The concept of "Once A Month Cooking" (OAMC) was something I was quite into when we lived back in the city. After the birth of my third child and turning vegetarian for a while (I still am, the family are bucking though) it went on the backburner. Now, as I have more time and a houseful of willing helpers, I am back into the bulk cook once a month (or thereabouts). We have found this to be a fantastic time and money saver around here, and it makes the most of any food we produce.
The basic idea (for the uninitiated) goes something like this; you go shopping and buy enough to last your family for a period of time(say two weeks for your first time). Once home and unpacked, you cook like a mad person for the day, and perhaps into the next day - freezing prepared meals as you go. I cook up vegetable pies , casseroles, curried vege sausages, soups, pizzas using Lebanese bread base and all sorts of things. For snacks, I cook stewed fruits in single serving containers, fruit muffins, biscuits, banana cake - the list goes on. At the end of this cooking session I have a freezer full of meals ready to pull out, defrost and cook - no preparation. It is a life saver at the end of a busy day when nutritious and healthy meals are already there.
The entire idea of OAMC gives way to a whole lot of other self reliant concepts. If you grow your own produce (and I hope you grow at least some of it!), this is an excellent way to preserve an abundant harvest. My pumpkins are in soup in the freezer by the time they are less than a few hours old - where can you buy pumpkins that fresh? Stewing, fruit muffins and cakes have your apple, pear, banana or passionfruit surplus taken care of. If you don't grow your own produce or supplement it, perhaps there is an organic farm near you somewhere? If so, you may be able to purchase fruit and vegetables in bulk at a good discount. Even at a fruit market (although it is tough to find organic) crates of fruit and vegetables are much cheaper than buying small amounts. Cooking them right away and freezing the meals will justify the big purchase. If you can get a few friends in on the act, you may be able to start a co-op and all put in for a huge order , and get tribal and do a bulk cook together!
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