Tips for budget meal prep and freezer meals
- Plan around what you already have. Check the freezer and pantry first, then build the week’s meals around it. It is the easiest way to spend less.
- Cook once, use twice. A big batch of shredded chicken or cooked ground beef can go into a casserole one night and tacos or soup another.
- Cool before freezing. Let food cool before it goes into the freezer, and get it into the fridge or freezer within about 2 hours of cooking.
- Label everything. Write the dish and the date on every container or bag. Most cooked casseroles and soups are best eaten within 2 to 3 months.
- Freeze flat. Soups and sauces frozen flat in zip bags stack neatly and thaw much faster.
- Thaw safely. Thaw frozen meals overnight in the fridge, not on the counter, and reheat until hot all the way through.
