As temperatures climb into the 90s this week, some New Yorkers are looking for ways to avoid turning on the stove. Several home cooks, particularly those following vegetarian diets, are preparing meals in advance and relying on freezer-friendly options. On Monday morning in Flatbush, market shoppers loaded up on zucchini, corn, and tomatoes, citing plans to batch-cook vegetable soup for the week ahead.
Egg sandwiches, usually a breakfast staple, are also entering the make-ahead rotation. Some residents wrap assembled sandwiches in foil and freeze them, reheating for quick lunches between Zoom calls or after late-night returns from the subway. At a co-op kitchen in Astoria, volunteers spent Sunday prepping lentil stews and tofu burritos, aiming to reduce weekday cooking during the hottest stretch of summer.
Retailers in neighborhoods like Jackson Heights report increased sales of freezer containers and storage bags. A staffer at a 74th Street kitchen supply store noted, 'People want to cook once and eat all week, especially when it’s too hot to keep cooking.'
The trend is not limited to longtime vegetarians. On the Upper West Side, a group of college students shopping on Sunday said they started freezing meals last month, with favorites including summer minestrone and cheese-stuffed peppers. Their goal: to avoid takeout costs and the heat of a midday kitchen.
As July approaches, more households are expected to adopt similar strategies, particularly with forecasts predicting continued humidity. For those seeking ideas, recipes for make-ahead vegetarian meals are circulating widely in food columns and social media this week.