Make-Ahead Freezer Meals
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Life is busy and we want to feed our families well, but who has time to cook every day? These make-ahead freezer meals will save your bacon. Try these easy dinner ideas when you have time to cook, double, triple, or even quadruple the recipes and have dinner now and later with the same amount of mess and clean up. Fill your freezer to the brim with delicious, healthy meals for your family.
I know recently having COVID that having prepped meals is super handy. For new moms, it’s even more important because you never know when you’ll have time to cook again. But take out is so costly and even worse, it’s not healthy.
Freezer meals for new moms
Make-ahead freezer meals for new moms are a must. If you are about to have a baby, or if you know someone who is, whip them up some freezer meals to use too! There’s no greater blessing than nourishment for families.
Here are some great options that you can make for yourself before a big life change you know is coming or you can make them for other people you know too. I have a super tiny kitchen but I can still cook great meals. And so can you!
One of my favorite freezer meals is Mini Leftover Chicken Pot Pie.
This broccoli rice casserole with creamy sauce and cheesy topping is filled with yummy chicken too. It’s a favorite of my kids.
These freezer meatballs can be made in single batches or quadruple batches. There’s everything in between too. They can go in sandwiches, in pasta sauce, or just be eaten on their own with a side dish or two. My daycare kids love these! And if you’re looking for a variety of meatball recipes, check these out.
These spinach, bacon, and cheddar egg muffins are a great make ahead meal as well.
And meatloaf freezes great too! This bbq meatloaf is a crowd pleaser at our house.
These lemon garlic chicken thighs are a great easy meal to freeze for later.
If you like sausage better, these sausage balls are freezer options that you can use as a breakfast, snack, or as a main dish for dinner with some sides.
My kids LOVE these empanadas, ham and cheese hot pockets, and pizza pockets. I can make a huge batch and get them frozen up to use for weeks and months to come. You can also carry them around to eat which comes in handy as a new mom sometimes.
Soups, as long as they aren’t cream-based, freeze wonderfully. Try some of these soup ideas for dinner and make a big ole pot to eat that night and freeze into family-sized portions for later. It’s a great time-saver, and soup is good any time!
Lasagna is a great freezer option. You can freeze this lasagna made with zucchini noodles, this vegetable meat lasagna, and this chicken and butternut lasagna. They all freeze wonderfully. Also, this stuffed spaghetti squash lasagna is delicious from the freezer as well.
You can make this quick Chicken and Chickpea Stew Recipe with tomatoes on a stove, in a slow cooker, or Instant Pot. Best of all, turn this into a healthy freezer meal for busy families!
There’s nothing better than a warm bowl of oatmeal on a cool morning. This strawberries and cream baked oatmeal is such a healthy and delicious breakfast.
These egg muffins include potatoes, spinach, bacon, and cheese baked to a golden exterior and served with bread to complete a hearty breakfast.
And don’t forget about quiche. A great make ahead meal that freeze great, and this mushroom, bacon, cheddar, and red pepper quiche is bomb!
Prep a batch of these easy make-ahead English muffin breakfast sandwiches and stash them in the freezer for a quick & satisfying breakfast.
This budget-friendly Wendy’s Copycat Chili recipe has so many uses, freezes well, is perfect for meal prep, and can be made to serve your family or a large crowd.
Aubergine soup is a taste sensation and super easy to freeze.
The BEST Breakfast Sandwich Recipe! Made with egg, cheese, and ham piled between a soft butter croissant, these warm and delicious breakfast sandwiches are freezer-friendly and perfect for a quick and easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Seriously restaurant-quality keto butter chicken! Only 6g net carbs per serve. This favorite Indian takeout dish includes 3 cooking methods you will love. Make it in under 30 minutes on the stovetop. Pressure cook or use your thermal cooker. Easy, quick, and delicious!
These delicious stuffed shells are filled with three kinds of cheese (cottage cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella) and baked with delicious marinara sauce. This family-friendly dinner is super easy to make and so tasty!
Soups freeze great, including this delicious posole-style Mexican-inspired leftover smoked brisket soup. It’s spicy, warm, and comforting and freezes beautifully, coming out just as delicious as when you first make it. So good!
Healthy crockpot freezer meals
The crockpot is a great go-to helper for getting meals on the table. Sometimes you can even cook all day while you’re at work! Check out these healthy crockpot freezer meals that are sure to satisfy your whole family.
Tossing a pork roast in the crock pot and making multiple meals with it is a huge time saver. They all freeze well, and you can freeze just the meat for making future dishes as well. (Like these super yummy BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches. You can do the same thing with a whole chicken and it can be cooked in the crockpot to start too.
Make ahead freezer chicken, black bean, and sweet potato burritos are a family pleaser that could not be more simple.
This crockpot chicken cacciatore recipe is not only an easy recipe for your crockpot but if you have any leftovers it is also a great freezer meal.
The beauty of this recipe is that you can make the balsamic honey chicken ahead of time, freeze it and just save the wrapping part for when you’re ready to eat!
Love traditional chicken pot pie? Then you’re going to love this simpler slow cooker chicken pot pie that’s loaded with tender chicken and veggies in creamy gravy.
This slow cooker vegan chili recipe will delight your taste buds. It’s not only wholesome but delicious and easy to make. A vegan twist on this classic comfort food for those chilly days ahead makes for a healthy dinner packed with nutrients brimming with flavor!
Breakfast freezer meals
Breakfast time is the busiest time of the day. You’re rushing around, trying to get everything together for the day. Wouldn’t it be great to have some wonderful breakfast options already done in the freezer to heat and eat on the go?
I love to make casseroles and pull them out for a day or more of eating. These breakfast casseroles are no different, just set them in the fridge the night before, or choose some of the individual ones listed here.
This super easy Vegan Breakfast Casserole is just what you need for a comforting make-ahead breakfast! It’s completely meatless, gluten-free, allergy-free, and packed with plant-based protein from a chickpea flour egg, veggies, hashbrowns, and dairy-free cheddar cheese! A perfect savory brunch recipe for feeding a crowd and totally freezer-friendly!
This easy make-ahead casserole may be frozen for use at a later time. The sausage, egg, and cheese mixture makes a delicious breakfast.
These healthy banana pikelets are super easy to make with just four ingredients. They freeze well and make excellent breakfasts, lunches, or snacks.
Apple Cinnamon baked oatmeal is an easy-to-bake gluten-free recipe of sweet porridge made using rolled oats along with milk, cocoa powder, almonds, and powdered jaggery. The use of jaggery makes them totally refined sugar-free and they are made without eggs.
This creamy banana blueberry oatmeal is baked in the oven. It’s creamy and delicious and also easy to freeze and make for a crowd.
Cook up a batch of these LOADED Breakfast Biscuits for your family and friends. These are perfect for big family breakfasts on the go or when extra family is visiting!!
All you need is 3 simple ingredients to make these incredibly fluffy banana pancakes! Plus, they are super easy to make and freezable too.
You can make a big batch of these sausage, egg, and cheese taquitos to freeze, ready to be popped in the microwave for those busy mornings.
These meal prep freezer Baked Oatmeal Cups are the perfect make-ahead breakfast meal when you are short on time and still want to eat healthy. These versatile breakfast cups take 5 minutes to mix and bake for 20 minutes for a breakfast that you can take on the go.
These make-ahead breakfast sandwiches make busy mornings a snap! Pull them from the freezer and you’ll enjoy a hot breakfast in just 4 minutes. Enjoy these English muffins with sausage, bacon, fluffy eggs, and cheese!
Potato borek is a delicious Turkish pastry made of a cheesy potato filling wrapped in crispy thin yufka sheets. These savory vegetarian pies are a great snack, tasty breakfast on the go, or a perfect appetizer for parties and gatherings. You can freeze them before or after cooking.
This Breakfast Burrito has so many layers of flavor, eggs, sausage, bacon, veggies, tots, and of course cheese. It’s the perfect breakfast, or make a bunch and freeze them for those crazy mornings.
Steel Cut Oats in the Instant Pot makes a delicious and healthy breakfast that will provide you with nutritional benefits and give you a boost throughout the day! It takes less than 20 minutes to be ready and is a freezer-friendly breakfast. Or Blackberry lemon crumb muffins.
Gluten free freezer meals
If you are gluten intolerant or just avoiding wheat for health reasons, these wonderful gluten free freezer meals are a great option.
This freezer stir fry is one of my favorite things to have on hand in the freezer.
Gluten-Free Vegan Healthy Tomato Pasta is made using rice and green pea pasta and is rich in flavors of spicy dried red chilly, garlic, and fresh tomatoes.
This hearty and healthy freezer chicken soup is an easy dinner recipe to make ahead in bulk, saving both time and money!
Make this white chicken chili that can be used as chili, burritos, or nachos when you pull it out of the freezer. Versatile and so delicious!
These simple and deliciously healthy and gluten-free Weight Watchers friendly Stuffed green pepper casserole, made with instant rice and lean ground beef is smothered in gooey melted cheese (low-fat), is easy to make, and requires no stuffing! It can be made ahead and frozen for a quick weeknight meal.
One of the easiest make-ahead freezer meals that everyone loves. Shepherd’s pie or cottage pie (when made with beef) tastes like it’s been made fresh every single time!
A traditional Scottish dish that is perfect for meat and potato lovers! Includes freezing instructions.
Dairy free freezer meals
A lot of people deal with dairy allergies nowadays. Here are some more options for dairy-free make-ahead freezer meals that will help you fill the bill.
Low-Calorie Vegan Mushroom Masala Dry is a healthy gluten-free stove-top recipe of mushroom flavored with garlic, capsicum, and tomatoes. If you are a big fan of Kadai Paneer, you will surely love this recipe. It’s absolutely a vegan version of the same.
Slow cooker cabbage rolls can easily be assembled and frozen until you’re ready to put them in the slow cooker. These are gluten-free and dairy-free.
Pull out enough taquitos from the freezer for a snack or a full meal. These vegan & gluten-free taquitos are stuffed with seasoned jackfruit & non-dairy cheese.
Gluten-free, vegan sweet potato and lentil soup is a healthy and tasty meal that will satisfy both your hunger and your tastebuds. This delicious vegetable soup is smooth and filling as well as simple to make. Sweet potato and lentil soup comes out creamy, savory, and decadent thanks to ingredients that not only taste amazing but are nourishing for your body as well.
Keto freezer meals
What about low carb, or all in keto? There are even make-ahead freezer meals that fit that option as well. Check these ideas out.
These Stuffed Peppers are easy and simple to make plus freezer friendly too. These peppers are low carb, gluten-free, and keto.
Comforting Unstuffed Cabbage Soup is satisfyingly delicious. It’s low carb and keto. It’s easy to make and perfect inclusion to your regular meal prep.
This easy keto lasagna recipe is just like the authentic Italian classic but with so many fewer carbs. It is a wonderful make-ahead meal that you can bake later or freeze which makes it perfect to stay on your diet.
This keto crack chicken is such an easy freezer meal to make! It’s made with chicken thighs, ranch, cheddar, bacon, cream cheese, and other mouthwatering ingredients.
These Easy Make-ahead Low-Carb Mini Quiches with Almond Flour Crust are the perfect option for easy keto breakfasts or meal planning! They freeze beautifully, so you can make a large batch and keep them on hand for easy breakfasts on busy mornings.
This incredibly easy Keto Ham Soup is so tasty and a real family-friendly recipe! The ultimate in keto soup recipes. Tastes just like a traditional pea and ham soup but without all the carbs!
These Carnitas are incredibly tender and flavorful! They’re great for tacos, burritos, and salads, and even better as leftovers.
This easy Keto Beef Stew with Bacon and Mushrooms is so full of flavor and so tender! When you use your Instant Pot, stovetop, or Crockpot, you can have tender and delicious beef stew anytime.
Vegetarian freezer meals
If you are totally vegetarian, here are some tasty and healthy options for vegetarians and even a few of these make-ahead freezer meals are vegan too!
This Butternut Squash Curry is the ultimate comfort food loaded with vibrant and nutritious ingredients that will warm your bellies without making you feel stifled and heavy. A great make-ahead dish that you can make a big batch of and heat anytime you need something warm and comforting!
Winter is just right around the corner, so now is the perfect time to snuggle up with a big bowl of this creamy and nutritious Curry Coconut Soup. It’s everything you need to warm yourself on those frosty days and nights. It also makes a great make-ahead dish for those lazy weekends.
Vegetarian Quesadilla with black beans, veggies, and a moderate amount of cheese tucked inside a whole wheat tortilla and then baked. Or turn into a freezer meal for busy weeknights.
Healthy vegan pastitsio (or pastichio), with layers of pasta, a lentil tomato sauce, and creamy bechamel sauce. This Greek pasta bake or lasagna is high protein and an incredible vegan comfort food meal!
Vegan crab cakes freeze & reheat beautifully. They’re filled with artichokes, chickpeas, bell peppers, and onions.
Creamy and flavorful Instant Pot Risotto recipe. It’s a fail-proof vegetarian weeknight dinner that requires no continuous stirring or babysitting the pot.
For even more inspiration, check out these quick and easy dinner ideas for freezer meals and these make-ahead freezer meals for the daycare food program here.
For more ideas on freezing, check this out:
