Mate, you're so right, can't believe some of the takes on this! If I want to cook something a bit more involved, I nearly always make a big pot and freeze portions. People are complaining about texture, but it's easy enough to: make a base out of your protein, sauce, spices and seasoning, and the sturdier veggies (eg Bolognese, chilli, curry, random sauce for pasta, their texture won't suffer noticeably); freeze; then reheat and serve with a freshly cooked relevant carb (pasta, rice, couscous), and some kind of fresh green like salad or steamed broccoli. Or not! If you're short on time just have your defrosted meal with toast and it's still 80% as nutritious as a fresh home cooked meal This is coming from someone who worked in kitchens, including moderately fancy ones, for years, so I know how to do the opposite approach too. But now I have two kids, cooking something effortful without planning for leftovers feels like too much of a time-luxury.