Batch Cooking: Cook Once, Eat All Week
Batch cooking is the single most effective strategy for cutting your food bill without sacrificing nutrition. Spend 2–3 hours on a Sunday and eat well for half the week with zero extra effort.
Why batch cooking saves money
- Reduces food waste — pre-planned meals mean ingredients get used before they spoil
- Eliminates impulse buys and takeaway — if dinner is already in the fridge, you won't spend $20 on UberEats
- Bulk buying — buying 2 kg of lentils or a whole bag of oats is dramatically cheaper per kilogram
- Energy efficiency — one big pot of soup uses barely more gas/electricity than a small one
The core batch-cook formula
Build each session around these three components:
1. A protein base (cook in bulk, use 3 ways)
- Whole roast chicken (~$6) → dinner night 1, sandwiches day 2, soup day 3
- 2 kg beef or kangaroo mince (~$15) → bolognese, tacos, rissoles or burger patties
- 1 kg dried lentils (~$3) → soup, salad, dahl, mince extender
2. A grain or starchy base
- Big pot of brown rice or pasta — serve as sides, in salads, or fried rice
- Baked sweet potatoes — eat as sides or mash into breakfast bowls
- Oat-based muffins or energy balls for snacks
3. Roasted or blanched vegetables
- Two trays of mixed vegetables (frozen is fine) — use in wraps, pasta, rice dishes
- A bag of frozen spinach cooked down — stir into anything for added iron and folate
Freezer-friendly meals
These freeze perfectly and last 2–3 months:
| Meal | Portions per batch | Cost per serve |
|---|---|---|
| Red lentil soup | 8–10 serves | ~$0.80 |
| Beef/kangaroo bolognese | 8 serves | ~$1.50 |
| Chicken and vegetable casserole | 6 serves | ~$2.00 |
| Dahl (lentil curry) | 8 serves | ~$0.90 |
| Bean and beef chilli | 8 serves | ~$1.40 |
| Egg muffins (baked) | 12 pieces | ~$0.40 each |
A realistic 2-hour Sunday session
- 0:00 — Put whole chicken in oven (200°C, 1.5 hrs)
- 0:10 — Start large pot of lentil soup on the stove
- 0:20 — Cook a big pot of rice or pasta
- 0:30 — Roast two trays of mixed vegetables (frozen is fine)
- 1:00 — Brown 1 kg mince; portion half for bolognese, half for tacos
- 1:30 — Chicken comes out; shred and portion into 3 containers
- 2:00 — Package everything into labelled containers; freeze what won't be eaten by Wednesday
📦 Container tip
Label containers with the date and contents. Use a permanent marker on masking tape. Freeze meals flat in zip-lock bags to save space — they thaw faster too. A set of glass containers lasts years and avoids plastic leaching into food.
What doesn't freeze well
- Salads and raw vegetables — make fresh
- Cooked potato (goes watery) — sweet potato is fine though
- Dairy-based sauces (cream, béchamel) — can separate; add dairy fresh when reheating
- Boiled eggs — the whites go rubbery
Plan your batch cook session
Our app generates a shopping list for a full week of meals for your family — optimised to minimise waste and maximise batch-cooking opportunities.
Build your weekly plan →