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The world seems in a weird place right now with people wondering whether to stockpile on food, which is why I'm doing what I do every winter - gluten free batch cooking.
If you want to save money, and make sure you have a freezer full of healthy, tasty meals, then meal prepping and batch cooking is the answer.
I find on the nights when I'm late home or can't be bothered that it really helps me to stay on plan when I have a freezer of prepared meals, rather than reaching for a ready meal.
Plus gluten free ready meals never have that much choice! It's far nicer (and better for you) to be able to reach for a hearty, home-cooked meal with minimal effort.
Top tips for gluten free batch cooking
If you've never batch cooked before, don't be afraid - this is about to transform your meals! It's honestly the best thing you can do if you're stretched for time.
It's also often cheaper to buy ingredients on a larger scale so it can be a lot cheaper to make things in bulk. Just make sure you have lots of tubs!
Here are some tips for successful gluten free batch cooking:
- Organise the freezer: You don't want forgotten-about meals falling to the bottom of the freezer and being neglected. I like to portion mine into stackable tubs and then label them with the date they were frozen and what's inside them.
- Stockpile on sauces: If you're planning something like a pasta meal or a curry with rice, you can always make the sauce in bulk and defrost in portions. That way you can cook the pasta or rice fresh each time and avoid it going soft or mushy.
- Make extra for lunches: If you don't have a lot of freezer space but still want to save on time and money, one good tip is to make extra of each meal you have and then eat that for lunch the next day. It's like batch cooking baby steps!
- Freeze in portion sizes: If you make one big batch of something then freeze it in one go, you'll have to defrost it all in one go too. Sounds obvious but it's definitely a mistake I've made before!
My recipes for gluten free batch cooking
To be honest, a lot of the recipes on my blog are made for batch cooking because it's in line with how I cook most of my meals!
I tend to set aside a few hours one day of the week to make sure I have lots of meals prepared. Once I know the stocks are running low, I try to top them up again.
And it's a good chance to be inventive. For example, batch cook a chilli and have some with rice, another meal with a jacket potato and another with nachos. Three meals all from one big vat of delicious gluten free chilli!
Once you start cooking this way it really will transform your meals and show you gluten free food can be exciting too! Here are some of my favourite recipes to get you started.
Planning a gluten free batch cooking session? Pin this recipe card below for later and make sure you can always come back to this page to keep making more meals!
Gluten free batch cooking recipes
Want some easy gluten free dinner ideas you can batch cook and store in the freezer? Here are my top choices. These can all be made in bulk and then portioned up and frozen ready for when you need them. Great for stockpiling during the winter!
This gluten free roast chicken soup recipe is a great way to use up leftovers from a Sunday roast, and is a cheap and easy meal to batch cook and freeze. Timing does not including making the stock - reserve around 1 hour 15 mins extra for this stage (see blog post for instructions).
This gluten free chilli con carne recipe is the perfect winter warmer. Dairy free and great with rice or nachos - and perfect for batch cooking.
My gluten free and vegan chickpea curry is a cheap dinner idea and great for meals on a budget. Perfect for serving up as part of an Indian-inspired feast.
This slow cooker chicken noodle soup is as easy as it comes to make and is also gluten and dairy free. An easy dinner or lunch idea for meal prep or batch cooking.
This gluten free tomato soup recipe is like a hug in a mug, with fresh basil, a hint of balsamic and a dollop of crème fraîche.
This gluten free mushroom stroganoff is a quick and cheap recipe to throw together. Vegetarian and simple - the perfect treat!
An easy gluten free tandoori chicken recipe with my cheat's pilau rice on the side. The perfect cheap and easy midweek meal idea. For best results, marinade the chicken overnight.
These gluten free chickpea and sweetcorn fritters are easy to make and a quick dinner idea. They're also dairy free, vegan and vegetarian too. Served with a yoghurt dip.
A quick and easy gluten free turkey bolognese which is low fat, high protein, and macro-friendly. Perfect for a simple and cheap weekday meal.
This is a simple summer recipe for a gluten free frittata. Low carb, high protein and so delicious - it's so easy to make on a hot day!
A fiery soup recipe which is gluten free, dairy free and vegan. Vibrant carrot with fiery chilli, garlic, ginger and turmeric to blow the cobwebs away!
A great recipe for leftover chicken, bursting with the gut, immune and skin-friendly benefits of home-made bone broth.
A gluten free and vegan carrot and lentil soup recipe, which is perfect for batch cooking or for an easy gluten free lunch.
A creamy chicken and ham filling in a golden gluten free shortcrust pastry. The perfect winter comfort food.
Crispy fried chicken coated in gluten free breadcrumbs, the perfect, easy gluten free meal or perfect for a party food platter.
This gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe is an absolute classic. An easy dinner idea with a tasty gluten free pasta sauce. Perfect for the whole family. This recipe serves four and is best cooked low and slow - it takes around one hour to cook, or is even better when made the night before and reheated!
My gluten free sweet potato and feta frittata recipe is a quick and easy lunch or dinner idea. Perfect for picnics, in lunchboxes or served hot with a fresh, green salad.
This gluten free and vegan sweet potato and peanut stew is comforting and delicious for the winter nights. Serve with rice for a gluten and dairy free treat.
A gluten free potato, leek and blue cheese soup with crispy bacon croutons on top - the ultimate comfort food!
These gluten free, dairy free egg muffins are a great breakfast or lunch idea, and perfect for packing in a gluten free picnic.
A simple and tasty gluten free soup recipe with gluten free garlic croutons which will keep you toasty during the winter months.
This gluten free arrabbiata is a super easy recipe to make. A rich tomato, garlic and chilli sauce made with gluten free pasta and garnished with parmesan. Can be adapted to be dairy free/vegan too.
Need some more gluten free cooking inspiration?
If you want to have a go at some of the other gluten free recipes on the blog, why not give some of these sweet options a try too? They’re perfect to satisfy any cake cravings!
- Gluten free chocolate orange mini egg cookies
- The BEST gluten free millionaire’s shortbread recipe
- Gluten free Jammy Dodgers recipe
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
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Going to see if going gluten free will help with my Lupus symptoms. Thanks for sharing your experience with us