Not only can they learn from all your experience, it'll create fun (and messy!) memories that'll last a lifetime. In the last 10 years, I’ve really got into batch cooking base dishes. They are great for staple family meals and can be adapted easily to serve with different ingredients. They also don’t break the bank, which helps when trying to keep in budget to feed a whole family – especially teenagers!” Home cook turned recipe book author Suzanne Mulholland, aka The Batch Lady , would disagree. The key, she says, is to batch cook ‘base dishes’ that can be used in lots of different ways. This keeps meals varied and exciting while still limiting the time we need to spend in the kitchen. I have been batch cooking since the kids were young – about 18 years. I was fed up with feeling like I was always chasing my tail when it came to mealtimes. Either choose a book which has specific batch cook recipes or double up the portions of your favourite recipe.

The batch-cook base dishes that save hours in the - BBC

Perhaps top with mashed potato and bake for an easy veggie cottage pie , or if you want to keep meat on the menu, how about a rich sausage and lentil ragu served with pasta? These dishes often take time, so making big batches to fill our freezers and fridges with is a no-brainer. All those homemade ready meals will make short work out of dinner for days to come.At this time of year, when the days get shorter and colder, we crave cosy, filling meals that leave us feeling nourished and comforted. Think curries , pies , stews and casseroles . Batch cooking can be a genius solution for ensuring warm, hearty meals - even when you don't feel like cooking.