We’ve compiled a list of 20+ healthier meals that freeze well! Plus there are a few bonus breakfast and snack options to have on hand. Having a freezer full of meals prepared will save you time and money so you can eat healthy even on a busy night. There are crockpot and instant pot friendly recipes that make getting dinner on the table each night super simple.
I’ve always liked the idea of having a freezer full of healthier dinners waiting for me, but now that FMK baby is here it’s saved me lots of time.
To prepare our new arrival, I took some of my favorite recipes that are freezer friendly and stocked my freezer so I wouldn’t have to think about dinner every single night while we adjusted to our new rhythm.
Why Make Healthy Freezer Meals
With some planning ahead, you can have healthy freezer meals to eat each night in under 20 minutes.
I’m not sure about you, but I’m always running short on time in the evening, so having healthy comfort food ready to go is worth it. That way we can still fuel our bodies with whole foods even when we don’t have as much time to make dinner.
Another reason to prep freezer meals is that it saves you money!
Not only are you not letting your produce go to waste, but you’re not eating out because you forgot to plan dinner or don’t have time to make something between evening commitments.
All of these small things add up to big savings!
Plus, if you have meals all prepped in your freezer it’s so easy to share a meal with a new mom or someone who might need a little extra help.
What You Need for Freezer Meal Prep
To get your freezer stocked with healthy dinners, a few things will make it easier for you.
- Freezer Bags – the simplest way to store your freezer meals is in a gallon freezer bag. You can prep everything, throw it in the bag, and lay it flat it your freezer so they stack night and easily. Plus you can write the name of the meal and cooking details right on the bag.
- Stasher Bags – if you don’t have these reusable bags in your home, they’re a must! If you have enough of these bags, you could freeze your meals in them and ditch the plastic bags.
- Meal Prep Containers – I’ve loved prepping some meals and storing them in these glass containers. They stack nicely in the freezer and don’t leak at all when you’re thawing your meal in the fridge.
How to Prepare & Use Freezer Meals
prep
Once you have all your ingredients and storage containers gathered, it’s time to get your recipes prepared. It’s really important to label all your meals. There’s nothing worse than pulling a mystery meal out of the freezer and not knowing what to do with it.
Label your container with the meal and directions. If you need to add some ingredients or serve it with a side of rice, put that on there. Plus adding the cooking temperature and time will save you the headache when you’re trying to throw it in the crockpot before work.
freeze
Once your meal is prepped, it’s time to seal the container and put it in the freezer. Be sure to get as much air as you can out of the bags so it lays flat and doesn’t get freezer burn.
thaw
When you’re ready to make your meal, you have a few options on how to thaw.
If you’re really prepared you can pull it out the night before and thaw it in the fridge overnight.
If you have time in the morning to grab it out of the freezer before your day gets busy, it can be thawed on your counter. I sometimes thaw things in my dish drying rack in my sink so no condensation or liquid leaks on my counters.
Lastly, if you didn’t have time or forgot to pull something out, no fear! This is why you have these meals prepped. Grab your meal out of the freezer and thaw it on the defrost setting.
Frequently Asked Questions about Make Ahead Freezer Meals
How Long do Freezer Meals Last?
Meals can last in the freezer for 3-6 months if stored properly. Soups are some of the easiest meals to freeze and hold up when being reheated. If you’re like me, your meals won’t be in the freezer that long because you will gladly use them up and make dinnertime stress free.
Can you cook meals while still frozen?
While you can cook meals while they are still frozen, it is best to thaw them before cooking to ensure that they are fully cooked. Most recipes are giving you cook times based on raw ingredients.
How long after meals are thawed do they need to be cooked?
Once a meal is thawed, you have 24-48 hours to cook them. Don’t let those meals go to waste! Get them in the crockpot and enjoy a delicious dinner.
Don’t have time to do a big freezer prep day?
I know a lot of people don’t have time to do a big freezer meal prep day – I totally get that! Time is valuable and sometimes feels so limited. Pick your favorite recipe below and make double. That way you can freeze half and have a quick meal ready to go for another day. This is one of the simplest ways to stock your freezer. Some of may favorite recipes to do this with are soup!
How to Make your Favorite Meal Freezer Friendly
Not every recipe in the list was created as a freezer meal, but all of them are freezer friendly. There will be a note with each recipe about how to prepare and freeze it.
Healthy White Chicken Chili – Fit Mitten Kitchen
This White Chicken Chili is an easy, hearty chili recipe with lots of flavor and a great change up from the traditional chili recipe.
Freezer Tip: You could make a batch or two, then make sure the chili has cooled down and come to almost room temperature before storing. Cook once and eat twice.
You could also freeze all ingredients in a container. When you’re ready to make this meal, throw it in a crockpot pot on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours
Freezer Meal Lasagna Florentine – Pinch of Yum
Lasagna is the quintessential freezer meal, right? It has all the details for prepping this freezer meal in the recipe. I made sure to have this lasagna florentine ready to go before we had FMK baby and it was delicious!
I also made it for my sister when she had her baby – a big hit with her and her husband!
Cauliflower Walnut Taco Meat – Fit Mitten Kitchen
This Cauliflower Walnut Taco Meat is ready in 30 minutes and the perfect plant based meat alternative for any loved Mexican dish. For taco salads, power bowls, traditional tacos and more.
Freezer Tip: Make a few batches of this vegan taco meat and freeze to have on hand. They are perfect to pull out smaller portions for a lunch salad or the whole bag for your favorite taco dinner.
Healthy Turkey Chili
This Healthy Turkey Chili is packed full of ground turkey, beans, vegetables and spices for a colorful meal finished with your choice of toppings. It’s an easy chili recipe made on the Stovetop, in the Crockpot or Instant Pot.
Freezer Tips: Make a double batch and leftovers for a quick weeknight dinner. Allow chili to cool down, then transfer it into freezer bags or plastic reusable containers.
Paleo Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs – Fit Mitten Kitchen
Slow cookers make for the best meals! These Paleo Thai Red Curry Turkey Meatballs are packed with flavor. Serve with zoodles, cauli rice or your favorite grain for a delicious meal.
Freezer Tip: These Thai Meatballs will be best if you prepare and freeze the meatballs, then add the sauce when you’re ready to cook it. You can freeze the meatballs uncooked or after they are browned in a skillet. For a quicker meal, I suggest browning them. This would be another easy recipe to prep two at a time to keep on hand.
6-Ingredient Bean Burritos – Fit Foodie Finds
This recipe is for 6-8 Make Ahead Bean Burritos that only require 6 ingredients! They’re a simple meal to pull out of the freezer for a quick dinner or just one burrito for lunch. It’s already a freezer recipe, so it will be simple to have some meatless meals prepped and ready to go.
Sausage Kale Soup
This Sausage Kale Soup (also known as, “Zuppa Toscana”) is a comforting dairy-free soup classic. A healthier take on the Olive Garden recipe with a variety of ways to lighten things up. Make in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or on your stovetop!
Freezer Tip: Allow the soup to cool completely, then transfer into your favorite freezer containers. I also like to use my instant pot to make this recipe because I can sauté the meat and veggies, then let it cook on the slow cooker mode. It’s simple to make a double batch to freeze as well.
BBQ Chicken Meatballs – All the Healthy Things
These BBQ Chicken Meatballs are so easy to make! They would be an awesome quick dinner or fun appetizer.
Freezer Tip: You could freeze these meatballs precooked or raw. If you want to freeze cooked, you could prep the sauce and freeze in a bag, just warm up in a slow cooker when you’re ready to eat them. If you’re freezing them raw, freeze on a cookie sheet then transfer into a freezer container for best results and to not have all the meat balls freeze together.
Sweet Potato, Spinach, and Ricotta Stuffed Shells – Fit Foodie Finds
These Vegetarian Sweet Potato, Spinach, and Ricotta Stuffed Shells are amazing!!! You don’t have to precook the noodles, so it saves lots of time and is so simple to prep. This recipe has all the freezer meal tips you need in it.
Easy Paleo Salmon Cakes – Cotter Crunch
These salmon cakes are simple to make for a delicious meal! Plus they’re packed with veggies and protein.
Freezer Tip: You can make extra of these salmon cakes, then freeze the extras for later. They can be warmed up in the oven or skillet.
Tuscan White Bean Soup – The Healthy Maven
This soup is packed with veggies and flavor. It’s simple to make in one pot or you could use an instant pot to sauté and use the slow cooker option to make it even easier.
Freezer Tip: You can freeze half if you need a smaller portion or double the recipe to have extra. Just be sure to let it cool first before storing in an airtight container.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala – Fit Foodie Finds
I’m obsessed with Tikka Masala! Plus, what’s not to love about slow cooker recipe on a busy night?
Freezer Tip: This recipe is perfect to freeze any leftovers after it cools!
Chili Garlic Chicken Wings – Clean Foodie Cravings
These chicken wings look so delicious! They’re a delicious appetizer to prep ahead of time or dinner. Plus there are lots of options on how to cook them.
Freezer Tip: These are great to prep the marinade and freeze the chicken wings right in them. More tips for freezing are in the recipe.
Easy Green Chile Chicken Tamales – Minimalist Baker
Have you ever made tamales? This recipe makes it so approachable! Now I want to try. The recipe makes a large amount, so there is plenty to freeze for a quick lunch or another dinner. All the tips for freeze tamales are in the recipe.
Chicken Sausage Stuffed Bell Peppers – Little Bits of Real Food
Another classic freezer meal with a healthy twist! You cook these ahead, so they’re simple to pull out of the freezer when you need something for dinner ASAP.
Freezer Tip: Be sure to allow the peppers to cool complete before freezing so they don’t become soggy. If you have a freezer safe contain to freeze all the peppers in together that works great or you can wrap and freeze peppers individually.
Chickpea Burgers with Chipotle Aioli
These easy chickpea burgers are going to be your new favorite plant based burger! Top with cashew chipotle aioli for a real treat. Vegan recipe and gluten free friendly too – just use your favorite bun. This is perfect to double the recipe, so you can have them on hand for a quick lunch or dinner.
Freezer Tip: These chickpea burgers can be frozen raw or cooked. There are tips in the recipes for how to freeze the patties.
Cilantro Lime Chicken Thighs – All the Healthy Things
It don’t get much easier than these cilantro lime chicken thighs! You can whip up the recipe in no time to freeze and have an easy lunch or quick weeknight dinner.
Freezer Tip: Mix the marinade, pop in the chicken, seal in an airtight container. Let it marinade in your freezer until you’re ready for a delicious dinner. Be sure to thaw it before cooking.
4 Healthy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Freezer Meals – Eating Bird Food
These healthy slow cooker freezer meals are so simple to make ahead! You throw everything together, freeze it, then dump the meal into your slow cooker to work its magic.
Don’t Forget Breakfast!
Sometimes you need a delicious, filling breakfast to start the morning, but you’re just in a fog. These breakfast recipes are perfect for that! You could also freezer some muffins or baked oatmeal. Another great thing to have on hand is overnight oats.
Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches – Fit Mitten Kitchen
These Breakfast Sandwiches are perfect to make ahead of time, then reheat in the morning! You can pull one out to thaw in the fridge the night before or reheat from frozen.
Freezer Tip: I used foil to wrap these breakfast sandwiches so you can easily reheat them in the toaster oven. More tips on freezing are included in the post.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Smoothies make the perfect on the go breakfast or a healthy snack. They take only 5 minutes to throw together and with a little prep, you will always have ingredients on hand!
This post is an extensive guide for prepping smoothies ahead of time! It even includes three different freezing methods. There are so many tips and tricks so you can prep your smoothies for a healthy breakfast or quick snack.
Bonus Snacks
It’s nice to have some healthy snacks on hand too, so that you’re prepared in a moment of hunger or if you need some snacks between grocery store trips.
To freeze muffins, allow muffins to cool completely, then wrap them in freezer paper or foil and seal in an airtight bag for the best results. They should last up to three months, if you haven’t snacked on them all by then.
What freezer meal was your favorite?
Let me know if you make any of these freezer-friendly recipes by leaving a comment below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx, Ashley
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