Sunday Bulk Cooking: Prepare a Week's Worth of Meals in 3 Hours

Sunday bulk cooking is the ultimate productivity hack for busy people who still want to eat well. In just 3 hours, you can prepare enough food to cover most of your meals for the entire week.

The Sunday Cooking Strategy

The key to successful bulk cooking isn't making complete meals—it's preparing versatile components that can be mixed and matched throughout the week.

The 3-Hour Timeline

Hour 1: Proteins and Grains

• Roast a whole chicken or tray of chicken thighs
• Cook a large batch of rice or quinoa
• Brown 500g of mince for multiple uses
• Hard-boil a dozen eggs

Hour 2: Vegetables and Sauces

• Roast two trays of mixed vegetables
• Prep raw vegetables for snacking
• Make a big batch of tomato sauce
• Prepare a vinaigrette or two

Hour 3: Assembly and Storage

• Portion everything into containers
• Make one complete freezer meal
• Prep overnight oats for breakfasts
• Clean as you go

Versatile Components to Prep

• Shredded chicken: Salads, wraps, stir-fries, soups
• Cooked grains: Buddha bowls, fried rice, side dishes
• Roasted veg: Pasta, grain bowls, omelettes, wraps
• Boiled eggs: Snacks, salads, sandwiches
• Cooked beans: Tacos, salads, soups, curries

Sample Week from One Bulk Cook

• Monday: Chicken grain bowl with roasted veg
• Tuesday: Mince tacos with fresh salsa
• Wednesday: Chicken salad with boiled eggs
• Thursday: Fried rice with leftover vegetables
• Friday: Pasta with tomato sauce and roasted veg

Equipment You'll Need

• Two large baking trays
• Large pot for grains
• Good quality storage containers
• Labels and markers for dating

Storage Guidelines

• Cooked proteins: 3-4 days refrigerated
• Cooked grains: 5-6 days refrigerated
• Roasted vegetables: 4-5 days refrigerated
• Sauces: Up to 1 week refrigerated

Want to make bulk cooking even easier? Fridgr tracks your inventory and suggests what to prep based on what you have.