Batch cooking consists of preparing several culinary bases or complete meals in a single session for the following days. By dedicating 2 to 3 hours on the weekend, it becomes possible to cook quickly all week while maintaining a varied, balanced, and tasty diet. Ideal for families, busy individuals, and anyone looking to limit industrial meals. Session Duration Meals prepared Daily savings Weekend 2-3h 5 days 20-30 min/day ✅ The benefits of batch cooking Time savings — 20 to 30 minutes saved per meal during the week Reduced stress — no more panicking in front of an empty fridge at night Anti-waste — ingredients are used in their entirety. See our anti-waste guide Budget control — purchase planning, fewer impulsive purchases Varied menus — bases can be combined differently each day Fresh products — you cook more vegetables and seasonal produce 🛒 Preparing for your session Good organization is the key to successful batch cooking: Choose the week's recipes — 5 dinners + 5 lunches if necessary Check available ingredients — avoid duplicates Prepare a shopping list — organized by aisle Take out airtight containers — plan for different sizes Clear your countertop — a clear space = maximum efficiency Plan the cooking order — start with the longest items 👨🍳 CuisinerTelUnChef Chef Tip Start by preheating the oven and launching long cooking items (roast, roasted vegetables) first. Meanwhile, prepare vegetables and sauces on the stove. 🔪 Essential tools Chef's knife well-sharpened — for all cutting Large cutting board — stable work surface Mandoline — for quickly slicing vegetables into regular rounds Grater / zester — for grating cheese, ginger, zest Several airtight containers (refrigerator + freezer) Large Dutch oven and several pots Baking sheet for the oven 🥦 Bases to prepare Vegetables Prepare in advance: carrots, zucchini, broccoli, peppers, green beans, onions, leeks. They can be roasted, blanched, or steamed. Consult our vegetable cooking guide to choose the best technique for each vegetable. Starches Cook in quantity: rice, pasta, potatoes, quinoa, bulgur, lentils. They keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and form the basis of many meals. Proteins Prepare: roast chicken, meatballs, beef stew, baked fish, hard-boiled eggs, chickpeas. Sauces A few homemade sauces change everything: tomato sauce, pesto, vinaigrette, yogurt and herb sauce, béchamel. 👨🍳 CuisinerTelUnChef Chef Tip Always prepare more tomato sauce than necessary — it freezes perfectly and serves as a base for pasta, gratins, pizzas, or soups. A good homemade tomato sauce is the most versatile ingredient in batch cooking. 📅 5-day menu example Day Meal Bases used Monday Roast chicken, roasted vegetables, and rice Chicken + vegetables + rice Tuesday Quinoa salad, grilled vegetables, and feta Quinoa + vegetables Wednesday Shepherd's pie with leftover meat Meat + potatoes Thursday Pasta with tomato sauce and homemade meatballs Pasta + sauce + meatballs Friday Baked cod with homemade mashed potatoes and broccoli Fish + potatoes + vegetables 🧊 Storing preparations Preparation Refrigerator Freezer Cooked meats 3 days 3 months Cooked fish 2 days 2 months Cooked rice 3 days 2 months Cooked vegetables 3 to 4 days 3 months Soups and veloutés 4 days 3 months Homemade sauces 3 to 5 days 2 months Hard-boiled eggs 5 days Not recommended 👨🍳 CuisinerTelUnChef Chef Tip Always label your containers with the name of the dish and the date of preparation. Cool dishes down quickly before refrigerating (maximum 2 hours at room temperature). 🍽️ 15 meal ideas for your batch cooking 🍗 Chicken Basquaise — reheats perfectly 🥧 Quiche Lorraine — ideal cold or reheated 🍜 Pumpkin soup — freezes very well 🐟 Fish pie — fish + potato base 🥦 Vegetable curry — quick vegetarian version 🍝 Lasagna — freezes in portions 🥘 Vegetable gratin — vegetable + béchamel base 🍅 Provençal ratatouille — versatile and tasty 🍚 Chicken fried rice — quick with leftovers 🥚 Vegetable omelet — egg + vegetable base 🍲 Vegetable couscous — bulgur + vegetable base 🥣 Pasta salad — quick and portable 🥣 Rice salad — ideal for lunches 🍲 Chili con carne — freezes perfectly 🍲 Veal blanquette — even better the next day 💰 How to save money with batch cooking? Seasonal vegetables — cheaper and tastier. See our vegetable guide Large sizes — bulk rice, pasta, legumes Versatile ingredients — rice, potatoes, legumes, eggs Reuse leftovers — see our anti-waste guide Freeze portions — avoid wasting uneaten leftovers ❌ Errors to avoid ❌ Too large quantities — plan according to your storage capacity. ❌ Mixing foods with different shelf lives — store them separately. ❌ Not cooling before refrigerating — wait max 2 hours before putting in the fridge. ❌ Menus too similar — vary cuisines and flavors so you don't get bored. ❌ Forgetting to label — always note the name and date. ❌ Neglecting sauces — they transform the same bases into completely different meals. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions How much time is needed for batch cooking? On average, 2 to 3 hours are enough to prepare several meals for a week. With practice, you will become even more efficient. Can all dishes be frozen? Most cooked dishes freeze very well. Fresh salads and certain cream-based sauces require more caution. Consult our anti-waste guide for freezing tips. Is batch cooking economical? Yes. It allows for better purchase planning, full use of ingredients, and limiting last-minute shopping. Which foods should be prepared first? Vegetables, cereals, legumes, cooked meats, and sauces are excellent bases. Is batch cooking suitable for a family? Yes, it is one of the most effective methods to simplify family meals while maintaining a varied diet. Are special tools required? A good chef's knife, a mandoline, and airtight containers are enough to start effectively. 🛒 CuisinerTelUnChef tools for your Batch Cooking Our kitchen knives — for all quick cutting Our cutting boards — large stable work surface Our mandolines — for slicing vegetables in seconds Our graters — for grating cheese, ginger, and zest