https://www.amazon.com/Food-Storage-Containers-Lids-Ounce/dp/B079FYQNV6
i portion them into these tupperware containers! i did have to buy a 5 cubic foot chest freezer to store them because they don't fit in my normal freezer lol. mine typically eat around 1-1.25 containers a day. the frozen ones do take about a day to thaw in the fridge so don't forget to transfer them ahead of time!
I’m meal prepping every week for work for me and my husband. Sometimes I can get really tasty pre-made things from Trader Joe’s (it’s a great little market that is everywhere in the US and super popular on the West Coast). A lot of the ingredients have come from that place. So far I’ve been doing:
Falafels in the air fryer, put that over cauliflower tortillas and included two sauce containers in the lunch container that contain one with hummus or tahini herb dip and one with cucumber yogurt sauce.
Roasted beef slices with gravy, mashed potatoes and roasted assorted veggies (peppers🌶, zucchini, red onions and squash)
Taco salad bowls that contain taco flavored ground beef, pico de Gallo mix, shredded cheddar cheese, fire roasted corn, black beans and guacamole salsa for the dressing because it’s thick and tasty.
Gyro “bowls” containing gyro slices (I find them at Costco or Trader Joe’s), fried slice of Halloumi cheese or feta slice, cauliflower tortilla, mini container of hummus, mini container of Tzatziki and sliced Persian cucumber.
Looks like they’re out of the 17 oz but have the 25 oz in stock.
Ya, we’ve been reusing these for like a year-ish.
These are a larger version of the flats cuz the size I use is unavailable, and these are the rounds. The key is to under fill them- I have split a couple in the past but none since I started leaving a thumb nail’s amount of room from the top. But it’s a one time investment because we reuse them.
I’m with you on the dishes.
I saw that paper plates have been working well for you. In addition to paper plates/plastic utensils, I really love these disposable, cheap meal prep storage containers from Amazon. I get them from the American site, but I’m pretty sure they’re the same ones (same pictures and everything). They’re sturdy enough to survive the freezer and fridge, and they microwave really well and are comfy to eat out of. So if you make something and have leftovers, you can throw them in a container, put it in the fridge, microwave it the next day, eat from the container using plastic utensils, then toss the container and utensils when you’re done - zero dishes. If you’re pressed for time and not into cooking, you can easily dump a can of soup or can of chili into one, microwave it for a fast meal, and then eat and toss. They’re basically like Tupperware you don’t have to wash afterward, and can serve as bowls in a pinch.
The paper plates/plastic utensils/plastic cups/food prep containers route admittedly isn’t the most environmentally friendly, but when you’re struggling with upkeep, it can dramatically cut down on (or eliminate) dishes. You still have to get the trash out of your apartment, but bagged trash that’s sealed up and ready to go may be easier to tackle than a sink full of dishes that’s been sitting there for days or weeks.
The professional clean-out sounds like a fantastic idea. You mentioned hiring college students vs professionals, and how your parking lot can be icy and scary in the winter. Would it be possible to find a broke college student who would accept $10 to carry your trash bags out to the dumpster once a week (or $20 for twice a week, whatever your budget could handle?). It may seem like a splurge or a luxury, but would probably be a cheaper way to stay on track long term than needing to spring for repeated clean-outs, you know? I’ve rented some apartments that had what they called “valet trash” service (where everyone just put their trash bags in the hallway next to their door once or twice a week, and a company came to collect all of them at once, with the fee rolled into the rent), so it’s not that bizarre of an idea - people have done weirder stuff for less money, I’m sure!
Both of those ideas are budget-dependent (and just ideas - if they don’t work for you, no pressure!). I just like the concept (from my own experience) of finding ways to work with your own quirks instead of fighting against them. If dishes and getting the trash from the door to the dumpster are your two biggest hangups, for example... can those things be skipped, or passed off to someone else?
Congrats on taking the first steps to getting cleaned out and having a place to live that makes you feel happy - that’s awesome!!
I have had success with these.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079FYQNV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_U-2AFb9VEMX36