Let me be real with you right from the start: I used to be on top of meal prep. Like, really on top of it. Sundays were my prep days. The freezer was stocked. Dinner on busy weeknights? Handled.
And then… I slacked off. Life happened. The routine fell apart. And suddenly I was back to the “what’s for dinner?” panic at 5 PM on a Tuesday.
So this post? It’s as much a pep talk for me as it is for you.
Because here’s the thing about meal prep—when you do it, it’s a game-changer. When you don’t, you’re eating cereal for dinner and pretending that counts as a meal. (No judgment. We’ve all been there.)
The Meal Prep Reality Check
First, let’s get honest about what meal prep actually looks like for normal humans who don’t have their entire lives color-coded and Instagram-ready.
You are NOT going to:
- Spend 6 hours every Sunday preparing 47 perfectly portioned meals
- Have matching glass containers that look like a Pinterest dream
- Stick to a rigid meal plan that requires you to eat the same thing every day
- Become one of those people who says things like “meal prep is my self-care”
You ARE going to:
- Make a few things that’ll save your sanity on busy days
- Probably eat some of it, forget about some of it, and wonder what that mystery container is in three months
- Feel like a superhero when you pull dinner out of the freezer instead of ordering takeout
- Slack off sometimes and have to start over (hi, it’s me)
And that’s okay. We’re going for “better than nothing” here, not perfection.
What Actually Works: My Go-To Freezer Meals
Let me tell you what actually gets made, frozen, and—most importantly—eaten in this house.
1. Vegetable Soup (My Personal Favorite)
This is my jam. I make a huge pot of vegetable soup and freeze it in portions. It’s easy, it’s healthy-ish, and it’s one of those things that actually tastes better after it’s been frozen and reheated.
Why it works:
- You can throw in whatever vegetables you have
- It freezes beautifully
- One pot makes multiple meals
- I actually want to eat it when I pull it out
The reality: I eat this. Santiago (my husband) tolerates it. But at least one of us is winning.
2. Beef Chili
Since I only eat beef (no chicken, turkey, fish, or any of that—just beef for this girl), a good hearty chili is a lifesaver. Make a big batch, portion it out, freeze it, and you’ve got multiple dinners ready to go.
Why it works:
- Beef, water, tomatoes, spices—done
- Actually improves in flavor after freezing
- Feeds us multiple times
- Can be eaten as-is, with cornbread or crackers, or however you want
The reality: This is one that both of us will actually eat without complaint. That’s a win in my book.
3. Beef Taco Meat
I know, I know—taco meat seems too simple to count as “meal prep.” But hear me out. Brown a bunch of ground beef with taco seasoning, portion it into freezer bags, and you’ve got the base for tacos, burritos, taco salads, nachos, or whatever sounds good that night.
Why it works:
- Takes 20 minutes to make
- Versatile for multiple meals
- Easy to rehab into something that feels fresh
- Santiago can add chicken or whatever to his portion if he wants variety
The reality: This is probably the one I actually use most because it feels like less commitment than a full “meal.”
4. Meatballs (For Santiago, Mostly)
I’ll make a big batch of meatballs—beef for me, sometimes a mix of beef and turkey or pork for Santiago since he’s not as picky. Freeze them on a baking sheet, then toss them in a freezer bag.
Why it works:
- Can be used in pasta, subs, with marinara, in soup
- Easy to grab just a few or a whole bag
- Satisfies Santiago’s need for something besides beef
The reality: I make these with good intentions. Sometimes we eat them. Sometimes they become freezer fossils. It’s a gamble.
5. Beef Stew
Another beef-heavy winner. Brown the beef, throw in potatoes, carrots, onions, beef broth, and seasonings. Let it simmer. Portion and freeze.
Why it works:
- Comfort food that actually freezes well
- Feels like a complete meal
- Winter evenings = instant cozy vibes
The reality: This one gets eaten more in colder months. In Texas summer? It sits there while we pretend we’re going to want stew when it’s 95 degrees outside.
What Sits in the Freezer Forever (Let’s Be Honest)
Now let’s talk about the stuff that sounds great in theory but ends up becoming a science experiment in the back of your freezer.
Casseroles with pasta: I don’t know what it is, but freezing and reheating pasta-based casseroles never works out. The texture gets weird. It’s mushy. It’s sad. I keep trying. It keeps disappointing me.
Anything labeled “mystery meat from 2024”: If you can’t remember what it is or when you made it, it’s not getting eaten. Just accept the loss and toss it.
Elaborate recipes with 47 ingredients: That fancy French-inspired dish you spent three hours making? Yeah, it’s been in there for four months because reheating it feels like too much effort.
Single-serving “healthy” meals: I had grand plans to make individual portioned healthy meals. They’re still there. Mocking me. I’ll eat the chili instead.
The Real Talk About Meal Prep
Here’s what I’ve learned (and keep having to relearn because apparently I’m slow):
Meal prep doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You don’t have to prep every meal for the week. Even having 2-3 backup dinners in the freezer is a massive win.
Simple beats fancy every time. The elaborate recipe might sound impressive, but the basic chili is what you’ll actually pull out and eat on a Tuesday night.
Future you will thank current you. Every single time I pull something out of the freezer instead of staring blankly into the fridge at 6 PM, I feel like a genius. Past me really came through.
You will slack off and that’s fine. I literally wrote this post to motivate myself to get back into meal prep after months of slacking. We’re all works in progress here.
It’s okay to meal prep just for the week. Not everything needs to be frozen. Sometimes I just make bigger batches of dinner and eat leftovers for a few days. That counts too.
My Meal Prep Reality for Two
Santiago and I are empty nesters at this point (well, mostly—grandkids and family come through occasionally, but day-to-day it’s just us). Meal prep looks different when you’re not feeding a crowd.
What this means:
- Smaller portions work fine
- We can actually eat the same thing a few times without revolt
- I can make my beef-only meals and he can supplement with whatever he wants
- The freezer doesn’t have to be packed with 30 meals
What we actually do:
- I make 1-2 big batch meals on the weekend
- We eat some fresh, freeze the rest
- Santiago handles his own breakfast/lunch most days
- Dinner is where meal prep saves us
It’s not fancy. It’s not Instagram-worthy. But it works for us when we actually do it.
Getting Back Into the Swing
So here I am, writing this post and giving myself a pep talk in the process. I need to get back into meal prep mode because I know it makes life easier. I know future me will be grateful. I know it’s better than the “what should we eat?” debate every single night.
My plan moving forward:
- Start small—just one or two freezer meals this week
- Focus on what we actually eat (chili and taco meat, I’m looking at you)
- Stop trying to be fancy
- Give myself grace when I slack off again (because I probably will)
If you’re in the same boat…you used to meal prep, you know it helps, but you’ve fallen off the wagon – let’s do this together. We don’t have to be perfect. We just have to be better than “cereal for dinner” on a Wednesday night.
And honestly? Sometimes, cereal for dinner is perfectly fine too.
What are your go-to freezer meals? What actually gets eaten vs. what becomes a freezer fossil? Drop your favorites (or failures) in the comments. Let’s share the realistic meal prep wisdom. 🍲
Quick Freezer Meal Tips for Mortals
- Label everything with the date. You think you’ll remember. You won’t.
- Flatten freezer bags to save space and help things freeze/thaw faster
- Cool food completely before freezing (I know you know this, but we all get impatient)
- Use freezer-safe containers that actually seal (not that random Tupperware from 1987)
- Don’t overfill containers—liquids expand when frozen and you’ll have a mess
- Keep a list on your freezer of what’s in there (again, you think you’ll remember…)
- Rotate stock—use the old stuff first before adding new (yeah, I don’t always do this either)
- Portion for how you’ll actually use it—no point freezing a giant batch if you only need two servings
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make a pot of vegetable soup and pretend I have my life together. At least for today. 😂
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a true crime junkie and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and Southern Bred True Crime Junkie. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family which consists of six children and fifteen grandchildren.