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I love cooking and baking but figuring out ways to spend less time in the kitchen is important to me. Prepping for meals is easy when I have a couple easy meal starters at the ready in the freezer. This is the best way to simplify busy weeknights and still get a healthy meal on the table for our family. Today’s post is intended to help you think about ways to simplify your meal planning by planning ahead a bit and doing a little quick prep to stock that freezer.
My latest addition is a huge hit in our house and a super yummy one-bowl meal with lots of room for variation. I’ve been making stir fry veggie bags and I have to tell you it’s the perfect quick prep meal starter. Choose your family’s favorite veggies – I like using squash (yellow and green), red onions, mushrooms, asparagus, peppers, broccoli, and snap peas. The options are endless and really depend on your taste and supermarket availability. I use the stir fry veggies as a side dish – tossed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Better yet, I also add the veggies to a protein like chicken or steak and add a stir fry sauce and serve with rice or Soba noodles. So good and so easy.
If you haven’t tried doing some quick-prep work for the freezer, you’ll find that it’s so much easier than prepping entire meals because you can prep for multiple meals at a time and cut your cooking time down to minutes. Here’s a great list to get you started! Choose one or two things to try in the next week or two to load up your freezer. I like to add a little bit every week and it makes meal planning and preparing so much easier. Enjoy!
Download this FREE printable Quick Prep Meal Starters for the Freezer List here!
If you like this free printable, you’ll love the Everyday Menu Planning Kit in my shop.
A. L. Says...
Growing up on a farm decades ago and with a suburban vege garden when my children were young, we always blanched and ice-cooled vegetables before freezing. Has that gone the way of all gray-haired thinking in these today-times? No longer required/recommended?
Emily Says...
I blanch all my veggies because I bag them in qt bags and use for months down the road. They last much longer this way. However, for the purpose of beckys post, it’s not so much necessary if you’ll use them up quickly because they won’t have the time to go bad.
Ellen Says...
This is great & would really be helpful & yummy if only my family ate veggies like this. I have to blend & hide them.
Carrie Pierce Says...
can this Quick Prep Meal Starters for the Freezer + FREE PRINTABLE LIST – be grabbed anywhere other than on your etsy site?
Becky Says...
Post authorIt’s not my Etsy site, it’s just through my blog 🙂
pygmymetal Says...
Re marinated beef – do you marinate for a period of time and then freeze?
Thanks!
Marianne
b r Says...
Post authorNope, just pour in the liquid and freeze 🙂
Stephanie W. Says...
How does freezing meals work if your meat is already frozen. Isn’t it bad to thaw and refreeze without cooking the meat first?
b r Says...
Post authorI never thaw and refreeze – I use fresh and then freeze.