There are certain days on my calendar that I already know are going to feel full.

Workout.
School pickup.
Activities.
PSR.
Dinner.
Laundry.

And I refuse to let 5:17pm be the moment I stare into the fridge wondering what we’re eating.

So instead of cooking every single night, I cook once… and set up future me for multiple dinners.

One meal that saves us over and over again?

Shredded beef tacos.

My family loves them. We’ve made them so many times. And the best part? They freeze beautifully.

Why I Always Double This Recipe

When I make shredded beef tacos, I always double it.

Not sometimes. Always.

Here’s what we do:

Make a big batch.
Shred it all at once.
Divide it into freezer bags based on what we’ll need.
- Some bags are “one-night” portions.
- Some bags are “two-night” portions.

That means:

One cooking session.
Multiple future dinners handled.
Zero last-minute panic.

On busy nights, I just pull a bag from the freezer and reheat. Tacos are ready in 10 minutes.

That’s what I call practical self-care.

Our Go-To Shredded Beef Tacos

Ingredients

3-4 lb chuck roast, cut into 2in. chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 cup beef broth
½ cup picante salsa
1.5 tablespoon sea salt

Instructions

Sear the beef.
Add all ingredients to slow cooker.
Cook low and slow.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours (or high for 4–5 hours) until the beef shreds easily.
Shred and finish.
Shred with two forks. Let it sit in the juices for 10–15 minutes before serving.

That’s it.

How We Serve It

Homemade sourdough tortillas 😋
Shredded cheese
Slaw mix (toss with lime & salt)
Level up with this yogurt sauce: ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 tsp. lime zest, 1/2 tsp. lime juice, 1 clove garlic minced, 2 tsp. chopped cilantro
More cilantro & lime

Dinner is done in minutes.

How We Freeze It

After shredding:

Let the meat cool slightly.
Portion into freezer bags.
Flatten the bags (this helps them freeze and thaw faster).
Label with date + “1 night” or “2 nights.”
Freeze flat.

When we need it:

Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Or run under cool water if needed.
Reheat on the stove or microwave.

It tastes just as good as the first night.

Why This Is Actually Self-Care

We think self-care has to be:

A spa day
A long bath
A full evening alone

But sometimes it’s simply reducing stress before it starts.

When dinner is already handled:

I’m calmer.
I’m more patient.
I actually sit down.

That’s taking care of future me.

And if you’re in a busy season with kids 10 and under, sports, school nights, and everything in between — having a few freezer meals ready is one of the simplest ways to make life easier.

Not fancy.
Not complicated.
Just smart.

If you try this recipe, freeze some. Trust me.

Future you will be very grateful.