Channel 4’s new cooking show Batch From Scratch has been met with criticism from viewers who are unhappy with its focus on meal prepping and what many saw as unappealing recipes and kitchen shortcuts. The show, which premiered last night, is hosted by Joe Swash and Suzanne Mulholland, a chef and author known for her quick and cost-effective meal prep ideas. The show’s title is similar to Suzanne’s Instagram handle, 'The Batch Lady.'.
In the first episode, Joe and Suzanne travelled to Hull, East Yorkshire, to help the Powell family organise their kitchen, reduce meal stress, and plan meals ahead. However, the show didn’t sit well with many viewers. On Twitter, some labelled it the "dumbest" cooking show ever, pointing out questionable tips like using frozen vegetables such as onions and mushrooms, which Joe added to Claire Powell’s shopping cart while shopping for groceries.
One X, formerly Twitter, user fumed: "Isn't really 'from scratch' when they're cutting corners using readymade mash or precut veg.". Whilst another added: "I batch cook, but seriously, premade mash, ready diced onions & microwave rice? Hardly budget friendly nor 'from scratch' is it?" A third penned: "Freezing things and defrosting them makes the taste awful for most things.". Another unpopular moment came when Suzanne suggested preparing and freezing 20 sandwiches ahead of time, claiming they could last up to three months. Many viewers found these suggestions impractical, adding to the negative feedback.
One user raged: "I’m sorry I draw the line at freezing sandwiches, they only take a few minutes to make either morning of or night before. Could even get the older kids doing their own!" Another baffled viewer questioned: "Freezing sandwiches for three months?". Although the show has faced significant criticism for its meal prep methods, Joe is one person who stands by its approach. By following Suzanne's tips, Joe has not only managed to lose half a stone but also brought order to his family's mealtime routine. He shared: “We are batch cooking at home and it’s working. I’ve lost about half a stone since we were filming.”.
Cooking in advance also leaves more time for exercise. Joe, who shares six children with his wife Stacey Solomon, said: “I’ve started to go back to the gym. I went three days ago. It was the first time in ages and I’m still really sore. I can’t put my jacket on properly. I’m at the early stages of bettering myself,” he grinned. “Get back to me in a couple of months and you’ll see the difference," he added.
On the show, not only are the families grateful for having the stress taken out of mealtimes, they’re also delighted to be spending more time eating together at the dinner table. It’s something Joe and Stacey believe is crucial to family life. “It’s so important,” said Joe. “In our family, we like to use the dinner table as a way to interrogate our kids without them even realising it!”.
It’s one of the few times they’re all in the same place, given their different ages, so Joe and Stacey find mealtimes are the ideal time to share their news and feelings. “We can’t get our kids to sit down for anything,” Joe explained. “But one time a day we sit down, we have our dinner, we talk to our kids about their day, their guard is down, and they let us know what they’ve been getting up to. The kids get to socialise with each other. We find the dinner table such an important place and such an important time for our family. ”.
