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Easy freezer meals aren’t something you only see on professional cooking shows. And just to prove it, we’ve gathered 28 easy meal prep ideas you can stock your freezer with this week.
Imagine having a busy week and not having to think at all about what you’ll make for dinner.
What if you could walk in the door to the aroma of your completed dinner, or else pull an assembled meal from the freezer and pop it in the oven?
And then sit. And relax.
Whether it’s your money or your time, we like making things easier. Try working a few of these into a meal prep routine and see if your weeknights aren’t more relaxing.
Table of Contents
What is a Freezer Meal?
Freezer meals are make-ahead dishes you prepare, often several at a time, that you build a little freezer stockpile with.
If you devote about an hour a week to meal prep, you can put together several meals at once, possibly using the same or similar ingredients to make multiple meals.
You’ll take advantage of having everything out at once. And for the next week or two, you’ll eat well while you avoid the stress of daily planning and prep work.
How can freezer meals make life easier?
Crockpot freezer meals can mean grabbing a bag from the freezer, dumping it in your slow cooker as you go about your business, then sitting down to a delicious dinner with virtually no work.
Freezer meals for new moms can help with adjusting and resting as much as possible. Whether you make them for yourself, or for a friend or family member, an oven ready meal is a huge help.
We have several kid friendly freezer meals for when you walk in late from sports practice, or the kids have friends over. Popping a ready made meal in the oven makes life easy.
Preparing freezer meals is not only a time saver – it also helps your budget. Knowing you have a meal at home can cut down on take-out trips, extra grocery trips, and even those weekday $10 lunches.
What do you need to make freezer meals?
You don’t need a lot, in fact you may already have some of what you’ll need. Here’s what you’ll want to have on hand:
- Freezer storage bags. The one gallon sized (family) and quart sized (individual) with seals are best.
- Foil baking pans with covers: Most supermarkets or dollar stores carry these for just a few dollars.
- Plastic storage containers: Your local grocery store should carry these for just a few dollars. If you’ll be freezing slow cooker meals, you’ll want a container a bit smaller than your slow cooker.
- A permanent marker for labeling.
- You may want a few cutting boards if you’ll be prepping several meals at once. These also, can be found pretty cheap at your supermarket or Target.
- Some of the freezer meals here are casserole type meals, and some slow cooker recipes. If you already have a slow cooker, great! Ours is 10 years old and works fine.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, there’s no need to get the top of the line. This is a basic model on Amazon that would work perfect for any of the slow cooker meals here.
How long does food last in the freezer?
As a general rule of thumb, frozen food will keep for about three months in a standard home freezer before it starts to get freezer burn.
This includes raw meats, cooked meats, breads, prepared foods, and anything else.
There’s more helpful freezer meal tips at the end of this post.
But for now, let’s get started!
28+ easy freezer meal recipes
We’ve found over 28 healthy freezer meals that don’t involve a lot of prep. Once you develop your own simple schedule, you could easily find you’ve got freezer meals for a month!
Casserole or stovetop freezer meals
Casserole freezer meals would usually be cooked in a foil container, then cooled, sealed and frozen. Others are as easy as throwing raw ingredients into a sealed bag, labeling it and freezing it.
The freezer meal recipes included here will give you specific freezing instructions.
These are great to prepare ahead of time because many of them can go directly from freezer to oven.
Freezer meal lasagna florentine
Who doesn’t like lasagna? And this one is not only delicious, but requires NO COOKING of lasagna noodles.
Take it right from the freezer to the oven, to your plate! You can also play around by adding meat or a veggie or two.
Found on Pinch of Yum.
Freezer chicken enchiladas
Another delicious freezer to oven, to plate meal you’ll want to devour. These are made with sour cream, but you can substitute plain Greek yogurt if you’re watching calories.
These were simple to make and our family loved them. And a bonus is, there’s no cleanup either.
Found on Damn Delicious.
Roasted vegetable stuffed shells
Did someone say, freezer meals for new moms? This delicious recipe of roasted veggies, marinara sauce and cheese was made by a new mom.
She says they’re easy to make, freeze beautifully, and are a lifesaver on those days when she doesn’t have the time or desire to cook dinner.
Found on Two Peas and Their Pod
Chicken parmesan casserole (Freezer meal)
When we talk about easy freezer meals, this is a perfect example. Only about four ingredients and a few spices make up this comfort food.
It’s assembled with cooked chicken, so a small rotisserie chicken is perfect. Just freeze it in an air-tight container, then thaw, throw in the oven for 25 minutes and it’s ready.
From Thriving Home Blog
Homemade freezer stir fry
The marinade for this stir fry is really flavorful, and when you use fresh veggies this still tastes great even though it’s been frozen.
It’s easy to throw together the raw ingredients, bag it, label it, and freeze it. And it’s a nice change of pace, that heats up quick.
Found on Happy Money Saver
Healthier Taco casserole
Taco casserole is a great make ahead freezer meal because it’s family friendly, and it goes directly from the freezer to the oven.
It’s cheap, easy to prepare, and great to pull out on short notice, or even bring to someone’s house.
Found on Sweet Peas and Saffron
Crispy chedder chicken
Crispy chedder chicken is a go-to freezer meal recipe. Easy to make, only a few ingredients, and it’s juicy and flavorful.
The best method is to remove if from the freezer about 30 minutes before putting it in the oven.
This is also a great recipe to divide into smaller foil pans if you need a freezer meal for two, or a single serving.
Found on Mommy Savers.
Looking for some low-carb meal ideas? It’s so easy to resort to bread heavy options that leave you feeling bloated. Here are 20+ low carb meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert that are cheap, easy and really good!
Easy Pizza casserole freezer meal
An easy freezer meal to prep, and it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. We usually make a few of these at a time, and sometimes alternate pizza toppings or fillings.
To freeze it, just prepare it up to the point where you’d put it in the oven, then seal it and freeze it.
Found on Eating on a Dime.
Homemade and freezable chicken pot pie
The problem with store-bought chicken pot pies, is that they’re so tiny they’re almost a tease. Well, that and they’re full of preservatives.
This one is definitely meal-sized, full of flavor, and one of the best freezer meals to make ahead and have handy.
Found on Meal Planning Magic.
Freezable vegan enchiladas
Whether you follow a vegan diet or not, these are a nice alternative to the usual meat and cheese enchilada. They’re filling, and full of flavor, especially the sauce.
I like that you can store them either as a freezer meal for the family, just for two, or individually wrapped.
Found on Well Plated.
Roasted vegetable stuffed shells
If you have kids who turn their nose up at vegetables, this delicious mixture of zucchini, eggplant, and red pepper could be enough to change their mind.
It’s really flavorful, easy to prep, and great for weeknight meals, entertaining, and it freezes well too!
Found on Two Peas and Their Pod.
Want an easy way to plan your meals?
Crockpot freezer meals
These are some of my favorite freezer meals to make ahead. Just combine the raw ingredients in a freezer bag or container. Mark it, freeze it, and you’re all set.
If you’re tired of having to come up with something every night, the thought of taking a meal out of the freezer, dumping it into a crockpot and walking away is amazing!
Slow cooker cilantro lime chicken
Not only is this an easy freezer meal to prepare, it’s a reader favorite. Full of fresh ingredients and flavor, it’s one of my favorites too.
There’s only about five minutes of prep work to combine the chicken with fresh lime juice, beans, corn and spices into a gallon sized freezer bag and seal it.
Once it’s done, you can combine it into a taco, a burrito bowl or even over nachos. No wonder it’s one of the most downloaded freezer meals with chicken!
Found on Happy Money Saver
Slow cooker beef stroganoff
One of the easier make ahead freezer meals, this beef stroganoff is kid friendly too. Served over potatoes, pasta or rice, it’s definitely one of the best comfort foods around.
The recipe includes options for making it with both a slow cooker and an instant pot.
Found on Six Sisters’ Stuff.
Crockpot teriyaki chicken
Definitely an easy freezer meal to make ahead – there’s no pre-cooking. You just dump the chicken and ingredients into a bag, seal it and freeze it. Simple.
It makes a seriously flavorful chicken, and a delicious sauce to spoon over your rice and veggies.
The recipe is refined sugar-free, and can be made gluten free too.
Found on Sweet Peas and Saffron
Hawaiian chicken tacos
This could be my favorite meal here, and if you love tacos, this is a great combination of flavors. It’s a great freezer meal for crockpots because it goes from the pot to the table within just a few minutes.
The recipe includes directions for both slow cookers and instant pots.
Easy and full of fresh ingredients. The only thing that could make these better would be eating them on a beach in Hawaii.
Found on Pinch of Yum
7 freezable chicken marinades
Chicken again? I’ve heard that a few times, but the fact is, chicken is cheap, healthy, and really versatile if you know how to make it.
Here are 7 easy prep, make ahead marinades you can use to whip up freezer meals for the family that don’t taste like the same old chicken.
Found on Sweet Peas and Saffron
Ground turkey stuffed peppers
With only 5 ingredients in these stuffed peppers it’s crazy how flavorful they are. You’ll need only 15 minutes to prep a whole batch.
They’re a nice change of pace, and you can also swap out the turkey and make them vegan if you prefer.
Found on Sweet Peas and Saffron
Soup, Stews or Chili freezer meals
There’s nothing like a flavorful homemade soup, stew or chili when you want something different. They’re perfect freezer meal ideas because they taste just as good reheated.
One pot chicken soup
Soup is one of the best freezer meals for new moms, or for yourself when you wake up with the sniffles. This one is really easy to throw together and tastes like it’s been simmering all day (even though it takes less than 30 minutes).
Freezing it is easy. Just add the uncooked ingredients to a sealable freezer bag and label it with the cook time, and the amount of water and bouillon to add. Definitely a great make-ahead freezer meal to have on hand.
Found on Created by Diane.
Freezer meal detox lentil soup
A perfect freezer meal for two, or bag it in smaller portions and stock up on freezer meals for one. It’s really flavorful, and as you can see, it’s simple to store and freeze.
Found on Pinch of Yum.
Easy to Make Beef Stew
I don’t know about you, but when I walk in and smell beef stew cooking, I head straight for the kitchen. It’s just the right cross between a healthy freezer meal, but also a comfort food.
Just dump the spices, flour and meat into a Ziplock gallon freezer bag. When you want to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Then take about 10 minutes chopping a few veggies, open a few cans and flip on the crockpot.
Found on Happy Money Saver.
Slow cooker Texas chili
This recipe is made with ground beef, but you can also make it as a vegetarian freezer meal. It’s easy prep – the hardest part is browning some ground beef.
Then just toss it into a sealable bag along with the other ingredients, and you’ve got a delicious meal ready to heat up.
The recipe serves 8 so it’s a great freezer meal for the family. Or divide it into several bags to make individual meals, or dinner for two.
The recipe includes directions for both slow cookers and instant pots.
Found on Six Sisters’ Stuff.
Grab and Go Freezer Meals to Make Ahead
These are make ahead freezer meals to grab on the way out to work, school, or maybe just an alternative to the same old PB&J for lunch.
They’re cheap, just a few ingredients, and heat up in a minute or two.
Freezer breakfast burritos
There’s no excuse now, to skip breakfast or run out with a donut. Talk about an easy freezer meal – these breakfast burritos are filled with refried beans, eggs, cheese, breakfast sausage, and if you want, tater tots.
Store them for up to a month in individual servings, wrapped in aluminum foil – dated and stacked in a Ziploc bag.
Found on Damn Delicious
Freezer friendly baked french toast sticks
Kelly at Just a Taste reworked these from another recipe to use less butter, skip the stovetop, and bake them instead.
They’re a really popular make ahead freezer meal, and kid friendly too. Reheating them is easy – just pop them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Found on Just a Taste.
Homemade hot pockets
Hot Pockets may not have the best reputation because the ones you buy in the store are full of ingredients I can barely pronounce.
Not these. You add your own fillings, like ham, cheese, pepperoni etc. The recipe guides you through making your own dough, or you can use a store-bought pizza crust.
They’re a really easy freezer meal to have on hand for when you’re short on time and want something within 2-3 minutes.
Found on Happy Money Saver.
Freezer Croissant breakfast sandwiches
These may be called “breakfast sandwiches” but they’re just as good as a movie or a game snack. We like to alternate fillings for a little variety.
A really cheap freezer meal idea, these are quick to make, easy to store, and heat up in 1-2 minutes.
Found on Damn Delicious.
Freezer Breakfast Quesadilla
So many grab and go foods are full of empty calories, and sugar or fat. Lookin’ at you Pop Tarts.
These are filled with eggs, white beans, spinach and spices, and man are they addictive! They pack 20 grams of protein and only 3 grams of sugar, so they’re a great frozen breakfast to have on hand.
Found on Well Plated.
Easy make ahead frozen desserts
These are frozen dessert recipes, usually with minimal prep, that are great to have on hand. They’re also great to bring to someone’s house, or to make ahead the day before your big dinner.
Easy freezer to oven apple crisp
It doesn’t need to be Fall to enjoy apple crisp. This easy freezer dessert is one you’ll enjoy any time. It goes from freezer to oven to your plate in 45 minutes.
Of course, prepping it is easier with an apple peeler, corer, slicer. We don’t own one yet, but that hasn’t stopped us.
Found on Happy Money Saver
Lemon cheesecake bars
Fair warning. These are really addictive. They have layers of cookie crust, lemon cheesecake and lemon cookie bars.
One of the most delicious desserts ever, you won’t be able to stop eating these! They freeze and thaw really well, so they’re nice to make ahead for any occasion.
Found on Shugary Sweets.
Frozen S'mores
Only 5 ingredients and 20 minutes of prep and you’ll have a whole sheet of these tasty treats. When the graham crackers freeze, they get just a little softer, similar to an ice cream sandwich.
Found on It’s Always Autumn
Some helpful freezer meal tips
- Make ahead freezer meals can really save time and money, but you may want to try a recipe once to see if it’s something you like before freezing several. You don’t want to fill your freezer with food you’ll throw out later.
- Crockpot freezer meals– are usually assembled raw, bagged, then frozen. Thaw it completely before cooking as directed on your slow cooker.
- Instant Pot freezer meals– are usually assembled raw, then bagged and frozen. But unlike the slow cooker, sometimes you can cook Instant Pot freezer meals from frozen (just check the recipe first).
- For maximum efficiency– Recipes that have no pre-cooking will save time. Using pre-chopped frozen veggies is easier. For some of the meals here, it may be possible to make more than one type of meal with the same ingredients.
- For instance, maybe you can make stew and soup with some of the same ingredients, and while you’re at it, combine some of the veggies with some ground turkey for stuffed peppers.
Avoiding Freezer burn
The number one tip is to avoid putting hot food in the freezer.
Try to make sure your food is at room temperature or cooler.
If the food is warm, put it in the fridge first to cool off. This will help to prevent evaporation and ice crystals from forming. The faster the food freezes the less likely it’ll get freezer burn.
Also, try to remove the air from your container before freezing. Evaporation is what causes freezer burn, but when food is air tight, there’s no room for evaporation.
Are you ready to start?
Life can get crazy with work, families and everything else we need to pack into twenty-four hours. So we look for ways to save not only money, but time.
We need to eat, but we don’t need to waste a lot of time and energy stressing over it every day.
Taking the time to put together some make-ahead freezer meals might seem like one more chore on your to do list – but I look at it this way…
If you can spend an hour one day to save multiple hours during the week, then it’s a win.
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