Batch Cooking Ideas {Family Recipes You’ll Love}

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Putting aside some time to get batch cooking and filling your freezer is a perfect future time-and-sanity saver when it comes to feeding your family.

This collection of batch cooking ideas is filled with recipes that are ideal for busy weeks, if you’re a new parent or just someone who is juggling. You will thank your future self for a little dedicated time in the kitchen when you’re reaping the rewards on a hectic weeknight!

Lots of recipes for Batch Cooking ideas to help you cook ahead of time.

Struggling to find the brain space and time to think of dinner during the week?

Me too!

Over the years I’ve realised that if I can keep even just a handful of precooked homemade meals ready (either in the freezer or the fridge), it makes my week so much calmer.

Why batch cook?

Batch cooking is actually a form of self care in these busy times we live it!

I mostly do this by doubling up a recipe a couple of times a week when I cook dinner, or putting aside a quiet day when I can load up on ingredients and spend a blissful few hours in the kitchen.

Want to get ideas for dinner next week? Try out my Weekly Meal Plans, which come with a free detailed shopping list.

Batch cooking tips

➡️ FREEZER SPACE: Try to clear some space in your freezer before you cook to make sure there’s room for everything as you don’t want anything going to waste.

That said, if you don’t have freezer space, it’s still worth batch cooking for later in the week, as long as you store things well in the fridge. You can always eat a different version of the same meal, for example.

➡️ FOOD HYGIENE: Read this advice from the Food Standards Agency about freezing food if you’re unsure. Basically, if you have defrosted meat or fish, then cooked it, it’s fine to refreeze again once. However, you shouldn’t refreeze it again raw.

➡️ STORAGE: Which container you should use depends on the size and style of your batch cook. I try to stay away from single use plastic where possible but it can be very tricky!

For foil trays I use these disposable ones, which are great for pies and lasagnes etc. You could also use plastic containers with lids or heavy duty food bags like these, which I really recommend.

BATCH COOKING IDEAS ON A BUDGET

You will find that almost all of my recipes are made with budget and convenience in mind. I don’t focus too much on authenticity or the long way around a recipe. It’s all about what tastes good, what is healthy, what is quick and how can we keep costs down.

Batch cooking ideas for beginners

Don’t worry if you’re not an accomplished cook! My recipes are easy-to-follow and are not overly complicated.

Below you will find a huge variety of dishes, from curries to soups, stews to pies, breakfast muffins to gravy and much more! There is a good selection of vegetarian options too.

Notes on these batch cooking recipe

⭐️ All of the recipes below link to the respective recipe pages, which include portion sizes, nutrition and information for each meal.

⭐️ I always like to include some soup recipes in my freezer filling as these make a really quick shortcut meal when we are late home.

⭐️All of the portion sizes are for adult portions. If you’re feeding children they will obviously make even more.

⭐️ If you’d like to get ahead but don’t have the time to batch cook, you could try using my Dump Bag method instead. This is when you put the ingredients into a food bag and freeze them, meaning all you have to do is defrost it and add everything to your slow cooker on the day!

Here are the batch cooking recipes:

A close look at a pan filled with pulled pork in a slow cooker.

4.88 from 65 votes

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork {ULTIMATE recipe!}

This Slow Cooked Pulled Pork can be made in the oven or slow cooker, resulting in deliciously tender, shredded meat with a delicate BBQ sauce. It’s an easy but impressive crowd pleaser of a dish.

Batch Cooking Ideas {Family Recipes You’ll Love}

Why batch cook?

Batch cooking tips

BATCH COOKING IDEAS ON A BUDGET

Batch cooking ideas for beginners

Notes on these batch cooking recipe

Here are the batch cooking recipes:

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork {ULTIMATE recipe!}

Easy Chicken Curry {Quick & Healthy}

Easy Spaghetti Bolognese {with Hidden Vegetables!}

Shepherd’s Pie {Easiest Ever Recipe}

Easy Chicken Pie {with Bacon & Puff Pastry}

Meal Prep Breakfast Muffins

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala {SO EASY!}

Chilli Con Carne {Easiest Ever Recipe}

Sweet and Sour Chicken {Slow Cooker Fakeaways}

Sticky Beef Mince Stir Fry

Slow Cooker Lamb Curry {Easiest EVER Recipe!}

Slow Cooker Beef Stew {with Rich Gravy}

Keema Curry {Easy Beef Mince Recipe!}

Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole {EASY recipe!}

Steak Pie {Easiest EVER Recipe!}

Easy Fish Pie

Slow Cooker Beef Curry

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken {with Sticky Sauce}

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole {with Crispy Bacon}

Easy Teriyaki Chicken {with Sticky Sauce}

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry – easiest EVER recipe

Beef and Guinness Stew

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Sweet Potato Cottage Pie

Easy Lamb Keema Curry

Slow Cooker Gravy {Make Ahead}

Vegetarian batch cook recipes:

Easy Courgette Fritters {with Feta Cheese}

Vegetarian Cottage Pie

Easy Tomato Soup {Storecupboard Ingredients}

Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup {Easy 20 Minute Recipe}

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

Cheesy Vegetarian Pie {with Puff Pastry}

Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Vegan Stew {Slow Cooker Recipe}

Vegetarian Moussaka

Easy Courgette Soup {with Parmesan}

Courgette Lasagne {with Double Cheese Topping}

Easy Butternut Squash Curry {Ready in 30 Minutes}

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