The Food Chain

World Service,·14 May 2026,·26 mins

Available for over a year

Meal prepping is supposed to save us time, money and stress. It is a huge trend on social media,. how can we make it work in our own real, messy lives?

Ruth Alexander meets Hannah, a busy working mum who wants help to make meal times easier, quicker and more varied. Could batch cooking be the answer?

On hand to offer advice. inspiration are Jess Rice from the US website Budget Bytes and Kevin Curry, who has around two million followers across his Fit Men Cook social media accounts.

And if you have ever wondered whether those leftovers are safe to eat. or how long you should leave hot food cooling on the kitchen counter before you freeze it, there is advice from Natalie Stanton, who trains chefs in food safety.

If you would like to get in touch with The Food Chain team, please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk

Producer: Lexy O'Connor

Sound engineer: Hal Haines

(Image: A food container with chicken and vegetables being opened by a woman's hands. Credit: Getty Images)