Dinner Meal Prep: Cook Once, Eat All Week

Dinner meal prep requires a different approach to lunch prep. While lunches are often eaten in the same environment daily, dinners need more variety to remain satisfying. The solution is batch cooking versatile bases that can be quickly transformed into different meals throughout the week.

The three best batch dinner approaches: First, the "big batch" method - cook one large meal like a bolognese, curry, or chilli in a large pot (30% larger than needed) and refrigerate or freeze portions for later in the week. A 3kg batch of beef bolognese provides 8 generous serves. Second, component cooking - batch cook individual components (grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, cooked grains) that can be assembled into different meals each night. Monday might be a Buddha bowl, Tuesday a stir fry with the same chicken and vegetables. Third, sheet pan meals - spread different proteins and vegetables on separate sheet pans, roast simultaneously, and portion for multiple nights.

Best batch dinner recipes for Australians: slow cooker beef stew (throw ingredients in the morning, eat that night and two more), Thai green curry with chicken (freezes excellently), sheet pan chicken thighs with seasonal vegetables, lentil and vegetable soup (high protein, very cost-effective). Always cook more than needed when making any dinner. The extra 10-15 minutes to double a recipe gives you 2-3 extra meals that week.