How to batch cook with friends / Molly's best must-have to date?! (Kate and Jess both immediately ordered) / would you want to live with a 28 hour day?
When I was a stay at home mom, a friend and I started a version of batch cooking with friends, but as a meal exchange.
-We had 6 women with families of similar sizes
-Each woman made 6 of the same meal
-We met each month to discuss what we like in the the previous months meals and decide if we'd like to have it in the future
-Rotated through chicken dishes, beef, a soup/chili/stew, and one person would make a batch of frozen cookie dough balls that could be baked up by each family
-It was a great opportunity for the kids to play, me to visit with my friends, and to leave with 6 full sized freezer meals to use for busy nights over the next month.
I love getting the Power Nap! I gave up Instagram several months ago and it is so nice to still get Naptime content! Thank you for putting so much effort into it!
I’m ‘fasting’ from insta and FB for the next 6 weeks, but still enjoying my newsletter updates :) Can someone tell me what snack items are included in the divided snack carrier shown in the video? Also, I’d love to hear any ideas for other snack items that might be nice to include in one of those.
hey Jennifer! for the reel I did fruit, popcorn, pretzels, golfdish. other ideas: sliced veggies, popcorn, dried fruit, charcuterie type meat (pepperoni?), cheese slices, cheerios...really just about anything!
I was so inspired by your batch cooking days with Berta that I invited 9 of my closest friends to do one with me for my birthday party this year! I dove headfirst into making a spreadsheet to coordinate all the details - recipe sign ups, scaling each recipe for our group, making grocery lists for each person (with price comparisons), creating labels (with reheating instructions and serving recommendations). We worked in teams of 2 to make 9 recipes in my very average sized kitchen one morning, and all went home with 9 meals for our freezer. It was a morning spent giggling and being in the kitchen with my friends - the best gift I could have asked for. Pretty sure this will become an *at least* annual thing for my friend group. And I can't wait to re-use that spreadsheet for years to come!
I have 2 sisters, so we do this quarterly with my mom. We each pick a recipe that makes a 9x13 casserole and then we’re responsible for getting the ingredients to make our recipe for everyone (so 4x the recipe). Then everyone brings their own pans so they can either leave with 4 - 9x13s of different casseroles or 8 - 8x8s. It’s worked out well for us and has been a fun way to try new recipes together!
Just wanted to say that I love the Power Nap and love that it’s on Substack bc I am not on insta much anymore! I made the Thai chicken soup recently and it was delish. And also, this afternoon I was catching up on old magazines and saw you in the angelos! I had no idea you were a KD - how fun! 💚aot
My wife and I love batch cooking with one of our best friends. We make the meals and she makes cocktails and cookie dough (freeze raw and bake on demand!). We all leave full, happy, and with meals and dessert to make life easier for a few months! Some of our favorite recipes are from Naptime Kitchen, too - thanks!
Yes! She has two littles (2 yrs. & a 7 mos.) Her husband works nights in rotation) so to help her have meals prepared on those days when she’s on mommy duty alone & he’s sleeping and working at night, we did the batch cooking. We made 4 quiches, 3 pasta & meatball casseroles, and 2 chicken divan casseroles. She loves to help moms in need with a meal occasionally so that’s another reason for the batch cooking. BTW, your article was so helpful and it’s a joy to see a mom enjoy helping others like you do. My daughter really appreciates your perspective and has been following you for some time. Dad & Daughter time is the best!
love this! agree. Mom usually grates the cheese ahead which really feels like a labor of love and sacrifice bc Lord knows I scrape my knuckles every time...
I just bought the 20 cup cuisinart food processor and it makes grating cheese SO easy!! I love using it for meal prep days with lots of veggies, cheese, etc.
We did some freezer meal batch cooking with friends. We had a group of six women. Sometimes we would pick a theme (breakfast, desserts, great for the grill, favorite meal we have tried, etc.) individually we would pick a meal to make and pin the recipe to a shared Pinterest board. We did this once per month.
Each woman would make six of the same meal in their own kitchen, on their own time. It was that persons responsibility to shop and pay for the ingredients for that meal.
Then we would get together to exchange the meals. We would use our time together to hang out and talk about life, the meals, and anything else we felt like.
Each of us would then go home with five new meals and one of the meals you had made for the group- so total six meals.
Where we met to exchange meals rotated from one person’s house to the next.
Price wise it evened out over time. Some months you may have spent more, others someone else may have.
We also discussed some food aversions/dislikes and tried to accommodate that with our meals.
It was great to pin the recipes to a shared board as then you could find the recipe if it was a meal your family really liked and you could make it again.
McKenzie!!! This is so fun and also just feels like such a sweet community builder. Gosh I want to try this. I love how you said over time the price evened out too and the pinterest board...just love it all so much!
Just texted Molly! She got them at Costco and you can wash them in the washing machine. She really likes them and says you can also find online (most places they are called "swedish dish clothes". My mom (Berta) also loves these!
When I was pregnant with my first kid, my friends came over and helped me meal prep with freezer meals for when she was born. I had a list of things I wanted to make and sent them a shopping list. They bought it all in lieu of a baby shower gift. I've even seen people do meal prep instead of a baby shower! It's so practical, helpful and allows your people to contribute in a way that's so meaningful.
Such a good question, Lauren! If I think ahead, I put in the fridge the day before (even a few days before if you are thinking for your meals for the week; it will take a while to defrost in the fridge). I know "they say" you shouldn't but I also leave something on the counter to defrost around midday. It's still super cold and even slightly frozen when I go to bake it. I love freezing in foil bc you can go from frozen to oven (with glass doing this you risk the glass shattering). I would just add a solid 30 minutes to the cooking time and cover it to help make sure it doesn't dry out.
When I was a stay at home mom, a friend and I started a version of batch cooking with friends, but as a meal exchange.
-We had 6 women with families of similar sizes
-Each woman made 6 of the same meal
-We met each month to discuss what we like in the the previous months meals and decide if we'd like to have it in the future
-Rotated through chicken dishes, beef, a soup/chili/stew, and one person would make a batch of frozen cookie dough balls that could be baked up by each family
-It was a great opportunity for the kids to play, me to visit with my friends, and to leave with 6 full sized freezer meals to use for busy nights over the next month.
OK Cassie this is AWESOME! Like what a fun way to learn new recipes and get meals you otherwise might not make. I love this!
LOVE batch cooking with friends and wanted to present another version of it. Thanks!
I love getting the Power Nap! I gave up Instagram several months ago and it is so nice to still get Naptime content! Thank you for putting so much effort into it!
Thank you so much, Haley! We really, really love making it.
I second this! Instagramless and grateful.
I’m ‘fasting’ from insta and FB for the next 6 weeks, but still enjoying my newsletter updates :) Can someone tell me what snack items are included in the divided snack carrier shown in the video? Also, I’d love to hear any ideas for other snack items that might be nice to include in one of those.
hey Jennifer! for the reel I did fruit, popcorn, pretzels, golfdish. other ideas: sliced veggies, popcorn, dried fruit, charcuterie type meat (pepperoni?), cheese slices, cheerios...really just about anything!
I was so inspired by your batch cooking days with Berta that I invited 9 of my closest friends to do one with me for my birthday party this year! I dove headfirst into making a spreadsheet to coordinate all the details - recipe sign ups, scaling each recipe for our group, making grocery lists for each person (with price comparisons), creating labels (with reheating instructions and serving recommendations). We worked in teams of 2 to make 9 recipes in my very average sized kitchen one morning, and all went home with 9 meals for our freezer. It was a morning spent giggling and being in the kitchen with my friends - the best gift I could have asked for. Pretty sure this will become an *at least* annual thing for my friend group. And I can't wait to re-use that spreadsheet for years to come!
And will probably ask to do this for any baby showers in the future as well.
I have 2 sisters, so we do this quarterly with my mom. We each pick a recipe that makes a 9x13 casserole and then we’re responsible for getting the ingredients to make our recipe for everyone (so 4x the recipe). Then everyone brings their own pans so they can either leave with 4 - 9x13s of different casseroles or 8 - 8x8s. It’s worked out well for us and has been a fun way to try new recipes together!
Just wanted to say that I love the Power Nap and love that it’s on Substack bc I am not on insta much anymore! I made the Thai chicken soup recently and it was delish. And also, this afternoon I was catching up on old magazines and saw you in the angelos! I had no idea you were a KD - how fun! 💚aot
Ah thank you so much, Sarah! Glad you found me here!
My friends and I had talked about doing a meal prep day together, this guide was so helpful!
Also I LOVE seeing your content here! I’m also off FB & IG for Lent, so this was very exciting to see in my recommended list on Substack :)
I hope you guys get to, it sounds so fun! Glad you found me here, Kristin!
My wife and I love batch cooking with one of our best friends. We make the meals and she makes cocktails and cookie dough (freeze raw and bake on demand!). We all leave full, happy, and with meals and dessert to make life easier for a few months! Some of our favorite recipes are from Naptime Kitchen, too - thanks!
ok the wine and cookie dough additions....GENIUS!! also thank you so much for making some of my recipes!
Had my first Dad and Daughter batch cooking time a few weeks ago. The best part of the afternoon was time spent together. Precious memories made!
Will be planning another one soon.
Dad and Daughter?! this is so sweet! what did you make??
Yes! She has two littles (2 yrs. & a 7 mos.) Her husband works nights in rotation) so to help her have meals prepared on those days when she’s on mommy duty alone & he’s sleeping and working at night, we did the batch cooking. We made 4 quiches, 3 pasta & meatball casseroles, and 2 chicken divan casseroles. She loves to help moms in need with a meal occasionally so that’s another reason for the batch cooking. BTW, your article was so helpful and it’s a joy to see a mom enjoy helping others like you do. My daughter really appreciates your perspective and has been following you for some time. Dad & Daughter time is the best!
Wow! What a meal line-up. You guys are so blessed to have each other. Thanks so much for supporting Naptime Kitchen and The Power Nap!
I like to have the meat precooked when batch cooking with my mom. So brown the beef or sauté the chicken. It’s a jump start on combining the meals.
love this! agree. Mom usually grates the cheese ahead which really feels like a labor of love and sacrifice bc Lord knows I scrape my knuckles every time...
I just bought the 20 cup cuisinart food processor and it makes grating cheese SO easy!! I love using it for meal prep days with lots of veggies, cheese, etc.
We did some freezer meal batch cooking with friends. We had a group of six women. Sometimes we would pick a theme (breakfast, desserts, great for the grill, favorite meal we have tried, etc.) individually we would pick a meal to make and pin the recipe to a shared Pinterest board. We did this once per month.
Each woman would make six of the same meal in their own kitchen, on their own time. It was that persons responsibility to shop and pay for the ingredients for that meal.
Then we would get together to exchange the meals. We would use our time together to hang out and talk about life, the meals, and anything else we felt like.
Each of us would then go home with five new meals and one of the meals you had made for the group- so total six meals.
Where we met to exchange meals rotated from one person’s house to the next.
Price wise it evened out over time. Some months you may have spent more, others someone else may have.
We also discussed some food aversions/dislikes and tried to accommodate that with our meals.
It was great to pin the recipes to a shared board as then you could find the recipe if it was a meal your family really liked and you could make it again.
McKenzie!!! This is so fun and also just feels like such a sweet community builder. Gosh I want to try this. I love how you said over time the price evened out too and the pinterest board...just love it all so much!
@Molly please say more about the "Swedish dish cloths"!! And do you have a link for those too?!?
Just texted Molly! She got them at Costco and you can wash them in the washing machine. She really likes them and says you can also find online (most places they are called "swedish dish clothes". My mom (Berta) also loves these!
When I was pregnant with my first kid, my friends came over and helped me meal prep with freezer meals for when she was born. I had a list of things I wanted to make and sent them a shopping list. They bought it all in lieu of a baby shower gift. I've even seen people do meal prep instead of a baby shower! It's so practical, helpful and allows your people to contribute in a way that's so meaningful.
THIS!!!! This is what I needed...not another burp cloth or onesie. meals!!! I love this so much. Way to ask for something you really needed!
How do you recommend defrosting frozen meals? This is where meal prepping fails for me.
Such a good question, Lauren! If I think ahead, I put in the fridge the day before (even a few days before if you are thinking for your meals for the week; it will take a while to defrost in the fridge). I know "they say" you shouldn't but I also leave something on the counter to defrost around midday. It's still super cold and even slightly frozen when I go to bake it. I love freezing in foil bc you can go from frozen to oven (with glass doing this you risk the glass shattering). I would just add a solid 30 minutes to the cooking time and cover it to help make sure it doesn't dry out.
I usually choose meals that can go straight from the freezer to the oven 👍🏻