Cook-Day Batching Plan (single Instant Pot)

The Instant Pot is the critical path — four dishes run through it back-to-back. Start the IP queue first and fill the waiting time with the shared prep, stovetop pots, baking, and cold assembly. Everything ends cooled, labelled, and in the freezer.

Golden rule: cool everything to room temperature before it goes in the freezer. Label each package with name + date + cook-from-frozen instructions.

Before you start

• Clear freezer space; stack non-glass dishes / foil pans / zip bags + parchment
• Set out labels + a marker
• Buy biscuit dough, avocado, and fresh herbs today (don't pre-buy these)

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Phase 1 — Instant Pot queue (start first, run in order)

One pot, four dishes. Kick off #1 immediately, then jump to Phases 2–5 while it runs.

• 1. Carnitas — Pressure Cook 90 min + natural release (longest & hands-off). Shred, reserve some broth, freeze before the broiler crisp. Wipe the pot after — it's greasy.
• 2. Pot roast — sear on Sauté, then Pressure Cook 35–55 min + natural release. Cool + freeze fully cooked.
• 3. Zuppa Toscana base — Sauté bacon/sausage/onion, pressure-cook potatoes 4 min. Freeze WITHOUT the cream (add at reheat).
• 4. Chicken & dumplings base — Pressure Cook 12 min + 10 min natural release, shred, stir in peas. Freeze WITHOUT dumplings.

Phase 2 — Shared prep (while carnitas runs)

• Shred the rotisserie chicken → pot pie, caprese lasagna, both enchiladas
• Roast the 2 sweet potatoes for the sweet-potato enchiladas
• Marinate the honey-lime enchilada chicken (needs ≥30 min)
• Cook the lasagna noodles (regular) for the caprese lasagna
• Cook a pot of rice for the carnitas burritos

Phase 3 — Stovetop pots (keeps the IP free)

Done in a regular pot/skillet so they don't compete for the Instant Pot.

• Big-batch tomato sauce (make early — needed for the veg lasagna) → simmer ~45 min → use ~2 cups in the lasagna, freeze the rest in portions
• Coconut lentil curry (~55 min simmer — start, then walk away) → cool + freeze
• Thai green curry base → cook WITHOUT prawns/noodles/herbs → cool + freeze (prawns go in raw at reheat)
• Cozy autumn wild rice soup → cook base WITHOUT coconut milk/kale → cool + freeze (stovetop, or the Instant Pot if it's free)

Phase 4 — Oven baking block

Batch by temperature so the oven earns its keep.

• 425°F: banana-blueberry muffins → lemon poppyseed muffins → sheet-pan pancakes (start high, drop to 350°F for muffins per recipe)
• 375°F: egg cups
• 350°F: chocolate chip banana bread (60–65 min — start early in this block)
• Waffle iron: buttermilk waffles (off to the side, any time)
• Cool all bakes completely → bag with parchment between → freeze

Phase 5 — Cold assembly block (freeze raw/unbaked)

No cooking — assemble and wrap. All freeze unbaked.

• Chicken pot pie casserole (crust on, skip egg wash) → wrap → freeze
• White chicken caprese lasagna → assemble → freeze
• Vegetable lasagna → assemble → freeze
• Honey-lime chicken enchiladas → assemble → freeze
• Sweet potato enchiladas → assemble (no fresh garnish) → freeze
• Baked mac & cheese → make sauce, combine, pan it (breadcrumb topping in a separate bag) → freeze
• Black bean burgers → form raw patties, parchment between → freeze
• Carnitas freezer burritos → fill, roll, wrap individually → freeze
• Italian meatballs → roll, tray-freeze raw, then bag (or bake in the oven block)

Phase 6 — Label & inventory

• Every package labelled: name + date + cook-from-frozen note
• Snap a photo of the freezer contents / update your list
• Wipe down — done! 🎉

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Quick freeze-stage reference

Freeze cooked	Freeze unbaked/raw	Freeze at a special stage
Pot roast, lentil curry, egg cups, muffins, banana bread, waffles, pancakes	Both lasagnas, both enchiladas, mac & cheese, pot pie, black bean burgers, carnitas burritos, meatballs (raw)	Dumplings (no dumplings), carnitas (before broil), zuppa (no cream), green curry (no prawns/noodles), wild rice soup (no coconut/kale)