Motherhood, Faith & Frugal Living | Kim.Kids.Chaos
If your week looks anything like ours — sports, school, church, and a whole lot of chaos — then figuring out what’s for dinner can feel like the final straw.
Meal prepping used to feel overwhelming. I’d scroll Pinterest and see those perfect color-coded containers and elaborate plans… and then close the app and order pizza.
But I’ve learned that meal prepping doesn’t have to be fancy to be functional. In fact, when we simplified our strategy and worked with our actual life, it became one of the biggest ways we save money, reduce stress, and serve our family well.
Here’s how we meal prep — without losing our minds.
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1. We Meal Prep for Our Life, Not Someone Else’s
I used to think I had to follow someone else’s exact system. I downloaded countless meal plans only to have to change this meal or substitute that meal because of family tastes or time constants. But meal prep isn’t one-size-fits-all. We prep for our rhythms — not what works for a full-time fitness coach on TikTok.
- Busy sports week? Crockpot meals and sandwich bins.
- Chill weekend? Muffins, soups, and grilled steaks.
- Church potluck? Make a double batch and save one for later.
Purposeful planning beats perfection every time.
“Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred.” — Proverbs 15:17
2. We Do a Once-a-Week Snack Prep and Meal Storage Session
Mostly every Sunday (right before garbage night), we do a prep session that focuses on snacks and ready-to-eat meals.
Here’s what that looks like:
- Chop fruits & veggies
- Boil eggs
- Bake muffins or make granola bars
- Portion snacks into lunch containers
- Prepare items for long term storage
- Bake a few treats for the week – brownies, buckeye balls
It’s not glamorous, but it’s done. And when the week hits full throttle, we’re thankful for those focused minutes.
Sometimes I can even convince my kids to help out in the kitchen as teach them new skills.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9
3. We Simplify with Routine and Plan Around Our Real Schedule
We don’t reinvent the wheel every week. I eat pretty much the same lunch every weekday, and the kids don’t mind repeat dinners if they’re ones they like.
We also look at the school and sports calendars before grocery shopping so we’re not prepping a full meal for nights we won’t be home.
And if someone’s eating hot lunch at school that day? Great — one less thing to prep. When everyone is taking hot lunch the kids know “it might be better than my birthday” (As we approach May I’m very tired of making school lunches).
Less food wasted. Less money wasted. Less stress.
That’s stewardship in action.
“She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” — Proverbs 31:27
4. We Buy and Store Commonly Used Items in Bulk
One of the ways we stay ahead with meal prep (and stay on budget!) is by buying our most-used items in bulk — things like oats, rice, flour, pasta, beans, and even snacks when they’re on sale.
We use a mixture of mylar bars, 5 gallon food grade buckets, and mason jars to store a ton of our dry goods and snacks. I’m talking 50 lb. bags of flour, Costco sized goldfish, cheese puffs, veggie straws, fresh-washed fruit — you name it. The jars make it easy to portion, keep things fresh, and actually see what we have. (Plus they keep the snack cabinet from looking like a crinkly bag explosion!) – The Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer has been a lifesaver.
For freezer storage, we don’t have a vacuum sealer yet — it’s on our wish list and something I’m saving for. In the meantime, we flash freeze everything we can: berries, chopped veggies, muffins, meat, and anything else we prep ahead. Once frozen solid, we move items into zip-top bags, flatten them to save space, and label them clearly.
This simple system helps us waste less, prep smarter, and stretch our grocery dollars — which, in this season of life, is a huge blessing.
“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It stores its provisions in summer…” — Proverbs 6:6-8
5.We Give Ourselves Grace
There are weeks we forget, run out of time, or just plain don’t feel like prepping anything.
That’s okay.
Meal prep is a tool, not a test.
It’s there to serve you — not to become another burden.
We remind ourselves:
✔️ Done is better than perfect
✔️ Simple is better than complicated
✔️ Faithfulness beats perfection every time
Final Thoughts
Meal prepping doesn’t have to mean picture-perfect containers or a day-long kitchen marathon. It can be simple. It can be shared. And it can absolutely be done in a way that makes your life more peaceful, not more pressured.
It’s one of the small ways we practice stewardship, togetherness, and sanity in the middle of real, everyday family life.
Please share anything that works well for meal prepping at your house. I would love to give it a try.
Affiliate Disclosure:
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you choose to make a purchase through them. I only share products we truly use and love in our home. Thank you for supporting Kim.Kids.Chaos and helping this blog continue to encourage faith-filled, frugal family living!
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