Preparing meals ahead of time that you can freeze for later use is a time and money saver all moms should take advantage of. Bulk cooking for freezing can seem daunting at first but once you start enjoying quick and healthy dinners or even breakfast and lunch each day you’ll quickly see why freezer cooking is so popular.
And the right recipes can make all the difference! Check out these 8 recipes for freezer cooking to get you started.
8 Best Freezer Meals
Here are some of the best freezer meals you can make ahead of time. Freezer meals are great for convenience, and to share with friends and family.
1. Homemade Frozen Pizzas
I think it’s safe to say that most of us have taken advantage of frozen convenience foods when we need a quick dinner for a busy night. But if you take a look at the ingredients for most frozen pizzas you might not enjoy that convenience quite so much.
But with freezer cooking, you don’t have to sacrifice healthy eating in the name of convenience. Frozen pizza is definitely one of my favorite convenience foods, and my family’s as well. Fortunately, with this recipe for homemade frozen pizza, I can make my own healthier version of what I would’ve picked up at the grocery store freezer aisle.
And I can freeze it and heat it when I need a quick and convenient dinner.
2. Cafe Rio Crockpot Chicken
This post actually contains five freezer meals all of which are worth taking a look at. I am highlighting my favorite, which is number five, way down at the bottom.
This meal basically involves adding chicken and some sauce ingredients to a freezer bag and freezing. On the day you plan to serve it, all you have to do is dump it into a Crockpot about 6 hours before dinner time.
3. Hearty Baked Penne Pasta
This pasta dish is easy to make and feeds a large group. It’s the perfect freezer cooking recipe to pull out and reheat when you’re having company or want to cook something that will make leftovers for the next day’s lunch.
This dish of cheesy pasta goodness will become a favorite of your whole family.
4. Vollmer Chili
Chilis and soups tend to be very good freezer cooking recipes. And this chili is no exception. I like to make this one for dinner and then split the recipe before serving, saving a portion in a freezer bag or container for another night.
This chili is a crowd pleaser. And your family will be happy to see it reappear when you bring out the second portion to thaw and serve a few days or more after the first serving.
5. DIY Freezer Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Dinner isn’t the only meal you can make ahead and freeze. We’ve all seen those frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the store. And maybe it seems silly to make something so simple ahead of time.
But there has been more than one occasion when we got home from an event just in time for lunch or needed to eat in a big hurry before leaving the house when a premade PBJ has come in handy.
You can freeze a normal peanut butter and jelly sandwich and thaw it with pretty good results. But there is a trick to freezing a PBJ sandwich and having it turn out perfectly! I won’t spoil it. Read the recipe to find out what it is!
6. Baked Ziti
Pasta dishes are my favorite freezer cooking recipes. My family loves pasta anyway, and many pasta dishes turn out just like fresh when thawed. This baked ziti is no exception.
The meat sauce in this dish is amazing. My whole family enjoys this one and often asks to see it again on our dinner table.
7. Chicken and Rice Casserole
When I first started researching freezer cooking recipes I read that as a general rule rice doesn’t freeze well. And by itself that may be true. But in a casserole like this one, it turns out great.
This freezer cooking recipe is a good one pan dish. The chicken, vegetables, and rice together make a terrific and well-rounded meal.
8. Aloo Cheese Frankie
For something a little different, you’ll love this aloo cheese frankie recipe. If Indian cooking is new to you, you might have to do some searching for the right ingredients but it will be well worth your time and effort.
This kid-friendly meal makes a great breakfast, snack or lunch and freezes and thaws beautifully. This is one of the quickest and easiest Indian freezer meals around!
Make Ahead Freezer Meals
These make ahead freezer meals are a total game changer. They solve the problem of “what to I make for dinner?” and “I don’t feel like cooking tonight!”. Have a favorite freezer meal you don’t see here? Be sure to let us know!
