Healthy Batch Cooking
Published: 10/16/2015
Pre-prepping food is the secret weapon to save time in the kitchen and make eating healthy food easy. You can make these foods ahead in a large batch so on busy weekdays your meals will be quick to fix since you've done most of the cooking in advance.
Pre-prep casseroles, stews, stir-fries and easy-to-assemble meals like quesadillas, tacos, burritos, pasta with sauce. Different cooking methods such as slow cooking, pressure cooking, Instapot or oven-roasting add variety as well.
Some ideas to start with:
- Make a large batch of spaghetti sauce.
- Make a large batch of whole grains to use during the week in soups, as a side, in salads or grain bowls.
- Make a big grain salad ahead of time.
- Marinate meats for broiling or grilling later in the week.
- Slice chicken, pork, or beef for stir-fries or slow-cooking stews. Use in the next four days or freeze to cook later.
- Roast a chicken or buy one at the deli and chop or shred for enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos or chicken tortilla soup. Use the carcass to make stock for soup.
- Roast a bunch of veggies to serve as a side dish, in scrambled eggs, omelets or frittatas, soups, salads or grain bowls
- Make a casserole a couple days ahead of time to pop in the oven 40 minutes before dinner time. This is one of my favorite Chicken Basil and Artichoke Baked Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta
- Have a list of easy to prep last minute recipes to make and keep ingredients on hand. Like these minimal cook ideas.
Hard-boiled eggs. Cook and refrigerate up to 7 days.
Dry beans. Cook and keep in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Chicken breasts. Grill, bake or broil chicken until 165°F. Keep in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
Brown rice. Cook according to package instructions. Keep in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Steel-cut oatmeal. In pot, combine 2 cups steel-cut oats with 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all water is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Keep in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months
Whole-wheat pasta. Cook pasta according to directions and drizzle with olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Roasted potatoes/sweet potatoes. Wash potatoes, cut into cubes or wedges and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet. Roast potatoes in a 450 degree oven until tender and edges start to brown, about 45 minutes. Flip once or twice during roasting. Keep in fridge for up to 4 days.
Roasted vegetables. Cut up an assortment of vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, onions, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, asparagus and butternut squash. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Roast vegetables in 350 degree oven until tender and edges start to brown, about 45 minutes. Flip once or twice during roasting. Keep in fridge for up to 4 days.
Categories: Food Healthy Behavior Change Weight Management
Tags: #healthylifestyle #mealplanning #menuplanning #recipes
Active Nutrition is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon. If you click on one of my recommended item links and then place an order through Amazon, I receive a small commission on that sale, at no extra expense to you of course. This is a way to support me and my work every time you shop at no cost to you.
