
Leftovers on Purpose
From Timber & Steel Podcast by Timber and Steel, LLC
May 13, 2026 · 29 min · Episode 76
About this episode
The episode discusses practical batch cooking strategies and the importance of meal preparation to avoid decision fatigue.
- Batch cooking doesn't have to mean full meal prep. Cooking extra at dinner for the next day's lunch is the simplest version. - Bridgett's Costco chicken method: buy in bulk, cook all of it at once in four different flavors (lime/jalapeño, BBQ, spiced, balsamic/oil) so you're not eating the same thing every day. - Taco meat gets made in a giant pot and used across multiple meals: bowls, salads, omelets, eggs. The ingredients are batched, not the meals. - Portion size matters: chili goes in single-serve containers because only Clayton eats it. Taco bowls go in bigger containers because the whole family will eat them. - Frozen vegetables are picked at peak ripeness and flash frozen. They're likely better than "fresh" produce that was picked early to ripen on the shelf. - If batch cooking isn't realistic (small kitchen, tight budget, limited storage), basic prep still helps: chop veggies ahead, buy a rotisserie chicken, keep your ingredients accessible. - Bridgett's advice: make it boring. Pick the meals you know you'll eat, keep them on rotation, and only add something new once in a while. - Decision fatigue at the end of the day is the real problem. Having something ready, even…
People in this episode
Host: Timber and Steel
Topics covered
- batch cooking
- meal prep
- portion size
- frozen vegetables
- decision fatigue
Keywords
- batch cooking
- meal prep
- portion size
- frozen vegetables
- decision fatigue
- Costco chicken
- taco meat
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