Freezer-Friendly Lego Lunches for Easy Meal Prep

What are lego lunches?

I bought my first set of silicone freezer molds a couple of years ago to freeze and vacuum seal meals for camping, but I’ve started using them even more in my regular meal prep. Instead of freezing full meals, I’ve been freezing individual components — proteins, carbs, sauces, and other meal building blocks — so I can mix and match them later when I need something quick.

These are sometimes called lego lunches, and they’re a great option if you like having food prepped but don’t want to eat the exact same meal over and over again. For me, this kind of mix-and-match meal prep makes it easier to have flexible options ready without committing to one full meal on repeat.

Now, I try to make a double batch of at least one freezer-friendly meal each week so I can add servings to my freezer stash and pull them out whenever I have a gap to fill in my week or weekend.

What size freezer molds should you use?

I recommend starting with 1/2 cup freezer molds if you want to do a lot of mixing and matching of components — you can fit about 100g of cooked rice or beans in that size, and you can always reheat two blocks instead of one if a serving of any of your meals is a larger size. It may also be beneficial to have some smaller molds on hand for sauces and seasonings. I like the 2 tablespoon options.

What foods freeze well for mix-and-match meal prep?

When making meals or components that freeze well, there are two major things I am looking for: protein sources that won’t dry out when reheated, and veggies that won’t get watery or weird after freezing and reheating. The best foods to freeze for this type of meal prep are foods that hold moisture well, reheat evenly, and don’t become watery or dry after thawing.

Here are a few freezer-friendly options I’d start with:

Protein sources that freeze and reheat well

• Rotisserie chicken

• Slow-cooked or instant pot shredded chicken

• Marinated chicken thighs

• Anything simmered in a sauce

  • Meat sauce for pasta

  • Ropa vieja

  • Picadillo

  • Curries

• Most instant pot recipes (carnitas, legumes)

• Meatloaf

Protein sources that may need a little extra care

• Grilled chicken breast — can be too dry when reheated

• Seasoned lean ground beef without a sauce — not ideal unless freezing with a sauce like marinara

Carb sources that freeze and reheat well

• Rice - try freezing different rice recipes (Mexican, turmeric, lemon, etc) to add variety to your meals

• Beans

• Mashed potatoes (although these do need to be reheated very well for the best texture)

• Farro

• Quinoa

• Polenta

• Oats

Carb sources that may need a little extra care

• Stewed potatoes

• Pasta

When making recipes with stewed potatoes, it’s best to reheat your frozen meal in a pot and then add potatoes to be cooked right before eating.  You can cook your pasta separately while your frozen pasta sauce is reheating for the best texture.  This is especially true when using a chickpea pasta or other high-protein alternative as they don’t reheat well.

Can you freeze sauces and dressings?

You can also use your freezer cubes (especially in the smaller, 2 tablespoon size) to freeze sauces or dressings, although they usually work best when thawed rather than reheated.

Sauces that freeze and thaw well

• Tzatziki

• Guacamole (this is a good way to save avocados that are going bad!)

• Roasted salsas

• Homemade salad dressings

Easy mix-and-match freezer meal ideas

Using these outlines, you can put together pretty impressive meals using components from your freezer either on their own or to augment fresh foods. Here are some examples:

• Rotisserie chicken* + fresh salad veggies + homemade salad dressing*

• Turmeric rice* + harissa marinated chicken thigh + canned chickpeas + tzatziki*

• Mexican rice* + tomatillo salsa instant pot chicken* + black beans* + guacamole*

• Meatloaf* + mashed potatoes* + roasted broccoli

* From your freezer stash.

How to start building your freezer stash

If you’re already doing meal prep, creating a freezer stash will only take a couple of extra minutes and can help you fill in the gaps between meal prep days.  If you don’t do meal prep, you can create a freezer stash using leftovers, which can help you cut down on food waste while making life easier on your future self. And if you’re someone who wants to meal prep but prefers a lot of variety, creating a lego lunch stash can help you do both in a way that works for you.

Think of it less like prepping the same meal on repeat and more like building a freezer full of shortcuts your future self can actually use.

MAKE FOOD THE EASY PART

This is the kind of practical, flexible approach we build together in coaching: systems that fit your real life, no rules, no rigid plans. If that sounds like what you've been missing, get in touch.

Whitney Landon-Berg

Strength enthusiast and behavior change nerd who helps clients navigate significant weight loss goals with compassion and a no-shame, real-life approach to nutrition.

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