482 - Meal Prep from Your Garden with Crystal Schmidt, author of Freeze Fresh Meal Prep

Have you ever wished your garden harvest could make dinner easier months after the growing season ends? In this episode, I'm welcoming Crystal from Whole-Fed Homestead back to the podcast to talk about her newest cookbook, Freeze Fresh Meal Prep. While many gardeners know they can freeze vegetables, Crystal shares a different approach: turning your harvest into meal starters, soups, breakfasts, side dishes, and desserts that make cooking easier all winter long. We discuss which vegetables freeze best, how to decide when freezer meal prep is worth the extra effort, and why preserving food in a way you'll actually use is often the best strategy. Whether you have a large garden or harvest just a few vegetables at a time from raised beds or containers, you'll walk away with practical ideas for making the most of every harvest. In This Episode Why meal starters can be more practical than freezing vegetables individually Which vegetables hold up best in the freezer The difference between fully prepared freezer meals and meal starters How to know when freezer meal prep is worth the extra work Tips for preserving smaller harvests throughout the season Crystal's favorite freezer recipes she never wants to be without How freezer meal prep helps simplify busy weeknights Get Crystal's book here: https://amzn.to/4wxz65O Join Me for the Fall Garden Workshop Want to extend your harvest into autumn? Join me for my Fall Garden Workshop where I'll show you exactly what to plant, when to plant it, and how to create a productive fall garden. 📅 July 28 at 12 PM CDT Register here: https://journeywithjill.net/fallharvestplan Use discount code FALL26 to register for $29 (regularly $39). Resource Links 🌱 Free Beginner's Garden Resource Vault https://journeywithjill.net/free-garden-downloads 📧 Join My Friday Garden Newsletter https://journeywithjill.net/gardensignup 🎙 Browse All Podcast Episodes https://journeywithjill.net/the-beginners-garden-podcast/ ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/JourneywithjillNet/videos 📷 Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thebeginnersgarden/ 🛒 Recommended Brands & Products https://journeywithjill.net/recommended-brands-and-products/ 🛍 Amazon Storefront https://www.amazon.com/shop/thebeginnersgarden 📒 Complete Garden Planner https://shop.journeywithjill.net/ Connect with Crystal Whole-Fed Homestead https://wholefedhomestead.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WholeFedHomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholefedhomestead/ Subscribe & Review If you enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to subscribe and leave a review. Your ratings and reviews help other gardeners discover the podcast and encourage me to continue creating content to help you grow a more productive garden. Gardening advice shared in this podcast is based on my experience gardening in Zone 8a in Arkansas and from conversations with gardeners across many climates. Your results may vary depending on your location and growing conditions. Some of the links above may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.