5 high protein basics to batch cook for the week
Save time and energy with these five simple high protein basics to cook on Sunday and use in easy meals all week long.
Cooking a brand new meal every evening is exhausting. By Wednesday, chopping onions feels like an Olympic sport and reaching for a piece of toast is incredibly tempting. That's why making a few plain staples on a Sunday afternoon changes the game. You don't need matching glass containers or a spreadsheet to do this. Just cook a few basic proteins and keep them in the fridge to build easy meals around later.
Simple shredded chicken
Poaching a few breasts takes twenty minutes and gives you a blank canvas for the next few days. It isn't glamorous. But having plain poultry ready to go means you're halfway to lunch. When your energy is low, pulling a tub of it out of the fridge is a massive relief.
Just drop the meat into boiling water with a pinch of salt. Simmer until cooked through. Let it cool, shred it with two forks and pop it in a tub.
- Toss a handful into a leafy salad with a spoonful of hummus.
- Stir into a bowl of warm broth with some frozen peas.
- Wrap in a soft tortilla with a slice of cheese and some cucumber.
Hard boiled eggs
Cooking a dozen at once is the ultimate lazy preparation trick. They sit quietly in their shells until you need them. You can prepare a whole batch in less than fifteen minutes while you are making a cup of tea.
Sometimes you just can't face a big meal. Your medication might be making you feel slightly queasy. A cold egg from the fridge is small and easy to manage. It gives you a quick boost without overwhelming you.
- Slice over a piece of wholemeal toast.
- Mash with a little Greek yoghurt and eat with celery sticks.
A big tray of roasted tofu
This plant based option often gets ignored but it's brilliant for batch cooking. It soaks up whatever flavour you add later. It's also quite gentle on your digestion when your appetite is low or certain textures suddenly feel unappealing.
Press the water out of a block. Chop it into small cubes and toss with a little olive oil and soy sauce. Roast it in the oven until the edges go golden and slightly chewy.
- Throw a handful into a vegetable stir fry right at the end.
- Add cold cubes to a lunchbox with cherry tomatoes and baby spinach.
- Warm it up and mix it through a portion of cooked quinoa.
- Snack on a few savoury pieces straight from the container.
Savoury beef mince
Browning a large pack of lean meat on its own sounds boring but it's incredibly useful. You're doing the messy frying pan bit once and saving yourself the washing up later in the week. It freezes beautifully too.
Just cook it through with onions and garlic, then drain any excess fat. You now have a base ready to be turned into three different dinners.
- Heat a portion with kidney beans and tinned tomatoes for a simple chilli.
- Spoon it over a baked sweet potato.
- Mix with a little tomato puree and serve with courgette ribbons.
Baked salmon fillets
Fish cooks quickly anyway but having a cold piece in the fridge feels like a treat. It is incredibly soft. It flakes easily and provides plenty of protein without sitting heavily in your stomach. Buying a larger side and portioning it out yourself can also save a few pounds at the supermarket.
Put four pieces on a baking tray lined with foil. Squeeze a lemon over the top and bake for fifteen minutes. The smell is gone from your kitchen by Sunday night, leaving you with great lunches for Monday and Tuesday.
- Flake into a bowl of leftover brown rice with a splash of soy sauce.
- Eat a cold piece on its own with some cherry tomatoes if you aren't very hungry.