We recommend taking your meals for the week out of the freezer at the beginning of each week and placing them in the refrigerator. This way you will have several meals to make throughout the week. They should thaw in the refrigerator for approximately 24-48 hours. It is not recommended to thaw your meals at room temperature. This can allow for harmful bacteria to grow. Also, we do not recommend defrosting in the microwave because it tends to make the meat tough causing poor results.