Batch-cook a week of baby meals in one hour

An hour on a Sunday can set you up for a week of no-stress baby meals — and cut the food waste (and cost) of cooking fresh every time. Here's the system:

1. Roast a tray of veg — kumara, pumpkin, carrot, capsicum. Some for finger food, some to blend.
2. Cook a pot of grains — rice or pasta, portioned for the week.
3. Prep one protein — shredded chicken, lentils, or mince to freeze in small blobs.
4. Blend and portion — purées into ice-cube trays; freeze, then pop into labelled bags.
5. Defrost as you go — pull only what today's appetite needs, so nothing gets binned.

Little-and-often serving on the tray means less goes overboard, and a catch-tray means what does drop can go straight back on the plate. Freeze in baby-sized portions and you'll never scrape a barely-touched bowl into the bin again.

Follow safe reheating and storage guidelines, and cool food fully before serving.