If you’re looking for the ultimate meal prep and freezer storage guide, then you’re in the right place. This meal prep guide teaches you not just how to meal prep but also provides links to free printables and some YouTube videos that will show you how to organise your meal planning better.
This post is all about the ultimate meal prep and freezer storage guide
If you often find yourself tired after a hard days work or simply out of ideas, then this guide will inspire and motivate you to give meal planning a go. When properly done, meal prep or meal planning can shave hours off your week. There are six main criteria to consider when starting on this journey.
For ease of use, I have divided this post into six categories and their following sub categories.
1: Freezer Strategy
a. Freeze the individual components Instead of entire meals:
What this does is, it saves freezer space and improves texture when re-heating. It also allows you to mix and match components for several dishes, thus keeping you flexible. Things that freeze well are bread, Rice, Beans, cooked proteins, soups, Chilli and of course, Curry.
b. gradually start building a freezer pantry:
Instead of starting your meal prepping journey with a detailed and complicated plan, start small. If you decide to make a soup, make a little extra and freeze it. By cooking extra portions during regular meals and freezing leftovers, you can slowly and methodically build a variety of ready-made meals. This also prevents meal prep burn out.
c. Freeze Rice in individual portions:
Rice freezes really easily and is a good accompaniment to several curry based dishes. To not have to heat a big brick of frozen rice, freeze smaller portions. It’s easier, faster and uses less electricity. You can use the rice in breakfast bowls, lunches and quick dinners. Reheat the rice directly from it’s frozen state.
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2: Breakfast meal prep ideas
a. Breakfast Burritos:
These are so easy to make and once you get the hang of it, you can switch out the fillings for others. All you need to do is fill the tortillas with eggs, cheese, sausage, beans etc. Wrap them individually and freeze. This YouTube video below shows exactly how I made them.
b. Egg Muffins / Apple muffins:
Both these recipes work great and freeze well. You could also try various berry muffins or an apple oats muffin. I prefer the egg muffins or mini omelettes. Simply bake the eggs in a muffin tray with assorted veggies, cheese, ham and bacon. You can freeze and reheat them as and when needed.
c. Breakfast Casseroles:
This is such a simple dish to make, even a novice beginner will be able to do it easily. Prepare large trays with a bit of depth with eggs, potatoes, meat and veggies. Once baked, you can slice them into portions before freezing.
c. Protein Pancakes:
The cooking time will depend on the type of protein you decide to go with. Vegetarian proteins of course, cook faster than meat. You can cook large batches and freeze them flat. You can store them in ziplocks although I prefer good quality freezer bags. This protects them from freezer burn. When you want to eat them, reheat the pancakes in a toaster.
d. Protein Waffles:
Homemade waffles are yet another breakfast dish that freeze really well. You can make and freeze homemade waffles for quick breakfasts or pack them for a snack.
e. Smoothie Packs:
These smoothie packs or bags are an excellent way to keep your mornings efficient and functional. Simply portion the various components into ziplocks or freezer bags and cut prep time by half. Depending on your smoothie recipe pre-portion fruit, spinach, assorted nuts and seeds and chosen leafy greens. Take out a pack when needed and blend frozen to get a nice, creamy consistency.
f. Oat-Based Breakfasts:
Oats are a great source of Folate and B Vitamins. They are also easy to prepare. You can prep oats in various ways, such as baked oatmeal, oatmeal cups, overnight oats etc. These are easy to store and require less cooking effort
3: Storage & Organisation Hacks
a. Vacuum Seal Meals:
Using food grade Vacuum seal bags is another great way of organising and upping the game on your meal prep. Vacuum seal bags help reduce freezer burn and extend the storage life of the food, thus improving food quality.
b. Keep Fresh Ingredients Separate:
A big exception to freezing produce is leafy greens. For this reason add fresh ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and fresh herbs later. This prevents the meal from having soggy textures and components.
c. Freeze Sauces Instead of Pasta:
When planning pasta dishes, freeze only the sauces, not the actual pasta itself. This is best cooked on the spot. You can easily freeze pasta sauces, curry sauces and soup bases. As a general rule, starches should be cooked fresh.
d. Label Everything:
This step is extremely important. You should always label every meal or ingredient that goes into the freezer. This saves a lot of time and effort rummaging through the cold freezer. The three things that must always be included are the item name, the date it was frozen and the quantity. This makes your freezer inventory much more manageable.
4: Time-Saving Meal Prep Systems
a. Split meal Prep Across Multiple Days:
When first starting out in your meal prep journey, don’t try to accomplish all tasks in one day. Divide your meal prep over several days to make it a success. Smaller steps have more chances of success.
An example would be to allocate Day 1 for shopping, washing produce and chopping the ingredients. Day 2 could be for cooking, portioning and freezing. You could further stretch Day 2 into more days by cooking one or two dishes a day and freezing them once they are cooked and have cooled down. This way of meal planning is less overwhelming.
b. Use Multiple Appliances Simultaneously:
When meal prepping, running a few appliances simultaneously, will speed up the cooking process thereby cutting the time drastically. For example, you could use the slow cooker for spaghetti bolognaise, the instant pot for a veggie dish, the stove for the pasta and the oven for baked potatoes or roast veggies. This maximises your productivity.
c. Batch Cook Base Ingredients:
To batch cook your base ingredients, prepare the proteins, grains and roasted veggies. Mix and match them throughout the week for interesting combinations and flavours.
5: Quality & Texture Improvements
a. Use a Water Bath for Egg Bites
When making egg muffins or mini omelettes, place muffin tins inside a larger pan containing water. This retains a creamier texture and gives the impression of cafe style egg bites.
b. Thoroughly Dry the Ingredients Before Storage
This helps remove excess moisture from jars, produce and containers. Moisture speeds up spoilage, so a clean and dry container will increase food quality.
c. half-Bake Bread
When baking bread, try baking them halfway and then freezing the partially baked loaves. You can also freeze the dough itself. This way, you can finish baking later for warm, fresh bread.
6: Pantry & Inventory Management
a. Maintain a Freezer Inventory:
Maintaining a freezer inventory reduces wastage and is a good reminder for what’s stored in the freezer. A simple list of what is stored in the freezer, how much is stored and when it was prepared is enough to make sure things are consumed within the proper time frame.
b. Rotate Food Using the FIFO method:
The FIFO method stands for First In, First Out. This means that you use the oldest items first and place newer items at the back. This helps to keep your freezer organised and reduces wastage.
To see how I do my freezer meal prep for the month, watch the video below for ideas and tips!
To see how I ingredient prep for my meals, watch the video down below!
Building a freezer inventory takes time and patience. It’s about learning what works for your family, routine and preferences. There is no one size fits all when it comes to meal planning. Some trial and error may occur until you find a system that works for you.
These guidelines, should help you get the ball rolling.
Check out the free printables below to refine your homemaking and meal planning game!
If you have any questions, suggestions or tips regarding meal planning and prepping, then leave them in the comments below and I will get back to you as soon as I’m able.
