The kids heading back to school fills many parents with dread at the thought of having to rustle up home-cooked meals every night. Don't worry – The Batch Lady, aka food blogger Suzanne Mulholland, is here to help with her top tips for batch cooking meals, saving you both time and money.
TRY THESE: Healthy and easy recipes that will have kids rushing back to school
The mum-of-two, who has been branded the Mrs Hinch of cooking, prepares all her meals on a Sunday night and swears by simple freezer storage hacks to feed her family every week.
SNACK HAPPY: The best back to school lunchboxes for kids
The Batch Lady freezes all her meals for the week ahead
Scottish mum Suzanne, who lives on a remote farm near Selkirk with her husband and two children, saves time by cooking up to 10 meals in one hour using similar ingredients - and then storing them in flat bags in her freezer. Impressive!
BacoFoil Food & Freezer Double Seal Bags Medium, 76 bags, £11.99, Amazon
She told HELLO!: "I started The Batch Lady to save time. I don't like cooking for my family every night – the beauty of the method is you cook only on certain nights. If you just spend 20 minutes of your week meal planning, it'll save you hours!"
7-piece Reusable BPA-free Silicone Freezer Bag set, £24.99, Amazon
Read on to discover Suzanne's top tips…
The Batch Lady's freezer storage hacks & tricks:
Tip 1
Have a clear out. Go through your freezer and eat everything you can. Used as a proper machine, your freezer can save you a fortune! The more you store in it, the more efficient it is to run.
Suzanne's tips will save you time and money
Tip 2
Store like a pro. Ditch the plastic containers and buy some silicone or freezer bags and start storing your meals flat, just like books.
Zip Top Reusable Silicone Food Container Large (710ml), £16.99, Lakeland
They fit really well and you can get up to 16 meals in one drawer.
Tip 3
Be space-savvy.
20 Pack BPA-free Reusable Food Storage Bags, Amazon
With pizza and cake for example, it's easier to chop them into slices and freeze in a bag rather than in the cardboard boxes they come in.
Tip 4
Keep things organised. Sort your freezer into one drawer for pre-made meals, another for ice cream and then your frozen veg and meat.
The Batch Lady's store cupboard staples:
- Long-lasting baking potatoes that can sit in your store cupboard are great for every occasion
- Frozen fruit and frozen veg is perfect; you can use it for smoothies, side dishes, soup and it can sit in your freezer for months. People think it's better to buy fresh, but frozen is picked within 15 minutes and it's really good for you, whereas fresh fruit might have been hanging about for a long time
- Easy jars of pesto – both green and red. Use it with pasta, put it over the top of a salmon fillet or stuff it with cheese in a chicken breast
MORE BATCH LADY: Discover Suzanne Mulholland's introduction to batch cooking
Intrigued? Pick up The Batch Lady's second book, The Batch Lady Meal Planner on Amazon for just £7.
The Batch Lady Meal Planner, £7.02, Amazon
SHOP NOW
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.
