When the girls were little, I used to batch cook all the time for them, so I always had a few quick meals in the freezer that I could defrost at a moments’ notice. I’ve got a bit out of the habit recently. They both get fed at school Monday to Friday, and we eat as a family on a Sunday evening, so it’s only really Saturdays I have to worry about. That said, batch cooking is a great thing to do not just for the children, but so we have some quick meals on hand too!
There’s nothing I like more than settling down with a cup of tea and the Lakeland catalogue of an evening. It truly is a treasure trove of delights, and within a few minutes I can convince myself that I really NEED a tray specifically for the soaking of oven racks or a cake tin in the shape of the Millenium Falcon (based on what the girls are asking for for their birthday party next year, I might actually need one of those!).
Whilst I love a gadget as much as the next person, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune. There are lots of things that I don’t spend a lot of money on – my pans are pretty basic, as are my knives. My veg peeler was a wedding present 16 years ago. I don’t have a bread maker or an expensive coffee machine. There are some things I use all the time though – here are the essentials that make cooking from scratch easier.
