We talked last week about the First Three Weekly Meal Prep Tips that are sure to boost your weekly meal prep success!  {If you haven’t read those yet, take a quick peek before you go any further!}

Today I’m sharing the last three tips that I have found that really help this whole method work… and work well.

Ready?

Tip #4… Hang a plastic bag at your fingertips to cut down on the steps you’re taking to the trash can during your meal prep. Now, maybe your trash can is already at your fingertips, but mine is completely across the kitchen. I was faced with two undesirable choices…. just let the trash pile up on the limited counter space until I was through… OR, make 511 trips across the room to dump things one at a time.

This may seem like an insignificant tip, but when you’re prepping several meals, there will be a nice amount of stuff to toss in the process. :) I’m so glad I thought of this, because it definitely speeds up my time each week!

Tip #5… Use freezer bags or foil pans for no-fuss freezer meals. I usually use freezer bags when I’m freezing a Crockpot meal and the foil pan when I’m freezing a meal for the oven.

When it’s time to cook that freezer bag meal, it’s simple! Just thaw your bag under hot water in the sink for a minute or two, turning the bag over and using your hands to break it up a bit. It doesn’t have to be completely thawed, but loosened enough to come out of the bag easily.

To get any remaining juices left in your bag, add just a bit of water, seal, shake and then pour into the crockpot!

For your foil pan freezer meals, it’s tricky knowing how long it will need to bake. It works much better if you can stick your meal in the fridge to thaw the night before, but honestly, that doesn’t usually happen in this house.

Just start out adding an additional 20 minutes or so to your cooking time and then play it by ear. Take it out and test the middle to see if it’s cooked through and go from there.

I get the foil “cake” pans that come in a 3 pack at Walmart on the cake mix aisle.  They are about three bucks, I think.

{source}

Another option to consider too instead of the foil pans is just lining your casserole dish with foil. Put your dish in the freezer, and after it’s completely frozen, lift out the meal by the foil and slide it in a freezer bag. Sounds as easy as pie!

{source… thekitchn.com}

Then at cooking time, put it back in the casserole dish and bake!

Tip #6… Last but definitely not least, try to pick a meal prep time when you will be uninterrupted. Or at least as much as is humanly possible for a mom to be.

For me this has to be a time when hubby is home, first and foremost, and if possible when my two wild boys are napping.

Trying to fix several meals while also dealing with clingy or grouchy kiddos is a train wreck waiting to happen and likely will make you wonder what on earth possessed you to attempt the week’s meals in one afternoon.

Sunday afternoons works best for us usually though if we’re visiting my mom for the afternoon it gets pushed to Sunday evening after church.

That aint ideal honestly, but I’d rather the inconvenience of doing it Sunday nights than having the inconvenience of doing it every stressful crazy night all week long.  Ya know?

The important thing is that YOU decide when the best time for YOU is and give it your best shot!

I promise.  If I have managed to figure out a working system, than anyone can!

I love to talk 5 dinners 1 hour, so get lots more info on my How do I do it post and come back and visit for my weekly Menu Mondays where I share my menu and experience prepping 5 Dinners in 1 Hour {or less.}

And you can check out Michelle’s 5 Dinners in 1 Hour blog where I got my inspiration!

And if you’re sitting there behind your computer screen thinking, “Hmmm… could I??”  Then you gotta go enter the FABULOUS giveaway going on now to win a SIX MONTH subscription to Michelle’s meal plans!!!

What about you?  Do you think you could make Weekly Meal Prep work? Do you like freezer meals or do you find them daunting as I used to? 

*Sometimes I link up at these parties… Weekend Bloggy Link up, Tatertots & Jello, House of Hepworths,Bowl Full of Lemons,Organize & Decorate Everything, Not Just a Housewife, Funky Junk Interiors, Shabby Creek Cottage, Skip to my Lou,Today’s Creative Blog, the 36th Avenue, Thrifty Décor Chick, Home Stories A-Z, Five Days Five Ways, How to Nest for Less,Positively Splendid, Six Sisters Stuff, and Someday Crafts. You should check ‘em out!!