If your feed is anything like mine, it will have recently been swamped with batch cooking: what to make, the pros and cons of it, how cheap it is, and the like. But is batch cooking really worth it, and is it really saving us time and money in the long run?
Content creators like “Mob” and “Beat the Budget” have gained a lot of popularity for their meal prep content, with some creators gaining several million followers, and rightly so. Meal prepping is a perfect way to stay within your budget – a challenge which, as students, we know all too well. This is because you can buy food in bulk, and then, once cooked, have access to meals that are easy to eat, whenever you want.
Of course, the risks of meal prepping are well known. Friends have said that they are worried about food going off, or becoming unsafe to eat if not properly reheated. Indeed, it is super important to remember food hygiene when meal prepping. That being said, all university kitchens come with microwaves and ovens, so reheating food is possible where necessary.
Others have spoken about how batch cooking can limit their spontaneity during the week, as they have to eat their food before it goes off. However, I would counter this point by encouraging those who batch cook to make use of their freezers. This means my meals can last longer and I can eat what I fancy when I want it. Freezing quickly becomes a win-win situation!
Meal prepping is also a far healthier option than ready-meals or takeaways, therefore for busy students cooking for themselves for the first time, it is an invaluable way to make sure we’re staying healthy and eating a variety of foods, whilst keeping up with uni life.
Overall, I’d say batch cooking is an invaluable way to stay healthy and within budget at uni. It can also let you practice cooking more complicated dishes that you can enjoy several days in a row! Really there are very few downsides. Personally, I hope the best meal-prep dishes continue to dominate my feed, because as this semester gets busier, I will want to keep eating healthily, whilst also enjoying what I eat.
Photo by Kate Trifo on Unsplash