While the kitchen is said to be the heart of the home, a recent survey has suggested that many people are spending more time in there than they would like, with UK adults racking up an average of 240 cooking hours every year, which is the equivalent of non-stop meal prep for 10 days straight.
The survey, commissioned by cookware brand Pyrex, questioned respondents on their kitchen habits and found many Brits spend hours cooking, while those who batch cook can free up 2.5 hours every week, rising to three hours for batch cooks with children aged under 18.
However, it is not only time that is being saved, as batch cooks also report making huge savings on their food spend, with canny cooks saving an average of £1,100 per year, and one in five making savings of around £1,560.
The survey found that 33 per cent of UK adults want to spend less time cooking, and 46 per cent want to cut back on food bills.
Pyrex’s research also helped to find the most favoured recipes for batch cooks, with bolognese, casseroles, and curries grabbing the top spots.
The survey also found that when cooking in bulk, batch cooks generally prepare three additional meals to eat at another time and plan their daily meals on average 3.5 days in advance, and 23 per cent plan their batch cooking at least a week in advance.
Here are the most popular batch cooked foods to save money, time and effort :
- Bolognese
- Casseroles or stews
- Curries/Dahl
- Soups
- Lasagne
- Shepherds/Cottage pie
- Pasta bakes
- Cakes
- Vegetables
- Sauces
Alexandra Blyth, Marketing Manager for UK & Ireland at Pyrex said: “Many UK households are living off a limited food budget, with our research showing one in five have less than £50 a week to play with.
“Whatever your circumstances, whether you live alone or are a parent cooking for a family of six, batch cooking can help reduce your weekly food bill and make your budget go further, as well as save time in the kitchen and reduce food wastage.”
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