Meal Prep in an Instant

“Two convenience cooking trends combine in this glossy cookbook filled with familiar flavors. Here, the Instant Pot multicooker gets a real workout in marathon (3-5 hour) meal prep sessions yielding dozens of servings. With careful, step-by-step instructions, Ludlum guides cooks through the process of prepping ingredients during the pot’s cooking time, then transferring cooked items to single-serving storage containers before reloading the pot for the next phase. Ludlum’s omnivorous menus each include a breakfast and three meals more suited to lunch or dinner, with portions to serve a family of four for a week. Though part of the efficiency is in recipes that share common ingredients, flavor profiles are distinct, which will avoid the common “everything tastes the same” complaint in less thoughtfully constructed OAMC (“once a month cooking”) or other bulk cooking plans. Particularly useful are the shopping lists and ample information on maximizing efficiency and crafting personalized meal plans. A full afternoon of prep for weekday health and convenience is a trade-off many home cooks will gladly make.” —Booklist