16 Meal Planning Essentials For Moms Who Hate Meal Planning

Raise your hand if you've ever bought ingredients for a week's worth of meals with the best intentions, only to watch them slowly wilt in your crisper drawer while you order pizza for the third time. We see you, and we're absolutely not judging. When you're juggling work, kids, activities, and the mental load of keeping a household running, the idea of meal prep can sound like a LOT.

But what if meal planning was less about becoming a master chef with a spotless kitchen and more about finding a few key tools that do the heavy lifting for you? Tools like pre-portioned containers for effortless grab-and-go lunches, heat-and-eat meals that still count as home cooking, and budget-friendly recipes are all some of the best tricks of the meal-prep trade.

The good news? Walmart makes it easy to stock up on all these game-changers without the sticker shock or adding an extra errand. Because let's face it, you've got enough on your plate (pun intended) without adding "spend a fortune on meal planning supplies” to the mix. From budget-friendly organizers to total lifesavers that cost less than takeout, these affordable essentials will transform dinner time from daily stress-fest to the most blessedly predictable part of your day.

Round Meal Prep Containers with Lids

Whether you block off Sundays for meal prep or squeeze it in when you can, these 15 stackable containers make portioning out lunches and dinners actually doable. Microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe, and under $20 for the whole set.

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Pre-Cut Fruits & Veggies

Sometimes the best meal planning hacks are just a good ol’ shortcut. Walmart’s wide range of pre-washed, pre-chopped veggies and fruit are made to sauté into stir-fries, add to grain bowls, or toss into snack containers and skip the cutting board entirely.

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Silicone Freezer Tray with Lid

Batch-cooked a huge pot of soup? These silicone trays let you freeze it in perfect 1-cup portions that pop right out so you can reheat with ease. You’ll never chisel out frozen soup at 6 p.m. again.

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Family Size Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Some nights, despite the best-laid plans, homemade just isn't happening. This family-sized creamy chicken Alfredo is pasta comfiness without the cleanup. Pop it in the oven and let everyone think you cooked.

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Color Lock 8pc 3.4 Cup Divided Glass Meal Prep Set

Say goodbye to mystery leftovers in stained plastic containers. These divided glass beauties are oven, microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe with leak-proof lids. Your fridge is about to look like one of those extremely satisfying before-and-after photos.

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Biscuit-Crust Savory Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast for dinner? Pizza for breakfast? The rules don't apply here. This flaky biscuit crust topped with eggs, cheese, and all the good stuff is the kind of multitasking we can get behind. Fifteen minutes in the oven and everyone’s fed.

Marketside -

Oven Roasted and Seasoned Red Petite Potatoes

Sheet pan dinners are the final boss of weeknight dinners and these potatoes are your starting point. Toss them with whatever protein and veggies you’ve got in the freezer, roast them for a few minutes, and you’ve got a complete meal with exactly one pan to wash.

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Wide Mixing Bowls with Lids

These teal ombre mixing bowls with lids let you prep, store, and serve all in one go — leaving you way fewer dishes to wash. The wide mouths make mixing and scooping actually pleasant, and honestly, they're pretty enough that you won't want to hide them in the back of your cabinet.

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Orange Chicken

When your family's chanting "what's for dinner?" this crispy tempura chicken with sweet orange sauce is your dinner lifeline. Ready in 14 minutes in the oven, skillet, or air fryer, it tastes like takeout, but costs like you're being fiscally responsible.

Great Value -

Caesar Salad Kit

Pair this crisp Romaine kit with its creamy Caesar dressing and crunchy croutons alongside a Stouffer’s lasagna for the ultimate “vegetable, carbs, cheese, everyone’s happy” dinner. Plus, a salad kit means no chopping, which is basically a love language.

Marketside -

Classic Lasagna with Meat and Sauce

Speaking of lasagna, this is the MVP of freezer meals. Layers of pasta, seasoned beef and tangy tomato sauce that taste suspiciously like homemade. Pop it in the oven while you throw together a salad and serve an Italian feast without breaking a sweat. (The “party size” means you’ve got leftovers to pack up for lunch!)

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Traditional Shredded Rotisserie Chicken Breasts

This fully-cooked shredded chicken breast is the cheat code for weeknight dinners. Toss it into tacos, pasta, salad, or make BBQ baked potatoes. Gluten-free with 18 grams of protein per serving. Heat and eat in minutes and suddenly you look like a person who plans ahead.

Freshness Guaranteed -

34pcs Glass Food Storage Containers with Lids Set

This mega-set includes 17 containers and 17 lids in various sizes, plus 5 bonus sauce containers. Made from BPA-free borosilicate glass with airtight silicone seals, they're perfect for families who take food storage seriously, plus a stackable design saves precious cabinet space.

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Fully Cooked Italian Style Meatballs

These freezer-aisle heroes are your blank canvas. Toss them with whatever sauce is lurking in your pantry — marinara, Alfredo, truly whatever. Add any pasta shape you've got hiding in the cabinet, and dinner is done. No one needs to know it took you eight minutes.

Great Value -

Gluten-Free Cauliflower Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza

Cauliflower crust that doesn't taste like disappointment? Sign us up. This gluten-free pepperoni pizza has a legitimately crispy crust and no artificial anything. Plus, you're getting veggies in at pizza night, which basically makes you a genius.

bettergoods -

Deli Containers with Lids, 48 Sets

OK, yes — 48 containers sounds excessive… until you realize how many random leftovers (read: science experiments) are in your fridge. Three sizes, stackable, leakproof, and dishwasher safe. And if one ends up at the bottom of a backpack for three weeks, there’s no guilt about tossing it.

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source https://www.scarymommy.com/lifestyle/best-meal-planning-products