The concept of once-a-month cooking (OAMC) is to spend a set amount of time
cooking
Cooking, cookery, or culinary arts is the art, science and craft of using heat to Outline of food preparation, prepare food for consumption. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire to using electric ...
with an end result of having enough
meals to last through the whole month. OAMC recipes usually involve
freezing
Freezing is a phase transition where a liquid turns into a solid when its temperature is lowered below its freezing point. In accordance with the internationally established definition, freezing means the solidification phase change of a liquid o ...
the meals until needed (termed
freezer cooking
A refrigerator, colloquially fridge, is a commercial and home appliance consisting of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump (mechanical, electronic or chemical) that transfers heat from its inside to its external environment so th ...
).
Advantages
The primary advantage to this method of cooking is to save time over the course of the month by preparing meals ahead of time in one big cooking day. Preparation time for each meal is then cut down to reheating time only.
[Allen, Jody]
Once A Month Cooking
2014, Penguin
This method also allows the home cook to save money by purchasing food items in
bulk
Bulk can refer to:
Industry
* Bulk cargo
* Bulk liquids
* Bulk mail
* Bulk material handling
* Bulk pack, packaged bulk materials/products
* Bulk purchasing
*
Baking
* Bulk fermentation, the period after mixing when dough is left alone to ferm ...
and taking advantage of sales at the market. Money is also saved on the family budget by having homemade convenience foods which can cut down on the frequency of
fast food
Fast food is a type of mass-produced food designed for commercial resale, with a strong priority placed on speed of service. It is a commercial term, limited to food sold in a restaurant or store with frozen, preheated or precooked ingredien ...
purchases or home dinner deliveries.
Cooking ahead for the freezer can be a healthier alternative to purchasing prepackaged frozen meals at the grocery store, allowing the cook to choose wholesome ingredients and cater to individual food needs (
allergies, sensitivities, etc.).
See also
*
Frozen food
Freezing food preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten. Since early times, farmers, fishermen, and trappers have preserved grains and produce in unheated buildings during the winter season. Freezing food slows decompositi ...
*
Meal preparation
Meal preparation, sometimes called meal prep, is the process of planning and preparing meals.
Advance preparation
Sometimes meal preparation involves preparing meals ahead of time for a short or period of time. This practice may occur among peo ...
References
External links
*on CBN.com
* in Auburn-Reporter
Further reading
* Jody Allen (2014) ''Once a Month Cooking'', Penguin,
* Deborah Taylor-Hough (2009) ''Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month'', SourceBooks,
* Mary Beth Lagerborg, Mimi Wilson (2007) ''Once-a-Month Cooking'', St. Martin's Griffin,
* Susie Martinez, Bonnie Garcia (2005) ''Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer'', Revell, {{ISBN, 0800730550
Cooking