Choose the actual problem
Look at the next few days. Is lunch expensive, dinner late or breakfast missing altogether? Pick one of those. Preparing food for a different problem will leave you with a fridge full of good intentions. Decide how many portions you need and check your freezer space before shopping.
Prepare parts you can use twice
- Cook a meal you already like in a larger batch, if the recipe can be safely scaled, and freeze the extra portions.
- Prepare a dressing, a chopped vegetable or a sandwich filling rather than an entire week's menu.
- Keep a backup requiring little preparation: soup and toast, eggs, or a bean-based meal are possible choices depending on your dietary needs.
- Label portions with the food and date. Put tomorrow's lunch where you will remember to take it.
Storage is part of the plan
Follow the Food Standards Agency guidance on cooling, chilling and reheating. Cool cooked food promptly, refrigerate it within two hours and reheat leftovers only once until steaming hot throughout. Rice has specific storage precautions; use the linked guidance rather than applying a general rule to every ingredient. If you cannot use a portion within its safe storage time, freeze it promptly if suitable.
A realistic first attempt
On your next shop, buy for one dinner that also provides a second portion, plus an easy lunch. After eating them, ask what caused the most faff: chopping, containers, forgetting a portion or getting bored. Fix that one detail. If batch cooking makes your weekend miserable, there are other ways to keep weekday food simple.