I’m sure many of you can relate to the feeling of coming home after a long day, exhausted and with no energy to cook. Having meals in the freezer ready to go can be a lifesaver! In this blog post, I’m going to share some of my favorite make-ahead freezer meals to have ready to go.
Freezer meals can be anything from breakfast burritos to hearty meatballs or stuffed shells. So what are my best go-to freezer meals?
Meal Prepping — The Key To Success
Meal prepping is essential for ensuring that there are always delicious and nutritious meals ready when you don’t feel like cooking. It’s also cost-effective, as prepping larger batches of food makes it easier to stretch ingredients over multiple meals. Try focusing on one ingredient or type of meal at a time, such as chicken recipes or soups. This can help you to not get overwhelmed and to focus on creating tasty dishes without spending too much time in the kitchen.
Be sure to label each dish with its cooking instructions (cooking times vary depending on what type of dish it is), so it’s easy to find what you want later on when looking through the freezer. And don’t forget to include the prep date so that you know when you have to eat them by. I recommend printing these labels on computer paper or water-resistant stickers and taping/attaching them to your bags PRIOR to meal prep.
Make sure to use high-quality freezer bags or airtight containers; this will prevent any food from going bad during storage in the freezer! Just bag and freeze.
Freezer-Friendly Meals
There are so many different types of easy meals that freeze well and taste great when reheated in the Crockpot or Instant Pot. We have a great selection of easy and delicious freezer meal recipes in our database. (Sign up to get full access to our recipe database and more!)
Here are some of my favorites to make ahead and stock your freezer with:
Lasagna is one of the classic freezer-friendly dishes that reheats amazingly well. To make it even easier, try making double batches when cooking it, so you have enough for leftovers or freezing purposes.
Shepherd’s Pie is another great dish that freezes well because it has hearty ingredients like ground beef and potatoes. It’s also very easy to make and reheats perfectly after being frozen.
Chili contains lots of vegetables and beans, which freeze really well. It also makes a large batch, so you can easily store leftovers in the freezer for later use.
Soups and stews are perfect for freezing because they usually contain a lot of vegetables that hold up well against freezing temperatures. They also tend to have lots of flavor, so they’ll still taste great after being frozen.
Mac and cheese is one of those dishes that everyone loves! And luckily, pasta freezes well too! Make sure to portion out individual servings before freezing so that all you need to do is reheat one portion at a time instead of thawing an entire batch every time you want some cheesy macaroni! Comfort food at its finest.
Burritos and enchiladas are great dishes for freezing since they contain lots of protein, such as beans or chicken, which hold up well after being frozen for longer periods of time. Plus, they’re easy to heat up in the microwave or oven when you need them!
Casseroles are a popular dish that freezes well since they usually have several different components, such as meat, vegetables, rice, or pasta which all hold up quite nicely against freezing temperatures. Plus, they’re easy to assemble ahead of time, so all you need to do is pop them in the oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot when you’re ready to enjoy them!
Conclusion
The best freezer meals are the ones you will eat! Choose great-tasting, fresh, quality ingredients and recipes that you love. You will be glad every time you open your freezer.
Having good meals prepped in your freezer can be a lifesaver when cooking feels impossible after work or on weekends when you want something quick but still delicious! Try out these ideas next time you meal prep—your future self will thank you!
