Lesson 2: Batch Cooking & Meal Prep for Busy Schedules

Why Batch Cooking is Essential for Plant Diversity

Batch cooking is all about preparing ingredients or meals in bulk so you have ready-to-eat options throughout the week. It’s a game-changer, especially when you’re trying to add more plants to your diet.

For Emily, batch cooking means having a fridge full of pre-prepared ingredients, like roasted vegetables, cooked grains, and chopped salad toppings. This way, when she comes home after a long day, she can put together a healthy, plant-rich meal in minutes instead of reaching for takeout.

Step-by-Step Guide to Batch Cooking & Meal Prep

1. Choose a Batch Cooking Day

• Pick one day to dedicate 1-2 hours to batch cooking for the week. Sundays often work well, but choose a day that suits your schedule.

• For Emily, Sunday mornings are a good time to batch-cook while her kids are occupied with weekend activities.

2. Select Base Ingredients for Batch Cooking

• Start by selecting a few key ingredients that can be used in multiple meals. This ensures variety while also simplifying prep.

• Here’s a list of base ingredients to batch-cook:

1. Whole Grains: Cook a big pot of quinoa, brown rice, or farro.

2. Legumes: Boil or pressure-cook lentils, chickpeas, or black beans.

3. Roasted Vegetables: Roast a tray of mixed veggies like sweet potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, and zucchini.

4. Leafy Greens: Wash and chop greens like spinach, kale, or arugula for quick salads or stir-fries.

• These base ingredients can be combined in different ways throughout the week to create a variety of meals.

3. Set Up an Efficient Batch Cooking Station

• Before you start cooking, set up your workspace:

• Gather all ingredients you’ll need for batch cooking.

• Use multiple pans or pots to cook multiple ingredients simultaneously.

• Prep while you cook—while the vegetables are roasting, you can boil grains or rinse beans.

• This approach saves time, making the most of the 1-2 hours you’ve dedicated to batch cooking.

4. Prepare Ingredients for Quick Assembly

• Once your base ingredients are ready, divide them into storage containers:

• Grains & Legumes: Store cooked grains and legumes in separate containers. They can be reheated quickly and added to salads, wraps, or bowls.

• Roasted Veggies: Store mixed roasted vegetables in containers for easy sides, stir-fries, or wraps.

• Raw Veggies & Greens: Keep pre-chopped raw veggies in containers for salads, and store washed greens in airtight containers with a damp paper towel to keep them fresh longer.

• For Emily, this means having everything she needs to assemble meals in 5-10 minutes.

5. Create Mix-and-Match Meal Combinations

• Now that you have your ingredients prepped, here’s how you can mix and match them throughout the week:

• Breakfast:

• Add roasted sweet potatoes and spinach to a scrambled egg breakfast.

• Use pre-cooked quinoa in a breakfast bowl with almond milk, banana slices, and chia seeds.

• Lunch:

• Combine mixed greens, chickpeas, roasted peppers, and a vinaigrette for a quick salad.

• Make a wrap with cooked lentils, roasted veggies, and hummus.

• Dinner:

• Stir-fry pre-cooked brown rice with broccoli, tofu, and tamari.

• Make a bowl with quinoa, black beans, shredded lettuce, avocado, and salsa.

• By preparing ingredients in bulk, Emily can easily assemble these meals in less than 15 minutes.

Real-World Example: Emily’s Batch Cooking Session

On Sunday morning, Emily sets up her kitchen for batch cooking. She starts by rinsing and boiling a pot of quinoa. While the quinoa is cooking, she preps a tray of vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper and puts them in the oven to roast.

Next, she opens a can of chickpeas, rinses them, and sets them aside for salads and wraps. She also washes and chops a head of romaine lettuce, placing it in an airtight container.

By the end of her batch cooking session, Emily has:

• 3 cups of cooked quinoa

• 2 trays of roasted vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini)

• 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and ready

• Washed and chopped romaine lettuce

Now, she has the foundation for a week of diverse, plant-rich meals.

Batch Cooking Tips for Busy Schedules

1. Use Frozen Vegetables: They’re just as nutritious as fresh and don’t require chopping. Just steam or sauté, and they’re ready to go.

2. Make Double Batches: If you’re cooking grains or legumes, make extra and freeze half for future weeks.

3. Store Smart: Use clear containers to store ingredients, so you can see what’s inside at a glance.

Key Takeaways

Learning Activity

To help reinforce this lesson:

1. Pick a day this week for a batch-cooking session. Set aside 1-2 hours to prepare 3-4 base ingredients for the week.

2. Plan two mix-and-match meals using your batch-cooked ingredients. Write down how you’ll combine them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

3. Share your batch-cooking success in the course community or journal about how it made your week easier.