if you have 150 different meals to choose from. There’s something for everyone, including picky eaters.
Maybe you have a cookie craving but don’t want to settle for a shitty bag of store-bought ones? Time to bake some cookies to freeze and thaw when the cravings hit.
Craving something sweet that’s not cookies? There’s plenty of other options for you.
I hope these links and various recipes will satisfy your tastebuds until we can get some recipes up and running on the site. I appreciate your patience.
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