I don’t know about you, but as soon as the clocks go back and the heating cranks up, our
evening routine descends into complete chaos. All I want to do at the end of a day at work
is snuggle up on the sofa with a massive cup of tea. The last thing I want to be doing is
standing in the kitchen at 6 PM staring blankly at the fridge with one question in mind:
“What are we having for dinner?”
This is the reason why, a few years back, we decided to take the plunge and plan our winter
meal prep seriously. It’s not about spending one’s whole Sunday in the kitchen, cooking
and toiling over the stove; efficient ways of cooking translate to less stress during the
winter nights ahead.
These are just a couple of our absolute favorite meal prep ideas the whole family can enjoy
in winter here in the UK:
One Pot Wonders: Minimal Fuss
These are the heroes of our week. They take about 15 minutes to prepare and then the oven
or Crock Pot takes over.
1. Classic Cottage Pie Filling
This is not up for negotiation in our household: the best comfort food, very versatile.
Prep Idea: Make your own version, doubling/tripling the regular recipe ingredients. Cook
the beef mince/lentils/mushrooms with carrots, celery, onion, stock, and added
Worcestershire sauce. Let it simmer until it thickens and is really flavorful.
The Power of Prep: Divide the prepared filling among foil packs or containers. Top with a
mashed potato, buttery, cheesy crust before freezing.
Me dinner: Take out the night before, stick in hot oven for 30 – 40 minutes until
bubbly and golden.
Cleanup: None, except the dish tray.
2. Hearty Chicken & Veg Stew – Slow Cooker Magic
This one is virtually foolproof.
Prep Idea: Chop lots of chicken thighs which remain nice and moist, potatoes, parsnips,
carrots and leeks. Chuck them all inside the slow cooker pot with thyme, bay leaves,
canned chopped tomatoes and chicken stock. Cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.
Power of Prep: Once cooked, it can be cooled, then divided among airtight containers. It
keeps well in the fridge for a period of 3 – 4 days or can be frozen for later use.
“Time to Eat:” Reheat gently on stovetop.
“A bowl of this with a wedge of crusty bread would be just the thing to help pass a cold, wet
Tuesday night.”
Quick Wins For Variety Sauces And Bases
The secret to keeping a week interesting without stress lies not in cooking full meals each
day, but in cooking bases.
3. BATCH BOLOGNESE
“Honestly, is there anything good homemade Bolognese sauce can’t fix?
Prep Idea: Make a massive pot of your favorite sauce. The longer it sits the better it tastes.
We sneak extra veggies in our sauce-grated courgette, bell peppers, even chopped
mushrooms.
The Power of Prep: Freeze in large, medium, and small portions.
Large: For pasta night with the family.
Medium: For rapid lasagne assembly, layer with béchamel and pasta sheets then freeze.
Small: Ideal for jacket spud topping or ‘cheat’ pizza base.
4. Versatile Cooked Grain
Stop cooking rice and quinoa every night!
Prep Idea: Cook a large batch of brown rice or quinoa.
Power of Prep: Store in the refrigerator.
Dinner Time:
A side dish, it’s usually reheated stew on Monday.
It is the base for quick fried rice on Tuesday. It is combined with canned chick peas,
cucumber and a lemon dressing to make an easy lunch on Wednesdays.
Conclusion
But if you take anything away from this post, let it be this: start small! Don’t try to make full-
on meals for the entire month right off the bat. Just pick one of these recipes below that
you’d like to double/triple this weekend, and trust me, it makes ALL the difference knowing
you have one good meal in the fridge or freezer for those nights when you’re super
exhausted.
