Why You Should Make a Batch of Sweet Potatoes at the Beginning of the Week

updated May 1, 2019
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Along with hard-boiled eggs and a pot of beans, the one thing I always make at the beginning of the week is a big batch of baked sweet potatoes. Of all the prepped foods that make the week a little easier, this vibrant orange root vegetable is the MVP. It is a blank canvas full of potential for a simple side dish that’s ready to be eaten as is; a quick fix to bulk up salads, grain bowls, and eggs; or, with a simple upgrade, it can be a meal in itself.

Cook Once, Save Time All Week

If your weeknights are anything like mine, dinner prep has a way of becoming a hurried affair. I will happily take advantage of anything I can do to speed things along or make in advance including baking a batch of sweet potatoes.

At 45 minutes to an hour of cook time, cooking up a few of these spuds isn’t something I necessarily have time for if I want to get dinner on the table at a reasonable hour. And that cook time definitely doesn’t fly at breakfast time. So instead of cooking sweet potatoes one at a time, right when I’m ready to eat them, I cook enough for the week and stash them in the fridge until I’m ready for one.

A Place at the Table Any Time of Day

Part of the beauty of sweet potatoes is their versatility. A dinnertime side dish is just one of so many roles they can play. These sweet spuds have a place on the table from breakfast through dessert. It’s all about how you serve them and what you pair them with.

If you’re ready to go beyond adding sweet potato to your regular salad or grain bowl, slice a baked sweet potato and layer it onto a sandwich, or add it to a collard wrap or burrito. Pair it with black beans and a few tortillas to pull off Taco Tuesday in record time.

When it comes to breakfast, a whole baked sweet potato is a blank canvas waiting to be filled with your favorite toppings. Give it a quick reheat in the toaster oven (or regular oven), and pile on things like yogurt and nuts, mashed banana, fresh berries, mashed avocado, granola, or an egg.

Make It a Meal with an Instant Upgrade

On its own a baked sweet potato makes a hearty side, but stuff it with anything from veggies to beans to ground meat, and all of a sudden it’s transformed into a meal. It’s the miracle meal that comes together with minimal prep and effort, and gets on the table fast.

Recipes to Use Up a Batch of Sweet Potatoes