An hour or two on Sunday can cover most of the week’s cooking. The trick isn’t making seven finished meals; it’s cooking a few things that hold well and finish fast. Here is how we’d do it.
Pick one slow thing and one fast thing
Start something that cooks on its own, like a chuck roast or pulled pork in the slow cooker. While it cooks, make something quick that keeps for days: a pork and egg bake for breakfasts, or a tray of meatballs.
What keeps well, and for how long
| Cooked food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Roasts, pulled and shredded meat | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Meatballs and patties | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Cooked chicken pieces | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 6 months |
| Egg bakes and egg cups | 3 to 4 days | 2 months |
| Hard-boiled eggs | 1 week | Not recommended |
Store it so it reheats well
- Keep shredded meat in a little of its cooking juice so it doesn’t dry out.
- Freeze in single portions, flat in bags, so they thaw quickly.
- Label everything with what it is and the date.
- Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
Cook the fast things fresh
Steaks, chops, fish and fried eggs take ten minutes and are much better freshly cooked, so leave those for the evening. A week from the meal planner with a 30-minute time limit gives you a good mix: set it to two meals a day, then batch the slower recipes on the weekend.
