Cook once, eat thrice
After a long day, the last thing most of us will want to do is start dinner from scratch. Let’s be honest: in a quest to out-smart life, we’ve all fallen for the “time-saving meal prep” trend, only to end up with five identical containers filled with dry chicken and sad (and stinky) broccoli. “Time-saving” shouldn’t mean sacrificing flavour or creativity.
That’s where cook once, eat thrice comes in to rescue your weeknight meals with variety, not monotony. This concept offers a smarter, more inspired approach: one base, three bold meals, and no mealtime dread. You’ll need basic tools like a fridge, containers to last the week, labels, and some creativity. Not to mention an appetite.
This guide will help you stretch your groceries, save on kitchen time, and rediscover how exciting batch cooking can be.
Choosing foods that store well
When selecting ingredients for meal prep, think versatility and staying power. The better your base stores, the easier it is to transform them later in the week.
Fridge/freezer-friendly proteins
- Chicken (roasted, grilled, poached)
- Beef (grilled, minced, slow-cooked)
- Pork (slow-cooked, minced, roasted)
- Lamb (slow-cooked, minced)
- Tofu (stewed, fried, marinated)
- Lentils and beans (cooked, stewed, curried)
The best veggies for freezing/reuse
Tip: Opt to freeze pre-cooked/al-dente veggies to avoid mushy textures.
- Root veg (like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes)
- Green leafy veg (like spinach or kale)
- Steamed greens (like green beans, zucchini, broccoli)
- Tomatoes and bell peppers (great for freezing as sauces or cooked)
- Caramelised onions (great for freezing)
- Sauteèd mushrooms
The best starches and grains for freezing/reuse
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes (baked, roasted, mashed)
- Tortillas (perfect for freezing)
- Rice (brown, basmati, jasmine, wild)
- Cous cous and quinoa (keeps well in the fridge when cooked)
- Millet and sorghum (keeps well in the fridge or freezer when cooked)
- Barley and bulgar wheat (keeps well in the fridge when cooked)
One base, three meals: A few meal prep ideas to get you started
Roast chicken 3 ways
- Meal #1: Classic Sunday roast chicken (with all the trimmings)
- Meal #2: Creamy chicken pasta (substitute chicken breasts with leftovers)
- Meal #3: Chicken soup
Lentil curry 3 ways
- Meal #1: Hearty lentil curry with rice
- Meal #2: Lentil bobotie (substitute recipe lentils with leftovers for a spicier bobotie)
- Meal #3: Pork steaks with sauteèd lentils (substitute tinned lentils with leftovers)
Slow-cooked beef 3 ways
- Meal #1: Ginger and orange beef short rib
- Meal #2: Pulled beef short rib tacos (substitute the short rib ingredients with leftovers)
- Meal #3: Balsamic-honey shredded beef buns (substitute the stewing beef with leftovers for a tangy take on Burger Friday)
Roasted veg 3 ways
- Meal #1: Roasted vegetables (serve as is or with a grain like quinoa, cous cous, or millet)
- Meal #2: Ratatouille tarte tatin (substitute all the vegetable ingredients with leftovers for a spicier take on this tarte tatin)
- Meal #3: Shakshuka (roughly dice up your leftover roasted veg and add them into the base sauce)
Tips to maximise bulk cooking
Fridge vs freezer
The fridge is perfect for meals you’ll enjoy within 3–4 days. Think salads, pastas, and roast veggies. For everything else, freeze portions of your base sauces, stews, or grains for the weeks ahead. Cool fully before storing, and always label and date your containers to keep things stress-free.
How to avoid the “same meal, again?” feeling
- Reimagine, don’t just reheat: Turn last night’s stew into a pot pie, curry into a pie base, or roasted veg into a creamy soup.
- Switch up the base: Serve the same base with steamed rice one night, sauteèd sorghum the next, and with flatbread the day after.
- Play with texture: Add something fresh and crunchy like a zesty slaw, a handful of fresh mixed herbs, or a spoonful of pickled onions.
With a little planning (and a dash of creativity), cook once, eat thrice is more than just a clever meal prep strategy; it’s a time-saver in the kitchen that brings excitement back to your plate. No more boring meal prep, no more sad leftovers. Just good food, done smart.
ALSO SEE: Carrot and garlic soup with roasted chickpeas
Feature image credit: Pexels
