Batch Cooking - Prep Day

Batch cooking, i.e. preparing ingredients and individual basics in larger quantities for the whole week, can make your life a lot easier. I often divide it into 4 major areas: cutting, cooking, mixing and baking in the oven. For me, these are all basic elements of cooking. If you imagine turning the oven on every day and roasting vegetables or bread once instead of preparing these basics once a week, you will save so much time and energy. The same applies to cutting vegetables, of course - instead of starting from scratch every day, cut everything in one go and store it. For a long time I thought it was too simple, but for me personally it is the key to combining my passion for cooking with everyday family life and work. Cooking is pure joy for me.

An efficient preparation day, also known as a "prep day", allows you to eat stress-free and healthy without spending hours in the kitchen. In this blog post, I will show you step by step how to make the most of your prep day. You can find out everything you need to know about batch cooking in this post .

The preparation

Planning and Shopping

The key to successful batch cooking is good planning. Start your prep day by planning the week, making shopping lists and preparing all the ingredients you need. You can download our shopping list as a document here . We have also prepared a blank shopping list for future weeks that you can use.

The right tools and storage tips

For a smooth batch cooking experience, you need the right tools and storage options. Here are some examples:

• Oleni Mason Jars: Our airtight glass containers are perfect for storing your prepared ingredients. Use the 0.3 liter jars for chopped herbs such as parsley, mint and basil, the 0.5 liter jars for sliced ​​onions, the 0.75 liter jars for vegetables and mushrooms and the 1 liter jars for larger quantities such as zucchini or carrots. The small mini jars are great for smaller quantities and toppings such as nuts or sesame seeds.

• Ripple Mason Jars: The Ripple Mason Jars are ideal for storing herbs. Use the 0.25 liter jars for your finely chopped herbs to preserve their freshness. The 0.4 liter and 0.6 liter jars are great for storing sauces or dressings. You can also put them directly on the table in the jar and they are a real eye-catcher at the same time.

• Lid: All of our Mason Jars come with a two-part lid that seals the jars 100% airtight . This keeps your prepared ingredients optimally fresh.

By using these special jars and following our sample sizes, you will be able to store your prepared ingredients optimally, keeping everything fresh and organized for a stress-free week of delicious meals.

Batch Cooking - Preparation

Now it's time to go into the kitchen and prepare your ingredients. This way you can quickly whip up healthy meals during the week:

1. Cutting

Now it's time to cut the ingredients. Here is a list of ingredients you should prepare:

• Cut herbs and fill them into a glass:
  • Parsley
  • mint
  • basil

• Zucchini:
• 3 zucchini cut for the oven
• 1 zucchini cut into strips for the veggie pancakes

• Sweet potato:
  • Grate or cut into strips (with our 4-in-1 Multistyler)

• Carrots:
  • Grate or cut into strips (with our 4-in-1 Multistyler)

• Chop nuts (for pasta and salad):
  • almonds

• Cutting onions:
  • Cut 1.5 onions (and pickle)

• Spring onions:
  • cutting rings

• Peel garlic:
  • Peel 1-2 tubers

• Dried apricots:
  • halve

• Red onions:
  • cut

• Mushrooms:
  • Cut all mushrooms

• Cutting bread:
  • cutting cubes
  • Roast 2 slices

• tomatoes:
  • Cut 3-4 tomatoes

2. Mixing

For some dishes you have to mix ingredients:

• Roasted Garlic:
  • After roasting, puree it with oil to make a delicious sauce.

• Burratta Cream:
  • Puree 4 burrata balls, 1-2 teaspoons of heavy cream and 1/2 tablespoon of salt in a blender. Blend until the burrata breaks down and increases in volume. But be careful not to blend for too long, otherwise it can become lumpy. Season the dip with salt and pepper and pour it into the glass. 

• Hummus:
  • Rinse 2 cans of chickpeas (400g) and drain.
  • Place the drained chickpeas in a blender.
  • Add 125 g white tahini, 3 cloves of garlic, juice of 1 lemon and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  • Mix everything until it forms a creamy mixture. You can add a little water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.

3. Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven and prepare it for the following dishes:

• Roast the bread cubes in the oven with a little oil (note: remove from the oven after about 15 minutes before adding the other ingredients)

• Roast sliced ​​zucchini in the oven (approx. 30 min)

• Garlic : Cut 1 garlic in half and place it in the oven. You will need the roasted garlic later when pureeing.

4. Miscellaneous

• Lemon juice : Squeeze the juice from 2 lemons and keep it in a glass.

With these prepared ingredients and clear steps for your prep day, you'll be able to prepare delicious and healthy meals in no time. Batch cooking not only saves time, but also allows you to have better control over your diet. Enjoy your stress-free week and the delicious meals you've prepared!

If you are looking for more tips or recipes for batch cooking, please take a look around our website. Happy Cooking!