Hi there!

I don’t know about you, but we don’t want to cook much this summer. Polly and I are both ready to spend time outdoors, relaxing, and hanging out with our families.

Wouldn't it be great to spend WAY fewer hours in the kitchen this summer, while still feeding our families well? Bonus: Eating at home will save us all so much $$ while fuel and other prices are rising.

That’s why we recently spent a few days prepping 24 freezer meals each. And let me tell you, it was a bit of work upfront but also the BEST FEELING.

Want to join us? I hope so! Whether you prep 24 meals or even just 6 meals, your future self is going to be thanking you BIG TIME!

Ok, #1 is to keep this email. It's your one-stop-shop for prepping freezer meals in bulk for the summer. Included:

• Our Step-by-Step Method
• Freezer-Friendly Recipe Ideas
• Personal Tips We Learned
• Helpful Tools You'll Need
• FAQs

I'd suggest reading through this email, downloading our app for free, and prep before summer begins.

Alrighty, let's get going so you can relax this summer!

Step-by-Step Method for Prepping in Bulk

1. Choose Menu: Decide which freezer-friendly recipes you want to stock up on for the summer (see our hand-picked ideas below). Adjust serving sizes on your recipes.

If you own 1 Hour Freezer Prep, that's a great tool to use! No thinking involved.

Time-Saving Tip: Use Our App

Or...use our Thriving Meals app to create a “Recipe List” with any recipe you want, double or triple the serving size, and edit the autogenerated shopping list (huge time saver!!).

We highly suggest signing up for a 7-day free trial right now to create your prep session and save a LOT of time.

2. Print: Print recipes from Thriving Home, or use the Thriving Meals app to create/print a tidy PDF of your recipe list, including title page, shopping list by category, and all the recipes.

3. Shop: Go shopping with your list or order groceries on the app via Instacart. (Walmart integration is coming soon!)

4. Freezer Labels: Print off, fill out, and tape our free freezer labels on the bags. (Tip: One app user said she just prints the recipes out and tapes them to the bag instead. Genius!)

5. Organize: Set out the shelf stable ingredients and equipment by the corresponding freezer bags and printed recipes. I used my dining table for this.

6. Prep Meals: Read our tips below before starting. Then, get prepping your meals to stock your freezer! We completed about 6 meals per hour, depending on the recipe.

7. Track & Use Meals: Write down all your freezer meals in a note on your phone and delete as you use them. Try to work one or two into your menu plan each week (you can create a customized weekly menu plan in our app!). Set them in the fridge to thaw about 24 hours in advance.

✔️ Here's a quick refresher how to use our app for your Summer Freezer Prep Session to save time...

20 Freezer-Friendly Summer Recipe Ideas

Below are the recipes that Rachel and/or Polly prepped for their own freezers and recommend as a starting point.

1. ​Southwest Marinated Chicken - Use in these wraps, on this salad, or with simple sides.
2. ​Turkey Pesto Paninis - Wrap individually for grab-and-go meals.
3. ​Greek Pulled Pork Pitas - Serve with fresh Tzatziki Sauce. Yum!
4. ​Asian Sesame Marinated Chicken - Goes great with Egg Fried Rice.
5. ​French Dip Sandwiches - Dump-and-go meal for the crock pot or Instant Pot.
6. ​Air Fryer Italian Chicken Thighs - Fast prep!
7. ​Cheddar Chive Burgers - Delicious burgers for the grill.
8. ​Crock Pot Cuban Paninis - Best sandwich ever. Prep as a kit.
9. ​Hawaiian Marinated Pork Tenderloin - Grill, air fry, or bake.
10. ​Taco Meat - For easy taco bar night.
11. ​The Ultimate Chicken Sandwiches - So good! Prep as a kit.
12. ​Beefy Quesadillas - Prep as a kit.
13. ​Cilantro Lime Chicken - Use in tacos, on nachos, or in salads.
14. ​Crock Pot Carnitas - Polly's favorite.
15. ​Boursin Sausage Pasta Sauce - Double or triple the sauce only to use over pasta later.
16. ​Steak and Chicken Fajitas - Great to cook on a Blackstone (or stovetop). Prep as a kit.
17. ​Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin - Fast prep!
18. ​Shrimp Coconut Curry Bowls - The Tiemeyers' #1 favorite recipe! Prep as a kit.
19. Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal - Healthy & delicious.
20. Snack: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls - Great fuel for athletes or trips.

You can find more freezer-friendly recipes here or in the Thriving Meals app.

Tips Before Beginning

We took notes during our own prep sessions and are sharing what we learned. Read these before starting to save yourself some trouble. :)

Rachel’s Top 5 Tips

1. Double or triple recipes to make the session go faster. Our recipe cards on each Thriving Home post or our app help you do the math.
2. To avoid freezer burn, let food cool completely before packaging and try to remove as much air as possible from the freezer bags before freezing.
3. Freeze any meals in freezer bags on a sheet pan flat first (if possible). Then they will stack neatly in your freezer and not get stuck together.
4. Use food handling gloves when working with raw meat. Much easier than washing your hands constantly.
5. Ask for help from your family members. I’ve done this before where I set up stations and assign each person a recipe. It goes much faster and teaches kids life skills.

Polly’s Top 5 Tips

1. Take all the ingredient shortcuts you can! Ginger paste, minced garlic, bags of frozen bell peppers & onions, chicken cutlets, or have the butcher pre-slice or trim your meat.
2. Print out all the recipes. Your hands will be dirty and you won’t want to be on your computer or phone.
3. Start with the most hands-on recipes first. While I picked freezer meals that come together fast, I started with any that required precooking or more assembly (i.e. Beefy Quesadillas, Turkey Pesto Paninis, and Cheddar Chive Burgers).
4. I prepped 3 recipes (6 meals) at a time and then took a short break in which I cleaned up, washed a few dishes, tidied my prep space and placed meals in the freezer.
5. Put on your favorite music!

Helpful Tools for Freezer Prep Sessions

Must haves for freezer prep...

• ​Printable freezer labels (FREE here!) + sharpie and clear packing tape
• ​Baggie holders​
• ​Gallon freezer sized bags​
• ​Freezer containers​
• ​Food handling gloves​

Other super helpful kitchen tools...

• ​Sharp chef’s knife​
• ​Bench scraper​
• ​Large wooden cutting board​
• ​Dishwasher-safe cutting board for meat​
• ​Meat browning tool​
• ​Microplane grater/zester​

✨Reminder: Using our app will save you SO much time when executing this summer prep session. After that, you can use it to create customized weekly menu plans that incorporate your freezer meals all summer long.✨

FAQs

How long will my meals last in the freezer?

The USDA says if they remain solidly frozen, then they are safe to eat indefinitely (seriously!). But the texture and flavor will be adversely affected over time. So, if you package your meals well, reducing air exposure and keeping them frozen consistently, they should last up to 3 months. But I've definitely eaten some freezer meals that were 9-12 months old from my deep freezer!

What's the best way to package my meals?

I'd recommend using BPA-free freezer bags or these freezer containers. Just remember that air is the enemy of good freezer meals, so squeeze out excess air and freeze only after the food is fully cooled.

What's the best way to thaw my meals?

The best way is in the refrigerator for 24+ hours (in a dish to prevent any drips/leaks). But, if you forget this, you can thaw it faster using the cold water method or the microwave's defrost button. Read more about safe ways to defrost your meals here.

Do I need an extra freezer or a deep freezer?

If you plan to prep meals in bulk, I'd definitely recommend a secondary freezer. A deep freezer will keep your meals colder, and they will last longer. But a second freezer that gets opened more regularly will be fine if you plan to eat your meals within a few months.

Please reach out with any questions at all. We would love to help you stock your freezer this summer!

Cheering you on, 🎉

Rachel and Polly

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