The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz — Episode Summary

Episode Title: GET A VACUUM SEALER w/ @morgantaylerathome
Date: December 10, 2025
Hosts: Kelly Stumpe & Lizz St. John
Special Guest: Morgan Taylor Price (@morgantaylerathome)

Episode Overview

In this lively and practical episode, Kelly and Lizz, third-generation auto-industry experts and millennial moms, dive into holiday survival, household organization hacks, auto industry news, and budget-stretching homemaking strategies. Special guest Morgan Taylor Price joins for a hands-on discussion about frugal meal prep, why freezer meals disappoint, and the one kitchen gadget every family should request: a vacuum sealer. Peppered with practical tips, relatable mom struggles, and their signature sisterly banter, this episode is a treasure trove for anyone seeking to simplify home life without sacrificing joy.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Holiday Prep and Managing Christmas Chaos

• Holly Jolly Meter Check-In:
  Both hosts discuss their current holiday spirit levels, admitting to feeling behind on Christmas decor and overwhelmed by the effort required.
  • “I'm going to be like an early November Christmas girl moving forward because it is so much freaking work to put all these Christmas decorations up…” (Liz, 02:08)
• Decor Fatigue & Budget Realism:
  "I can't believe how much money people are spending to have someone professionally install Christmas lights on their house. We don't do that." (Liz, 02:46)
• Holiday Organization Hack:
  Kelly shares her plan to make a visual calendar for her young kids so they can anticipate events, inspired by Busy Toddler’s December calendar idea.
  • “I want to make a physical calendar for the kids to look at so they can know what's happening…” (Kelly, 05:27)

2. Tangible Mom Hacks for Surviving the Season

• Car Kit for Kids:
  Liz reveals her new system: keeping a fully stocked diaper caddy and emergency essentials (change of clothes, snacks, pajamas) in the trunk through December.
  • "Because between all the random events that we're attending, I at the very least know I have plenty of diapers and wipes in the back of my car." (Liz, 07:39)
  • Kelly immediately adopts this strategy: "I'm taking that tangible takeaway." (Kelly, 08:12)
• “Bloom Where You’re Planted” Approach to Housework:
  Kelly shares a mindset shift about home organization:
  • Instead of stressing about cleaning the messiest room, focus on productive tasks in whatever room your kid is currently “safe” and playing in.
  • “Don’t worry about what’s on the to-do list. Focus on going deep because that’s the opportunity that you have in front of you.” (Kelly, 12:41)
  • Liz adds: “I am just so much happier when I am moving and getting something done with my kids around.” (Liz, 13:47)

3. Wardrobe Wins & Marketplace Finds

• Secondhand Shopping for Kids:
  Kelly celebrates mastering the art of sourcing quality (Bowdoin, Hanna Andersson, Tea Collection) clothing through Facebook resale groups and lots, getting value for money and longevity for hand-me-downs.
  • “I'm getting them for cheaper… and I love the brand, and the quality is good.” (Kelly, 19:54)
  • “Let me just join them all … Less work than buying it online!” (Kelly, 18:57)
• Selling Old Clothes for Small Wins:
  Inspired by @themarketplacemom, Kelly lists outgrown pajamas in “lots” and uses the quick earnings for treats (like her dartball meal).
  • “Obviously underpriced it. Don’t care. It’s out of my life.” (Kelly, 22:20)

Industry News: 2026 Best & Worst Car Brands

[24:16]

• Top 10 Best Car Brands (Consumer Reports):

  1. Subaru (82)
  2. BMW (82)
  3. Porsche
  4. Honda
  5. Toyota
  6. Lexus
  7. Lincoln
  8. Hyundai
  9. Acura
  10. Tesla
  • Noted surprise: No major American brands besides Lincoln and Tesla. “Kia is nowhere to be found.” (Kelly, 25:57)

• Top 10 Worst Car Brands:

  1. Jeep (“Jeep can’t get anything together.” – Kelly, 26:45)
  2. Land Rover
  3. GMC (“GMC being three surprises me.” – Kelly, 27:10)
  4. Dodge
  5. Alfa Romeo
  6. Rivian
  7. Chrysler
  8. Chevrolet
  9. Mercedes-Benz (“Most shocking to me!” – Kelly, 27:43)
  10. Volkswagen

• New Car Reliability Rankings:

  1. Toyota, 2. Subaru, 3. Lexus, 4. Honda, 5. BMW, 6. Nissan, 7. Acura, 8. Buick, 9. Tesla, 10. Kia.
  • “People love to act like all Nissan’s crap out on them. It’s like, I know … it’s number six top 10 for new car reliability.” (Kelly, 29:05)

FEATURE INTERVIEW: Morgan Taylor Price (@morgantaylerathome)

[32:33—50:32]

Frugal Homemaking, Meal Prep, and the Mighty Vacuum Sealer

Morgan’s Backstory & Motivation

• Morgan is a stay-at-home mom of (almost) four, content creator, and former wedding photographer.
• When downsizing to one income, she pinpointed groceries as the best place to cut costs ($600/month for two now stretched to a family of nearly six).
  • “If we ever wanted to buy a new car or house or anything like that, we just needed to save more. … Groceries is where we could cut.” (Morgan, 38:15)

The Freezer Meals Controversy

• Freezer meals? No thanks!
  • “I feel like they’re always mushy … they lack texture and flavor … It’s not worth the time or energy.” (Morgan, 34:23)

Batch Cooking: Proteins Only

• Morgan’s hack is bulk-prepping meats (smoked, crockpot, rotisserie) and portioning them for quick, versatile meals later.
  • “I put it into family-size portions … vacuum-seal it, put it in my freezer … we can pull that pork out and make sandwiches, nachos, tacos, enchiladas…” (Morgan, 34:47)
  • “Then you’re just combining things and the hard part is done.” (Kelly, 35:36)

The Core Tip: Vacuum Seal Everything

• “Vacuum sealing lasts so much longer… I found meat that’s like two or three years old … no freezer burn.” (Morgan, 36:03)
• Ordinary freezer bags don’t cut it.
• Makes stacking and organization easier—keeps everything flat and thaws faster.
  • “You just put the end in, push the button, it sucks all the air out, seals it, and you toss it in your freezer.” (Morgan, 37:11)
• Life-changing takeaway: Both Kelly and Lizz immediately add vacuum sealers to their Christmas wish lists.
• “A vacuum sealer is like the epitome [of a money-saving present]… a little investment, but wow.” (Kelly, 36:50)

Practical Kitchen Swaps: Make, Don’t Buy

• Morgan now makes her own granola and mayonnaise at home—saving money and pantry space.
  • “Mayonnaise is so easy. It saves space … I can just whip up a jar whenever we need it.” (Morgan, 43:48)
  • Confirmed by hosts: “It’s just an egg and olive oil in an immersion blender…” (Kelly, 44:11)

Simplified Meal Planning for Busy Families

• Morgan offers affordable meal plan subscriptions: 10 recipes a week, under 10 ingredients each, pre-shopped with a click for Walmart pickup.
  • “The mental load is just one more thing … this takes that away.” (Morgan, 45:08)

Ditch the Drive Through — Family Dinner Hack

• Signature “burger bowls”:
  French fries or tater tots as a base, seasoned ground beef, cheese, lettuce, pickles, whatever toppings you want—buffet style.

  • “It’s not a salad … it’s basically loaded fries.” (Kelly, 47:23)
  • “You can batch cook that ground beef … warm it up, throw some tots in the air fryer, dinner’s done.” (Morgan, 48:13)

• Homemade Sauce:
  Mayo, ketchup, mustard, dill pickle juice, paprika, Worcestershire (unless you’re Kelly), or BBQ sauce.

Relatable Real Talk

• “If we get no other tangible takeaways from this podcast—that is … I'm sorry if I sound like an idiot, but I didn't know about this [vacuum sealer].” (Liz, 37:44)
• “That makes you feel more BA than having a home-cooked meal.” (Liz, 49:30)

Find Morgan

• Instagram: @morgantaylerathome
• TikTok: @morgantaylerathome (just getting started)
• Her meal plans, batch-cooking tips, and homemaking hacks are all online—and her content’s “about to go light” as she welcomes baby #4!

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “This is my redemption era.” (Kelly on planning a better holiday break, 07:10)
• “Poshmark, I'm sorry, I think it's scam. I'm not paying $7 in shipping.” (Kelly, 21:09)
• “If you get no other tangible takeaway from this episode, vacuum seal your meat.” (Morgan, 37:44)
• “You just say ‘sold’ and give your PayPal email, and they invoice you—done!” (Kelly on Facebook resale groups, 19:37)
• “I feel for you … I feel like everyone's like ‘How are you doing?’ I'm like, ‘I feel fine. I just feel big and uncomfortable.’” (Morgan, 40:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:08] – Holiday decor fatigue & early prepping
• [07:39] – Liz’s trunk diaper caddy hack
• [09:02] – Mindset shift: “Bloom where you’re planted” housekeeping
• [18:57] – Sourcing secondhand kids’ clothes online
• [24:16] – Industry news: Top/worst car brands of 2026
• [32:33] – Interview with Morgan Taylor Price
• [34:23] – Why freezer meals are “disgusting”
• [36:03] – Why vacuum sealers are the ultimate homemaking hack
• [43:48] – Homemade pantry swaps: granola, mayonnaise
• [45:08] – Description of Morgan’s affordable meal plans
• [46:40] – Ditch the drive through: Burger bowl recipe and batch-base dinner hacks

Quick-Take Tangible Tips

• Start a holiday event calendar for kids—visual and participatory
• Keep an emergency car kit (diapers, snacks, change of clothes) stocked all season
• When “stuck” in a kid's room, deep clean or organize there—stop fighting the scenario
• Shop secondhand and use resale Facebook groups for favorite children’s clothing brands
• Freeze proteins in meal-size portions with a vacuum sealer—not a plain zip freezer bag
• Make simple pantry staples from scratch: granola, mayo, and more
• Batch-prep proteins and use as the foundation for mix-and-match quick meals
• Try burger bowls on a potato base for a fun, customizable family dinner

Closing Thoughts

Kelly and Lizz keep it real, relatable, and super actionable, with Morgan Taylor Price providing golden tips that don’t require a huge budget—just a shift in mindset and a vacuum sealer. If you want to stay sane this season, buy less new, organize smart, stretch your groceries farther, and opt for pragmatic over Pinterest-perfect homemaking.

Find Morgan on Instagram at @morgantaylerathome for more tips, and don’t forget to add a vacuum sealer to your wishlist!