The Genius Leftovers-Labeling Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner

As a busy mom of six, saving leftovers and making freezer meals is a must in my household. With so many meals to keep track of, proper labeling is essential. The problem? Traditional labels can be a pain! Stickers or tape sometimes don’t stay put, and when they do, they can be tough to remove from containers. This leads to unnecessary scrubbing and frustration—something no one has time for. Fortunately, content creator Getty Stewart (@getgettys) shared a game-changing method for labeling leftovers and freezer meals, and I can’t wait to try it!

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Why Label Your Leftovers?

Labeling leftovers and freezer meals is essential for staying organized and reducing food waste. Without labels, it’s easy to forget what’s in your freezer, leading to mystery meals or expired food. Proper labeling ensures you (and your family members) know what you have, when it was made and how long it’s good for. This helps with meal planning, saves you a lot of time and prevents unnecessary grocery trips.

Always label your leftovers and freezer meals with the name of the food and the date it was made.

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Why You Should Use a Grease Pencil to Label Your Leftovers

If you need a fast, removable way to label containers for the freezer or pantry, a grease pencil (also known as china markers) is the perfect solution. These pencils have "leads" made of wax and work well on plastic, glass, parchment paper, metal and even china (which is where the pencil gets its name). The writing stays put, whether exposed to heat, cold, or moisture, which makes them perfect for food containers that are hanging out in the fridge or freezer. Unlike traditional labels that peel and leave behind a sticky resume, you can easily remove the grease pencil marks from your containers.

Another huge perk of this method is that the writing even withstands the dishwasher. That means your labels won’t smudge or fade when you wash your containers. When you’re ready to relabel, remove the grease pencil using use a standard rubber eraser (like the ones on most pencils or even those large pink erasers, if you have one) or a mild solvent, like rubbing alcohol.

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Why This Labeling Hack is a Game Changer

There are plenty of labeling options out there, from masking tape to printable stickers, but few are as durable and effortless to remove as grease pencils. This simple trick will help streamline your kitchen organization, making it easier to keep track of what’s in your freezer without the frustration of faded, peeling or stuck-on labels.

Getty’s tip is practical, but it is also a budget-friendly solution. Instead of continuously buying expensive specialty labels or wasting time scrubbing sticker residue, you can invest in a few grease pencils and use them over and over again. Plus, they come in multiple colors, making it easy to color-code your meals for even better organization. Whether you're freezing soups, casseroles or meal prep ingredients, you’ll always know exactly what’s inside without any guesswork.

I’m excited to revamp my labeling system and make meal organization a breeze. If you’re tired of fighting with stubborn labels, give this trick a try!

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