Holiday Meal Prep for Merrymakers

The holidays are all about making memories, not messes. But sometimes, between the cookie swaps, potlucks, and family dinners, it can feel like the kitchen never closes. So, LifeMinute's editor-in-chief, Joann Butler is sharing her holiday hero, Hefty Storage Bags-- they make it super easy to stay organized, keep food fresh, and help you prep like a pro, so you can spend more time celebrating. For starters, Joann likes to use Hefty Slider Storage Quart Bags to pre-chop and portion things-- think onions, bell peppers, herbs, or shredded cheese -- then label and stack them in the fridge. The stand and fill bottom expands so it makes it super easy to load - no mess, no spills. Next, the Hefty Slider Gallon Freezer Bags. These are perfect for batch preparing meals. Cook when you have time, and then use them to portion dishes, so you can just pull out your frozen meal and defrost for when you need dinner ready fast. Each bag holds a gallon, so you can pre-portion and know exactly how much you're making. These slider bags are great for freezing slow cooker ingredients -- think chili, pot roast, or sweet and sour meatballs. Dinner practically makes itself. When you're done cooking, you can pack away your leftovers. Joann loves the MaxLock(R) track design - it creates an extra-strong seal, and it clicks closed so you know your food is locked in good and will stay fresh. Another couple great hacks --make homemade cookie dough ahead of time, portion it into scoops, and freeze them in Hefty Press-to-Close Freezer Bags. Then you have homemade cookie dough ready to pop in the oven at any time! These are great for organization too. Joann uses the jumbo storage slider bags to group together all her decorating tools; piping bags, icing bottles, sprinkles, and cookie cutters, so everything's tidy and ready to rock and roll when it's time to start baking. The more you can prep ahead of time, the more you can party later. When you're all done, these are perfect for on-the-go holiday snack mixes, leftover cookies, and packed lunches. Whether you're storing, freezing, or organizing, Hefty helps make holiday hosting simple and stress-free, so you can focus on your friends and family. You can find Hefty Slider Bags and Hefty Press-to-Close Bags at your local Walmart and on walmart.com .