100 Freezer Meals for Busy Families
Sharing is caring!
Have I mentioned how much I love freezer meal recipes? So much so that I make certain to keep my freezer stocked and ready all year long. Here is how to get started with freezer cooking.
If you’re looking for a few simple dinner ideas to stock your freezer with great meals, you are going to love this collection of 100 freezer meals.
Each one is unique and you’ll find a wide variety for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Making dinners ahead in large batches is a huge time saver for me because I am feeding a large family of seven every single night.
What is a Freezer Meal?
This is also referred to as freezer cooking or make ahead meals.
It is combining ingredients together for a meal and freezing it all together in a casserole dish or gallon size freezer-friendly bag until you’re ready to cook it.
Many people like to do this in bulk so they have a stash of recipes waiting in their freezer. They pull one meal out at a time and thaw it in the fridge overnight and then it is ready to be cooked in the oven the next day or tossed in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Some busy moms like to do one month cooking at a time and prep 30 freezer meals to stuff in their deep freeze. If that overwhelms you, start small. Tonight when you make a casserole, make two (it essentially requires no extra time from you since you already have everything out) and freeze the second dish saving it for a night later in the month or for the coming months. This is a great way to make meal
Large Family Costco Grocery Haul and Meal Plan
Here is what a large family grocery haul looks like for our family of seven. Also get a quick look at out meal plan for the week.
Tips for Making Freezer Friendly Recipes
- When it comes to preparing freezer meals, keep in mind that you can almost freeze any type of ingredient. While freezing some foods might change the texture a bit, they’re still perfectly fine to eat.
- Make certain to write the directions and what it is on the outside of the container or bag. That way you know exactly what you’re going to cook and how to cook it without having to do a ton of extra work.
- Write the date that you are freezing the meal on the container as well so that you know how long it is good for. This is a lifesaver and timesaver as well!
I use freezer bags, think Ziplock, and my stash of glass casserole pans. These are the 9x13s, think Pyrex.
Then if I need more casserole pans I will buy the bulk aluminum pans at Walmart, Sams, the dollar store or online.
100 Freezer Meals
You're going to love having these 100 Freezer Meal recipes!
Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls are a fantastic way to use up leftover pulled pork and have easy freezer meals ready for lunches. The base of rice, black beans, corn and pulled pork can be frozen for up to three months. Before eating you can add fresh ingredients like guacamole, salsa, sour cream and cheese makes these better than take out.
This Ham and Potato Casserole Recipe is a great freezer meal! Easy to make, you will want to double the recipe making one for dinner tonight, and one to freeze for later. This leftover ham recipe is an easy, delicious dinner your entire family will enjoy.
Enjoy all of the satisfying comfort of chicken pot pie with these fun and tasty Mini Chicken Pot Pies. This recipe is great for using up leftover chicken and bakes in just 12 minutes.
Make this tasty and filling Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups Recipe tonight! It’s filled with creamy ricotta cheese and fresh spinach and topped with red sauce.
These Homemade Bagel Bites made three ways are a delicious freezer meal prep recipe! Perfect for lunch, dinner, or even a midday snack.
The classic Chicken and Potatoes Dinner is made even easier with this Italian herb version that goes straight from the freezer to the oven.
A fast and easy Shrimp Stir Fry featuring shrimp and fresh vegetables ready to eat in 20 minutes or perfect to stash in the freezer!
Who doesn't love lasagna? These Lasagna Roll-Ups are super easy to make and freeze ahead for those nights when you don't feel like cooking.
These Healthy Stuffed Shells make a double batch! Eat one and freeze one for later or for a friend.
Easy Salisbury Steak recipe that is baked in the oven. This simple dinner uses cans of french onion soup and cream of mushroom soup, along with ground beef and bread crumbs. Includes how to freeze Salisbury steak instructions if you want to make this ahead of time for a freezer meal.
A cheesy crustless chicken pot pie that’s gluten free, down-home comfort food. Potatoes inside and crispy cheese on top ensure you won’t miss the crust!
A super easy Fish Casserole recipe which combines creamy mashed potatoes, lean fish and quick-cooking veggies into this classic comfort food.
Mediterranean Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes is a perfect family meal. This is a one-pot dish that is affordable, quick and easy to make, yet full of amazing Mediterranean flavors. Suitable for gluten free diets.
Instant Pot Fajitas is a super easy and quick dinner that the whole family will love! Requires very simple ingredients and cooked in the Instant Pot in just 10 minutes.
This vegan shepherd’s pie is packed with plant-based protein and incredible flavours! It’s so easy to make, and ready in under an hour. Serve this for special occasions, a wintery dinner, or pack it for lunch. Great for meal prep, and suitable for freezing.
The Best Slow Cooker Vegan Chili Recipe is wholesome, delicious and easy to make. Comforting and healthy freezable dinner packed with nutrients and flavors!
Easy and delicious Vegan Roasted Carrot Soup with lentils and Moroccan spices. This velvety, rich and healthy carrot soup has a unique and perfectly balanced flavor!
Make this Vegetarian Red Curry with Freezer Tomato Coconut Sauce to save time! It's vegan, gluten free and vegetable packed.
Hearty, nutritious, and super easy, this Slow Cooker Mushroom Barley Stew can be prepped in advance and frozen until you want to make it!
Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Corn Chowder – Healthy Instant Pot Freezer Meal
Pressure Cooker Cauliflower Corn Chowder is made with cauliflower, bacon, potatoes, corn and celery. A perfect winter warming corn chowder that will warm up your bones. In my opinion comfort food doesn’t get any better than pressure cooker cauliflower corn chowder.
Instant Pot Vegetable Curry is loaded with lots of seasonal vegetables, a good mix of Indian spices, then bulked up to make the best ever healthy vegetable curry freezer meal.
Moroccan Carrot Red Lentil Soup is a meatless soup recipe packed full of flavor! Cumin, turmeric, coriander, paprika and cinnamon compliment the red lentils and carrots, creating a creamy, filling soup.
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is an easy recipe for shredded chicken. You can use this chicken in all kinds of dishes from tacos, to burrito bowls, to salads, to quesadillas. This chicken is freezer friendly and such a great busy weekday option.
This Veggie Pasta Bake is a perfect easy and comforting vegetarian pasta casserole. With a variety of veggies and cheese, this vegetable baked pasta is great for crowds, easy to freeze and reheat, and convenient for meal prep!
An easy recipe for English Muffin Breakfast Sandwiches that you can make ahead of time for yummy on-the-go breakfasts. Keep them in the fridge for fast & simple meals all week long or prep them a month in advance and store in the freezer for later.
An easy & flavor-packed recipe for Vegan Chili freezes well and you can vary the spice level and ingredients.
Instant Pot Beef Stew Dinner is a great way to save money by purchasing a small, cheap roast and cut it up into bite-sized pieces for this simple beef stew. However, don’t buy anything expensive because the Instant Pot will make tender any really tough cut of meat.
Mom's Best Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Baked Ziti (Soy-Free, Easy)
Mom’s Best Classic Gluten-Free Vegan Baked Ziti without the dairy, but still under 5 ingredients! This make-ahead “cheesy” pasta dinner casserole is soy-free too, super easy, delicious, and baked in 20 minutes! Great as a freezer meal or having leftovers throughout the week!
This Chicken Broccoli and Bacon Dish is a tasty freezer meal that is easy to double, triple or quadruple, so you have plenty of meals when you need one!
This Instant Pot Beef Stew Dinner is a great way to save money by purchasing a small, cheap roast and cut it up into bite-sized pieces for this simple beef stew. However, don’t buy anything expensive because the Instant Pot will make tender any really tough cut of meat.
This Instant Pot Taco Soup is exactly what you’d want from a soup like this. Savory Mexican taco flavors, hearty beans and veggies, and the bonus is that you can make it super quick in the instant pot! This makes a great freezer dish - it saves you so much time during those busy weeknights!
Vegetarian Chili freezer meal recipe is perfect for a busy week night meal.If you struggle at dinner time because you don’t have time in your busy life or because sometimes you just don’t know what to make for dinner Freezer Meals are the way to take back some control over the dinner hour.
This Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is so easy to make and freezes like a dream! You can use any combination of turkey dinner leftovers and this would still be great!
An amazing comfort food meal is perfect for cold winter days. This Beef and Corn Casserole freezes well and is a fairly well balanced meal. It is also extremely kid-friendly.
This Ground Beef Stroganoff is a great freezer meal recipe.Our family loves this version of beef stroganoff. It’s a quick and easy meal to assemble and has that great hearty comforting taste.
This recipe for make ahead freezer Sausage Egg Cheese Muffins will make your mornings so easy. It is so easy even your kids can prepare them.
A meaty Low Carb Stuffed Peppers Recipe that makes a tasty keto friendly meal. It can even be made ahead and frozen for an easy meal any time.
This simple keto low carb Cheeseburger Pie Recipe is a delicious cheesy ground beef dinner you should add to your freezer meal list!
This Pressure Cooker Chicken Parmesan comes together quickly in the Instant Pot and then freezes so well for later.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala – Healthy Instant Pot Freezer Meals
The nations favorite Indian curry can be made into a delicious healthy Chicken Tikka Masala Instant Pot Freezer Meal. This pressure cooker version is perfect for freezer meal prep or adjust the servings to make a smaller portion.
This Vegetable Lasagna with Alfredo Sauce is easy yet so good! With layers of vegetables, cheese and noodles, there’s a lot to love. Make two because yes, you can freeze these lasagnas.
Are you looking an Easy Beef Stew Recipe? Just four ingredients and an Instant Pot, and you will have the most delicious beef stew ever!
Here is the best and easiest Instant Pot Salsa Chicken Recipe ever! If you have a can of salsa and a few frozen chicken breasts and some spices, you can have a delicious, low carb chicken dish ready very fast!
Meals that freeze well such as this Zucchini Freezer Lasagna so important. These quick (and healthy lasagnas) are the perfect freezer meal to pull out when you don’t have time to cook.
Instant Pot Low Carb Margherita Pizza Meatballs stuffed with mozzarella cheese bakes in a delicious marinara red sauce.
Chicken Pot Pie is an easy freezer meal to make and it’s simple to put it in the oven on the day you want it for dinner.
This easy keto broccoli cheese casserole recipe is ready in 15 minutes! Simple, versatile, and kid-friendly!
This Crock-Pot whole chicken recipe is EASY and slow cooker whole chicken turns out JUICY every time! Just 15 minutes to prep this slow cooker whole chicken cooks up amazingly anytime you need a comforting meal with very little effort.
When meatloaf meets quiche with a dose of deeply nourishing organ meats, you get an excellent carnivore diet recipe! Quick and convenient, this Meat Pie can be popped in the oven and sit down to a fine meal just a few minutes later.
Perfect for a low-prep party dish or appetizer, these herb crusted Easy Keto Chicken Wings are crispy and finger licking good! With virtually zero prep time, this is seriously the easiest way to make chicken wings, especially if you freeze extra for later.
This Chili and Rice Casserole is the perfect slow cooker meal you can pull out of the freezer and pop in the crockpot in the morning and settle down for a quick and easy dinner.
This the best hearty, meaty and satisfying Vegan Chili - it is loaded with whole foods like veggies, legumes, and grains.
This hearty and filling Vegan Cabbage Soup is loaded with veggies and sausages. It is very satisfying and comforting to eat especially as we added some vegan sour cream to it.
This Instant Pot Penne Pasta Recipe is super quick, easy and the most straight forward recipe that never fails.
This easy, simple delicious Chicken Pot Pie is the perfect comfort food that can be a now-and-later dish to be eaten the day of preparing or freezing for later.
Not your everyday spaghetti! This Creamy Million Dollar Chicken Spaghetti has simple ingredients and big taste. Can be frozen for later and switched up in so many ways!
Got frozen hamburger patties? Try this absolutely delish Crockpot Salisbury Steak... to die for and SO EASY!
This Frozen Seasoning Blend recipe will improve the flavor of so many of your dishes, without adding anything harsh.
This Beef Stew is so simple and everything but the broth & potatoes are already in the freezer bag. You can come home, dump the bag in the Instant Pot and in 25 minutes dinner is ready!
Prep a tasty and healthy Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry, freeze it, and have it ready for your next busy weeknight.This Honey Balsamic Chicken & Veggies recipe can also be made into a freezer meal!
This Honey Balsamic Chicken & Veggies recipe can also be made into a freezer meal!
Here is a freezer meal Beef and Bean Burrito that can be made in its entirety. The entire burrito can be made and wrapped individually so kids or adults can grab one straight from the freezer.
This Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala comes together quickly, but is packed with flavor, making it the perfect weeknight meal that can also be prepped in advance for your freezer!
Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken and White Bean Soup {Freezer Meal Friendly}
This Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken and White Bean Soup is freezer meal friendly! Soup does so good as a freezer meal, it doesn’t get freezer burnt as easily as other meals can and it’s pretty much a complete meal, just add some cheese and bread.
This Vegetable Lasagna has tender vegetables, a light tomato sauce, and lots of cheese make this the best vegetable lasagna recipe that also freezes well.
These Freezer-friendly Breakfast Sandwiches are the perfect item to keep on hand for busy mornings. Although this recipe contains bacon, this can easily be omitted for a vegetarian freezer dish too.
These Freezer-friendly Breakfast Burritos are the perfect way to start (or end) your day. Stuffed with turkey sausage, red peppers, eggs, and cheese, these are always a hit.
Creamy, flavorful, and healthy, this Chicken Tuscan Pasta Bake is perfect to eat right away or to prep ahead and freeze for another day. Great for sharing with people in need of a meal, too.
This Lemon Pesto Chicken is not only a fabulous meal, it’s also quick and easy as well as family and freezer friendly.
Try this amazing Chicken Enchilada Casserole and literally take it out of the freezer and put it into the oven.
This scrumptious Pot Roast Freezer Meal Recipe is a great family dinner meal you can make ahead of time.
Taco Bake is an amazing freezer mea with layers of taco shells and can easily be made in multiples.
These Chicken Bread Rolls are perfect for school lunches! They are also a great way to use up leftovers from the night before and they freeze well!
Easy Pesto Mozzarella Chicken is a quick and easy six ingredient dinner. Chicken breasts are coated in pesto, smothered in mozzarella cheese, and roasted in the oven in just twenty minutes.
Make a batch of these healthy Freezer Breakfast Burritos for a quick and easy on-the-go breakfast. Whole wheat tortillas are filled with chicken, sausage, eggs, vegetables and cheese, then frozen until ready to eat.
This Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal combines old fashioned and quick oats with milk, eggs, butter, chocolate chips and a few other pantry staples eaten right away or frozen to enjoy later on.
Try these Italian meatballs that are packed with flavor and coated in the most delicious sauce. Meatballs are one of those recipes that are extremely freezer friendly.
Easy and mess-free Sloppy Joe Pockets are made with a simple sloppy joe recipe and wrapped in our favorite biscuit dough. They are also freezer friendly, so you can make a big batch and pull them out individually for a quick lunch or dinner.
This healthier Taco Casserole can go directly from the freezer into the oven for an easy weeknight dinner! Family-friendly and super easy to prep.Time for another healthier casserole recipe!
These Beef Lasagna Stuffed Shells are everything you want in lasagna! This recipe can make up to 20 shells and serves 5-7 people and can be frozen for later.
This tasty Vegetarian Stuffed Pepper Soup has both stove top and slow cooker instructions! The red lentils cook crazy fast and almost pulverize themselves into the soup, making this stew-like stuffed pepper soup extra creamy and full of flavor.d
This Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice is easy, cheesy, and loaded with veggies, fiber and protein for a complete slow cooker dinner that the kids will love, too!
These Easy Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs with homemade marinara sauce are a delicious, make ahead dinner! You can make these Italian meatballs ahead of time and put them in a freezer bag with marinara sauce ingredients. Then store them for up to three months in your freezer.
Freezer meals are great to have on hand because they stop you from being tempted to get takeout, on those nights you don’t feel like cooking a meal from scratch! This freezer meal recipe for Crispy Cheddar Chicken is super simple to make and you end up with two meals.
Stock your freezer with the easiest, quickest Crockpot Chicken Freezer Meal. Simply drop into the crockpot and you’re set!
This tasty Crockpot Beef Hash Recipe is also a great freezer meal!
Mini Meatloaf Muffins are a fun and fabulous twist on our favorite meatloaf recipe. They are the perfect for a weeknight dinner because they cook quickly and they’re great to pop into your lunch box.
Spaghetti and Meatballs is a family favorite that never goes out of style. Tender beef and pork meatballs are simmered in an easy homemade tomato sauce and served with spaghetti.
If you are looking for a new freezer meal, this Baked Ziti Freezer Meal Recipe is a great go-to family dinner idea!
This Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken is so easy if you make ahead as a freezer meal.
These Unstuffed Shells Casserole is all the flavors of stuffed shells without all the work. This can be made ahead of time and even frozen for an easy dinner.
Shepherd’s Pie Casserole is an amazing recipe that’s super easy to prepare and freeze for later.
Try this Creamy Burrito Casserole Recipe for an easy weeknight dinner with lots of Tex-Mex flavor. Layers of tortillas, beef, beans, and cheese in a creamy sauce is so amazing to make and freeze.
This hearty and healthy freezer chicken soup is an easy dinner recipe to make ahead in bulk and you can customize the veggies you add to it!
Here’s an amazingly easy taco potato bake that makes a great family dinner.
These Make-Ahead Beef Enchiladas are so good because of the homemade enchilada sauce.
Can I Cook Freezer Meals in the Slow Cooker
Yes!! Many of the freezer meals that I make I end up cooking in the Crock Pot or in my electric pressure cooker. These are the meals I freeze in a gallon size freezer bag and I just dump and go. Toss it in, push start, and dinner will be done.
How Long Do Freezer Meals Last in the Freezer?
As long as they are store properly in freezer bags or well covered in a casserole pan (disposable or reusable) you can keep them in your freezer for 3-5 months without worrying about freezer burn. You can store them in a deep freezer for longer.
Ingredients like pasta and rice I try to use closer to the 2-3 month mark.
Can Cooked Rice Be Frozen?
Yes! I do it all the time.
I use cooked rice in freezer meals. I’ve also used uncooked rice in freezer and make ahead recipes. Just know when the rice is not precooked it will take longer for the meal the be done in the oven.
We eat a lot of rice, I buy white rice in 50 pound bags at Sams, which will last my family of seven almost a year. Often times when I have leftover steamed/cooked rice from a meal, I will add it to a large storage bag in the freezer. This is great for adding to soups and strews later to stretch meals out even further.
Do You Cook Freezer Meals Before Freezing?
You do not cook the meal before freezing it.
However, if a recipe calls for ground beef and I am tuning it into a freezer meal, I will pre-cook the meat before added it to the freezer safe pan or the freezer bag. This is for things casseroles, spaghetti sauce, soups, stuffed pasta shells with ground beef, etc.
If I am making freezer hamburger patties or meatloaf I will not precook the beef.
Kitchen Sign – Rustic Kitchen Decor Sign – Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Decor, Kitchen Wall Decor, Rustic Home Decor, Country Kitchen Decor with Solid Wood Frame 8×17 InchPantry Sign – Rustic Kitchen Sign – Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Decor, Kitchen Wall Decor, Rustic Home Decor, Country Kitchen Decor with Solid Wood Frame 8×17 Inch
Can Cooked Pasta Be Frozen
Yes! I do this all the time in my freezer casseroles that call for pasta.
Ideally I like to only cook the pasta until it is al dente, then drain the pasta and add it to the casserole dish I am going to freeze. I love easy freezer meals like this!
Delicious Freezer Meal Recipes
Check out these other great freezer meal ideas:
Do You Have to Thaw Freezer Crockpot Meals?
You do not have to thaw meals you’re going to toss in the slow cooker.
You do need to add cook time when cooking a meal from frozen.
And I will be honest, cooking from frozen is not my favorite. I prefer to let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
You do not have to fully thaw any freezer meal no matter where you plan to cook it- the oven, the stove top or the Instant Pot. Again, it’s just not my favorite way to cook my freezer meals.
Rustic Farmhouse Kitchen Wall Decor Canvas Prints Kitchen Signs Wall Decor (With Solid Wood Inner Frame) (Kitchen, 6 x 17 inch)MyGift Rustic Multicolor Cutout Wooden EAT Letters, Wall Mounted Decorative Signs
Can You Put Ziplock Bags in the Crockpot
No, you do not want to put the freezer bag into the slow cooker. You want to remove the food from the Ziplock back in order to cook it.
What you can do is use Crockpot Liners in your slow cooker to make clean up easier. I don’t prefer them, but they are an option.
Can You Freeze Food in Tupperware?
Tupperware is a brand and they do make plastic that is specifically freezer friendly.
You can find Freezer Mate or Freeze It Tupperware if you’re wanting to use Tupperware brand products to freeze foods.
Thanks sooo much for including my recipe for Lasagna Rolls in your collection of freezer cooking recipe!