Beyond Freezer Meals: A Smarter Way to Prep Fresh, Flexible Dinners | Crystal Schmidt (Bonus Episode)
Minimalist Moms Podcast | Purposeful Life & Parenting Tips
Diane Boden
4.7 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 29 April 2026
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, Diane sits down with cookbook author and gardener Crystal Schmidt to talk about her approach to meal prep, outlined in her book Freeze Fresh Meal Prep. Instead of relying on fully pre-made freezer meals, Crystal introduces the concept of “meal starters” - prepping the fresh components of a dish ahead of time and freezing them, then finishing the meal later with pantry staples. We talk about how this method helps reduce food waste, simplify weeknight cooking, and make the most of seasonal produce. Crystal shares practical tips for getting started, including how to choose what to freeze, which vegetables need blanching, and what actually holds up well in the freezer. She also offers ideas like freezing cookie dough for easy treats and using what you already have on hand to build a system that feels sustainable. This conversation is a helpful guide for anyone looking to make home cooking more flexible, efficient, and aligned with real life.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
- Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
- Subscribe to the Minimalist Moms Youtube Channel
- Crystal's Resource: Merlin Bird App
- Connect with Crystal:
- Instagram | Youtube | Website
- Book: Freeze Fresh Meal Prep: 160 Meal Starters and Make-Ahead Dishes for the Freezer
About Crystal|
Crystal Schmidt is the bestselling author of Freeze Fresh, and creator of Whole-Fed Homestead. With a passion for good food, she inspires others to grow their own produce, create delicious meals, and preserve fresh ingredients.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | For those of you that are new around here, I release bonus episodes that serve a niche part of my audience. |
| 0:04.8 | So if this content is something that doesn't fit what you're looking for, check out the other episodes that drop this week. |
| 0:09.8 | Or join me back here next week for episodes that you don't want to miss. |
| 0:13.5 | My very favorite thing is a chicken tortilla soup starter. |
| 0:18.7 | And so a starter, and I have a lot of different starters in the book, but it's basically |
| 0:22.8 | a way to freeze the fresh part of a recipe. And then when you want to make it, you saw it and add |
| 0:28.2 | pantry staples, meats, broth, that kind of stuff. And so for this chicken tortilla soup, |
| 0:33.2 | I saute onions and peppers and garlic and add in fresh tomatoes and simmer that down with some spices, |
| 0:38.2 | and then add sweet corn at the end. And now I have this really flavorful mixture, and all I have to do in the winter is thaw it. |
| 0:45.7 | Heat it up in a pot and add, I usually add leftover chicken to it, a can of beans, a carton of broth, |
| 0:50.7 | and I have a really delicious homegrown dinner in, I mean, less than 10 minutes. |
| 0:57.1 | It is so fast and easy. It's so, so delicious. |
| 1:00.8 | This is Diane Bowden, and you're listening to the Minimalist Moms podcast. |
| 1:04.9 | Today's guest offers a different way to think about meal prep, |
| 1:08.0 | one that's a little more flexible and a lot more realistic for everyday |
| 1:11.2 | life. Because instead of spending hours making full freezer meals, she focuses on something she calls |
| 1:16.5 | meal starters, prepping the fresh parts of a meal ahead of time so you can pull things together |
| 1:21.3 | quickly when you actually need them. In today's episode, I'm joined by Crystal Schmidt, author |
| 1:26.1 | of Freeze Fresh Meal Prep to talk about |
| 1:28.8 | how her background and gardening led her to create a system that helps preserve seasonal produce |
| 1:33.2 | and simplify cooking at the same time. |
| 1:35.4 | We talk about what foods freeze well, what to avoid, and how to get started in a way that |
... |
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