to think batch cooking is a bit soulless?

I batch cook curries and stews and freeze them in foil takeaway containers. They don’t look sad or feel soulless, just a good home cooked meal without the faff of making it!

I honestly can’t see what’s ‘sad’ about plastic boxes in the freezer, labelled with whatever it is. I just think ‘Hooray, that’s dinner sorted.’

I need to do this!

When you cook every night, you get more variety and fresher food but it's also more work and some times not practical if you are stretched for time, or unable to cook easily because of toddler pulling at your legs.

I batch cook out of necessity because I am overwhelmed by my workload, more than anything else.

I think you can choose meals that freeze well and also do partial batch cooking, so maybe you batch cook a lasagne but cook the veg fresh and this makes it better.

Both me and ds really don't enjoy frozen meals that were cooked before. They never taste as good.

@WarriorN What a great idea. Would you mind sharing your recipes?

Don't batch cook then

I use glass Tupperware that looks really nice and this is less sad than using plastic pots in my opinion. We also freeze dinners to ensure we spread a batch cook out over the month so we’re not having the same everyday.

It is less of an exciting dinner though and nothing beats having something freshly made!

My problem is finding things that freeze well. I find veggie dishes or anything in a creamy sauce is a no no, so that leaves me with minced beef based dishes. Any ideas are appreciated?

I’d love to have the time and mental energy to cook dinner on a whim, swan around a farmers’ market to see what catches my eye and fill my cupboards with interesting ingredients only used once.
Unfortunately that’s not real life.

Batch cooking (or freezing leftovers) is a way of dealing with a busy schedule when full-on cooking at the end of a day would tip me into stress mode.
Weekly meal planning, ditto.
Fortnightly stock-up, same.
I can then cook creatively when it suits ME.

No tubs here, just freezer bags or clip-lidded Pyrex. Indelible tomato and curry stains microwaved into plastic MUST be bad for you…

I don’t consciously batch cook & I do kind of see where you’re coming from
OP, but when I cook dinner I make enough for all of us whether or not we are all around to eat at that time, so there’s generally a meal in fridge ready for someone the next day, saving on a bit of cooking then.
I do love leftovers though and the convenience of bring able to open the fridge and have something homemade the next day as an easy lunch when working.

Seeing food in the pots does bring me joy!

It's the joy of knowing I can have a lovely meal without having to spend six times as long making it as it does to eat it (well OK it takes time initially but not compared to cooking it from scratch each time you want that meal).

I’m in the routine of cooking a range of vegan curries with loads of different flavours. I’ll do 6-8 meals for two out of one curry. 3-4 batches then lasts about 6-8 weeks as we have them 3 days a week. Dh and I have these on not much time days while I cook the kids something else.

each child now likes a different curry so can have some with us. We add meat to them as we go - I don’t but dh and eldest do.

we add fresh herbs and spinach etc so it’s doesn’t feel any different to a fresh cooked meal

Aww, it’s iCod!

I suddenly have the urge to sling a dress over some bootcut jeans and party like it’s 2005 😀

Yes, all the oh-so-nonchalant bunging and chucking,... Makes it sound like the batch cooking Olympics. Much as I love my slow cooker.

Like self made ready meals. Wouldn't work for me, if I actually bother to cook something, I never feel like eating it. Odd.

I always cook extra if doing curry/chilli/bolagnaise/cottage pie/ stew or casserole for my husband to freeze, I don’t eat reheated food though, but it’s ideal for him when I’m at work on his days off

I have nice glass containers for my meal prep. They are oven and dishwasher proof - so say, I heat up lasagna in it, it gives it a nice golden crust on top. There nothing sad about them or the food that’s kept in.

A friend at work does it and I feel she does it with love. While a couple of days a week my family get something ina box out of the freezer, hers her delicious home cooked meals and she brings in a home cooked lunch which smells amazing every day.

For those who don't batch cook/haven't tried, what about doubling up the quantity of one meal (that you actually like!) you cook. Then you can stash the extra portions in the freezer for when you're too knackered to cook. Maybe do it once a week. It means you have something to hand for the future.

I'm about to head off to work (and I won't be finishing work until 8pm, if I'm lucky). I'm taking my breakfast and lunch with me. Breakfast is overnight oats with some fresh fruit. Lunch is a thai chicken and veg curry with freekeh (instead of rice) that I got out of the freezer. Buying food at work would set me back £5-10 each day. For me/my family, it's a no brainer. :)

You making a huge amount of an untested recipe that you ended up not liking, isn’t a decent argument against batch cooking! Make something nice that you can cook, that doesn’t come to any harm in the freezer.