How I’m meal prepping for a busy fall

Julia Warren

Just as it seems like everyone else is gearing up for a busy fall and back-to-school season, I'm prepping for my own big change: having a baby. I'm a planner by nature, so I've been trying to prepare a few good freezer meals and cultivate a winning list of easy make-ahead meals that I can turn to in a bind.

If you're also steeling yourself for a hectic fall (and who isn't during this odd year?), the first thing I'd suggest before embarking on a make-ahead quest is to get your freezer in order. A messy freezer was the biggest obstacle holding me back from meal prepping. I had bags of frozen vegetables falling everywhere and could barely tell what ingredients I had to work with. Investing in a few bins to categorize foods really changed everything.

Once I was organized, I moved onto the fun part: cooking! Normally, I look forward to the end of summer because it means I can finally start roasting vegetables and incorporating more hearty ingredients into my meals. For my prep, I wanted to capture the satisfaction these kinds of meals offer without having to do a ton of work in the moment. Plus, experienced parents warned me that I should aim for meals that I can eat with one hand or pop in the oven quickly. So far, I have some delicious breakfast burritos already frozen, plus a few frozen cheesy casseroles that I've pre-portioned.

I've been trying to balance rest—while I still can—with meal prep, so I usually make a week's worth of lunches on Sunday and store them in my favorite set of glass containers for the week. I've been making easy recipes like grain bowls and bean salads. And for dinner, I'm making great use of my Instant Pot to keep me off my feet at night.

Preparing meals in advance has helped me feel readier for my next big life chapter. What kind of big life changes do you have in store, and how are you preparing for them? Share with us by tagging us on Instagram @thespruceeats.

- Julia Warren
Senior Director, Commerce

Recipes We Love

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid With Frozen Vegetables

How to Freeze Casseroles for Your Future Self

The 9 Best Food Storage Containers for Keeping Meals Fresh

Essential Instant Pot Recipes Everyone Needs to Make

One Thing

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Vegan Yogurt Couldn't Be Easier to Make

Watch & Learn

More From The Spruce

18 Unexpected Ways to Bake and Cook With Canned Pumpkin

17 Delicious Rosh Hashanah Dinner Recipes to Celebrate the New Year

Luxurious Brioche and White Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding

Did somebody forward you this email? Sign Up for The Spruce Eats Newsletter!

Have feedback? Send us an email at contact@thespruceeats.com, subject line: Newsletter Feedback.