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Ultimate Guide to Batch Cooking and Meal Prep in 2026

Batch cooking and meal prep have become essential strategies for busy home cooks who want to eat well without spending hours in the kitchen every day. Whether you're looking to save time, reduce food waste, or stick to a specific diet, this guide will help you master the art of cooking smarter.

The secret weapon: Use Drizzlelemons to grab any recipe from any website, scale it for batch cooking, and keep measurements visible throughout the cooking process — no more scrolling back and forth.

What Is Batch Cooking?

Batch cooking means preparing larger quantities of food at once to use throughout the week. Instead of cooking every meal from scratch, you dedicate a few hours (usually on a Sunday) to cooking multiple dishes that can be stored, reheated, or assembled into complete meals later.

This differs from traditional meal prep, which often focuses on portioning individual meals into containers. Batch cooking is more flexible — you cook components that can be mixed and matched throughout the week.

Benefits of Batch Cooking and Meal Prep

  • Save time — Cook once, eat multiple times throughout the week
  • Reduce food waste — Plan your ingredients and use everything you buy
  • Eat healthier — When healthy food is ready to go, you're less likely to order takeaway
  • Save money — Buying ingredients in bulk and cooking at home is significantly cheaper
  • Less daily stress — No more "what's for dinner?" panic at 6pm
  • Easier portion control — Pre-portioned meals help with diet goals

Essential Batch Cooking Strategies

1. Choose Recipes That Scale Well

Not all recipes are ideal for batch cooking. Focus on dishes that:

  • Reheat well (curries, stews, soups, casseroles)
  • Store in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze well
  • Can be easily scaled up without losing quality
  • Use similar base ingredients (reducing shopping complexity)

Pro tip: When you find a great recipe online, use Drizzlelemons to save it ad-free and adjust the serving size for batch cooking.

2. Cook Base Components, Not Just Complete Meals

Instead of making five different complete dishes, cook flexible components:

  • Proteins: Grilled chicken, pulled pork, cooked mince, baked salmon
  • Grains: Rice, quinoa, pasta, couscous
  • Roasted vegetables: Sweet potato, broccoli, peppers, courgette
  • Sauces: Tomato sauce, pesto, curry sauce, chimichurri
  • Legumes: Cooked lentils, chickpeas, black beans

These components can be combined in different ways: chicken with rice and roasted veg on Monday, then the same chicken in a wrap with different sauce on Wednesday.

3. Use Your Freezer Strategically

Your freezer is your best friend for batch cooking. Foods that freeze exceptionally well:

  • Soups and stews (portion into containers before freezing)
  • Curries (without potato, which can go mushy)
  • Bolognese and meat sauces
  • Cooked grains (freeze in portions for quick defrosting)
  • Marinated raw proteins (freeze in marinade, defrost when needed)
  • Burritos and wraps (wrap individually in foil)

Best Recipes for Batch Cooking

Here are recipe categories that work brilliantly for batch cooking — find any of these online and use Drizzlelemons to save them ad-free:

High-Protein Meal Prep

  • Greek chicken with lemon and oregano
  • Teriyaki salmon with sesame
  • Turkey meatballs in marinara
  • Slow cooker pulled chicken
  • Beef and broccoli stir-fry base

Vegetarian and Vegan Batch Cooking

  • Chickpea curry (chana masala)
  • Lentil bolognese
  • Black bean soup
  • Vegetable stir-fry with tofu
  • Roasted vegetable Buddha bowls

Tip: Found a great meat recipe but eating plant-based? Use Drizzlelemons' AI to convert any recipe to vegan or vegetarian automatically.

Low-Carb and Keto Meal Prep

  • Cauliflower rice base for various dishes
  • Egg muffins with vegetables
  • Zucchini lasagna
  • Greek salad components
  • Grilled chicken with pesto and vegetables

Your Weekly Batch Cooking Schedule

Here's a simple framework for batch cooking success:

Friday or Saturday: Plan

  • Decide what you'll eat next week
  • Find recipes online and save them to Drizzlelemons
  • Scale recipes to the quantities you need
  • Create your shopping list from the combined ingredients

Saturday: Shop

  • Buy all ingredients in one trip
  • Check what you already have to avoid waste
  • Buy proteins in bulk when on sale

Sunday: Batch Cook (2-3 hours)

  • Start with items that take longest (roasts, slow cooker dishes)
  • While those cook, prep vegetables and make sauces
  • Cook grains and legumes
  • Portion and store everything properly

Tools That Make Batch Cooking Easier

  • Drizzlelemons — Save any recipe ad-free, scale for batch cooking, convert to any diet, and keep measurements visible while cooking
  • Good storage containers — Glass containers for fridge storage, freezer-safe containers for longer storage
  • Slow cooker or Instant Pot — Set it and forget it while you prep other dishes
  • Large sheet pans — Roast multiple vegetables at once
  • Food processor — Speed up chopping and prep work
  • Labels and markers — Date everything you freeze

Common Batch Cooking Mistakes to Avoid

  • Cooking too much variety — Start with 3-4 dishes, not 10
  • Not adjusting recipes properly — Use a tool like Drizzlelemons to scale accurately
  • Forgetting to label containers — You won't remember what that frozen block is in 3 weeks
  • Overfilling containers — Leave space for expansion when freezing
  • Not cooling food properly — Let food cool before refrigerating to avoid raising fridge temperature
  • Being too rigid — Build in flexibility; not every meal needs to be pre-planned

Getting Started Today

Ready to start batch cooking? Here's your action plan:

  1. Pick 3 recipes you want to try this week — find them on any recipe site
  2. Save them to Drizzlelemons — remove the ads and scale for your needs
  3. Make your shopping list from the combined ingredients
  4. Block out 2-3 hours on Sunday for your batch cooking session
  5. Cook, portion, and store — you're set for the week!

With the right recipes and tools, batch cooking becomes second nature. Stop scrolling through ad-filled recipe sites — use Drizzlelemons to build your personal collection of batch-cooking favourites and cook smarter, not harder.

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