By Richmond Natural Medicine

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September 18, 2018

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The purpose of batch cooking is to categorize your recipes for the week, get familiar with their ingredients and maximize your time to have several prepared meals throughout the week.

It’s precisely this time of year when calendars start to fill up with traveling, hosting, after school productions, work parties and gift shopping when most of us “fall off the wagon” with general dietary habits. But not to worry! With a little forethought and 1-3 hours each week, you can batch cook several meals that can tide you through even the busiest weeks, and keep you feeling nourished and on track with your nutrition goals. 

Tips for staying on top of your batch cooking game over the holidays.

1. Look at your calendar 1 week ahead. How many nights / mornings / lunches are you going to need a quick, healthy meal? This is how many meals you’ll need to prep.
2. Pick out 1-3 meals that you’d like to have for the upcoming week, whether it’s a breakfast, lunch or dinner.
3. Review your recipes for these meals, and on a weekend gather all of the ingredients.
4. Set aside 1-3 hours on a weekend or free afternoon to batch prep these meals all at the same time.
5. If any require time in the oven, you can cook them at the same time, to save time.
6. If any have overlapping ingredients, you can prep them at the same time to save time.
7. Store in glass containers for up to 1 week for quick meals on busy nights
8. If you’re hosting meals – prep your ingredients to make the night of cooking go more smoothly. Pre-chop and prep veggies, mix batters ahead of time, marinate 1-2 days in advance if needed, and make side dishes early if applicable.

Favorite batch cooking staples:

• Veggies : Kale salad, roasted root vegetables, butternut squashes, seasonal salads.
• Whole grains: Pots of quinoa, barley, brown rice or cous cous to add to meals
• Proteins: Whole chickens, basil marinated tofu, hard boiled eggs, nut butter balls.
• Crock pot meals, soups, stews and one pots: Chili, chicken soup, Kitchari.

Batch cooking does take a bit of time to plan, and some forethought to create. Even if you don’t have anything on your schedule for the week, it’s always a good idea to have at least one batch cooked meal or portion of a meal (like a veggie, a protein or a whole grain) prepared for when unexpected events come up and you need a healthy meal / addition to a meal in a rush. The biggest reason for holiday weight gain, digestive upset and feelings of dietary guilt stem directly from our diets being out of whack for weeks at a time. But with even minimal planning and 1-3 hours a week of prep, you can take back control of your weekly meals, and keep your body feeling nourished and strong through the end of the year!

If you need individual guidance and support to keep your nutrition plan on track for the holiday season, consider an appointment with one of our practitioners.  Contact our office at (804) 977-2634 to learn more!