Favorite freezer meals

[JustEm]

With this baby coming in a month we seriously need to buckle down and prepare. Dh started a new job 2 weeks ago and will only get two days off when baby comes(day she's born and the day he picks me up from the hospital.) I will have help from my parents who live with us but they won't be home from vacation for a few days. 

So, not only do I need meals for when I'm home but I also need them for when we have people watching the kids and quick meals for dh to make when he gets home from work. 

We have no food restrictions what so ever. But one thing we don't eat much of is pasta so I'll likely make one pasta based casserole to freeze but multiple pasta dishes in one week won't go over well in this house. We also don't have tons to rely on eating out for ease because of underemployment prior to dh starting this job. So, being very prepared ahead of time is essential.

So Hive, let's see your best freezer meals, snacks, etc. We have an instant pot, crock pot, microwave, and oven to work with. Thanks all.

[Bambam]

My favorites

1. Chicken pot pie. I use store bought crusts. I do use frozen peas & carrots in it. I often make double/triple, and freeze (prebake the bottom crust a little, but if I forget, it is only a little soggy). Usually they aren't pretty, because I'm making in a rectangular pan to freeze, but they are still yummy) I serve with slice cheddar and a salad if I have any. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26317/chicken-pot-pie-ix/

2. Calzones - nice because you can pull just one or several - whatever you need. I make it with this pizza crust recipe (I add Italian seasoning to the crust - adds flavor). I just use cheese (mozzarella, Italian, Ricotta if I have it), pepperoni, peppers, whatever we like but NO sauce. Brush with egg, bake about 8 minutes, cool, wrap individually and freeze in one freezer baggie.  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20171/quick-and-easy-pizza-crust/

3. Chicken Enchiladas - however you make them is fine. I usually don't cook them (but I prefer them cool and not cooked!), wrap individually and freeze like Calzones. 

4. Chicken Tetrazzini - I'm thinking about adding peas next time. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/17646/chicken-tetrazzini-iv/

5. Broccoli, rice, cheese, chicken casserole. No real recipe - I just toss it all together. 

 

[Lady Florida.]

Before I answer and potentially clog up your post with what you don't want - Do you want precooked frozen meals or prepped and frozen? We don't care for most food cooked and frozen so I have a bunch of prepped and ready to cook freezer meals I like. There are a few exceptions, such as seasoned beef and things like breakfast casseroles or breakfast burritos. If you want prepped, ready to cook meals say so and I have a bunch of recipe links to share.

Edited January 19, 2020 by Lady Florida.

[JustEm]

9 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

Before I answer and potentially clog up your post with what you don't want - Do you want precooked frozen meals or prepped and frozen? We don't care for most food cooked and frozen so I have a bunch of prepped and ready to cook freezer meals I like. There are a few exceptions, such as seasoned beef and things like breakfast casseroles or breakfast burritos. If you want prepped, ready to cook meals say so and I have a bunch of recipe links to share.

Prepped and ready to cook is perfect as that is what I prefer. I'll likely do a combination of both  and leave it up whoever is watching the kids that day to decide what is most appealing to them

[JustEm]

11 minutes ago, Bambam said:

My favorites

1. Chicken pot pie. I use store bought crusts. I do use frozen peas & carrots in it. I often make double/triple, and freeze (prebake the bottom crust a little, but if I forget, it is only a little soggy). Usually they aren't pretty, because I'm making in a rectangular pan to freeze, but they are still yummy) I serve with slice cheddar and a salad if I have any. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26317/chicken-pot-pie-ix/

2. Calzones - nice because you can pull just one or several - whatever you need. I make it with this pizza crust recipe (I add Italian seasoning to the crust - adds flavor). I just use cheese (mozzarella, Italian, Ricotta if I have it), pepperoni, peppers, whatever we like but NO sauce. Brush with egg, bake about 8 minutes, cool, wrap individually and freeze in one freezer baggie.  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20171/quick-and-easy-pizza-crust/

3. Chicken Enchiladas - however you make them is fine. I usually don't cook them (but I prefer them cool and not cooked!), wrap individually and freeze like Calzones. 

4. Chicken Tetrazzini - I'm thinking about adding peas next time. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/17646/chicken-tetrazzini-iv/

5. Broccoli, rice, cheese, chicken casserole. No real recipe - I just toss it all together. 

 

I like enchiladas cool too! And I would have never thought of something like calzones but the kids would love that. They could even help make those. 

Thank you for your suggestions and recipe links

[mmasc]

 Congratulations on your upcoming new arrival!
My favorite thing to freeze is shredded chicken because it really tastes exactly the same as it does when it’s fresh, plus it’s super versatile. Here’s my favorite for bbq sandwiches. We like it on buns, with coleslaw on top. 
https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html

next, I like a Mexican flavored shredded chicken, which can be used for tacos, nachos, over rice bowls, quesadillas, etc 

https://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/crockpot-salsa-chicken/

these two recipes can easily be doubled. I freeze in ‘one meal’ size portions for my family. 

[Bambam]

14 minutes ago, mmasc said:

next, I like a Mexican flavored shredded chicken, which can be used for tacos, nachos, over rice bowls, quesadillas, etc 

https://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/crockpot-salsa-chicken/

these two recipes can easily be doubled. I freeze in ‘one meal’ size portions for my family. 

We do this too (except I don't use the tomato sauce)  - wonderful for all sorts of combinations. 

Edited January 19, 2020 by Bambam

[Pawz4me]

17 minutes ago, mmasc said:

 Congratulations on your upcoming new arrival!
My favorite thing to freeze is shredded chicken because it really tastes exactly the same as it does when it’s fresh, plus it’s super versatile. Here’s my favorite for bbq sandwiches. We like it on buns, with coleslaw on top. 
https://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html

next, I like a Mexican flavored shredded chicken, which can be used for tacos, nachos, over rice bowls, quesadillas, etc 

https://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/crockpot-salsa-chicken/

these two recipes can easily be doubled. I freeze in ‘one meal’ size portions for my family. 

Was it you who posted that BBQ chicken recipe a few months ago? If so -- thanks! I saved it and it's become our favorite. In fact it's on the menu for one night this week.

[Ali in OR]

If you live somewhere where you can still grill (I don't grill much between Nov and March), I would grill up a bunch of chicken. We use it in soft tacos, chicken caesar salads, etc.

[mmasc]

2 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

Was it you who posted that BBQ chicken recipe a few months ago? If so -- thanks! I saved it and it's become our favorite. In fact it's on the menu for one night this week.

Probably. I post it in most recipe threads. 😂

[Miss Tick]

Our standby freezer meals are: lasagna (spinach-mushroom), tamale pie (vegetarian), chicken pot pie (mine doesn't use a bottom crust and has frozen, shredded potatoes added which thicken it nicely), and a few sips and bread to serve with.

Another thing I've been experimenting with is frozen burritos. My dc favor chicken for the filing, I add rice, beans, shredded cheese, and a tomatillo salsa. I wrap them in foil to freeze. To eat, unwrap and microwave a minute or two, flip over and microwave another minute, then let it stands for 2 minutes.

[school17777]

I just saved this link today:

https://www.superhealthykids.com/recipes/10-quick-healthy-freezer-slow-cooker-meals-no-prep-cooking-needed/

[threebyme]

This is my favorite website for crockpot freezer meals, prep and freeze.  When ready thaw and throw in the crockpot!

https://thefamilyfreezer.com/

 

and congratulations on the new baby soon!!

[KungFuPanda]

I like having a stash of burritos in the freezer.  You can make them any way you like and one burrito is one meal for one person.  I usually do rice, pork, veggies, cheese, beans, cilantro, and I mix plain yogurt and salsa to put on them (because sour cream doesn't freeze as well). If you assembly-line it you can pump out a LOT of burritos with these ingredients because it's impossible to make just  little bit of that stuff.  I'm down to one freezer burrito and I feel really insecure.

[KungFuPanda]

Sometimes I do a bunch of ground beef with sauted onions, garlic, and peppers and stash it in the freezer in 1 lb bags.  Then I can just make decisions later.

[amyx4]

33 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

Sometimes I do a bunch of ground beef with sauted onions, garlic, and peppers and stash it in the freezer in 1 lb bags.  Then I can just make decisions later.

My teens call it "emergency hamburger".  I cook and freeze in 2lb bags. 

[Kassia]

58 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

 

To go along with that, you can actually make burgers themselves. Make up the patties, freeze them.  Then when the person is ready they can thaw and top with cheese if desired, and again, whatever fresh toppings the person wants to prep (lettuce, toms, whatever).  You could even buy the buns now and freeze them.  

 

We do that with both the burgers and the buns.  We have turkey and beef burgers in the freezer.  We do calzones, too (suggested above).  But I always cook large amounts and freeze leftovers - chicken (grilled or baked), baked pasta dishes, chili, tacos...just about anything, really.  My family doesn't mind leftovers at all and I hate cooking so everyone is happy.  

[Tina]

You could freeze meatloaf or pre-slice and brown sliced steak for stir-fry or pepper steak.

[Junie]

I haven't really made freezer meals before, but I do like to keep the freezer stocked with prepared main dishes.  I usually have a variety of cooked and uncooked meat options in the freezer that make dinner a lot easier on crazy days or days that I don't feel well.

I also try to keep some fries, steam-in-bag veggies, popcorn chicken/chicken tenders on hand.  I also try to have a couple of bags of buttermilk biscuits and also waffles.

Every month or so I buy some rotisserie chickens and pull the meat off and freeze the chicken meat in 2-cup portions for making chicken pot pie or chicken and noodles.

Main dishes I tend to keep in my freezer:

cooked: taco meat, meatballs, rotisserie chicken, ground beef (for soup or spaghetti sauce), marinated chicken (various marinades), fajita kits (steak, chicken, onions, peppers), seasoned steak bites, chicken corn soup,

raw: marinated chicken (various marinades), seasoned steak bites, meatballs, hamburgers

I am also planning to freeze some white rice and fried rice, although I haven't done these yet.

 

[Emba]

Our favorite freezer meal is enchilada casserole. I use all the ingredients of enchiladas but don’t roll them, just layer like lasagna. So much quicker and less messy.

i also freeze a lot of stew and chili, because I can make a big batch in the instant pot or crock pot, we can eat half for supper, and freeze half.

Taco meat is easy to cook in big batches and reheat and stick in a shell later.

[Emba]

I’ll also freeze plain or Mexican rice for a quick side, and again, it’s easy to make a big batch in the instant pot, eat some at one meal and freeze the rest.

[Tree Frog]

19 minutes ago, emba56 said:

Our favorite freezer meal is enchilada casserole. I use all the ingredients of enchiladas but don’t roll them, just layer like lasagna. So much quicker and less messy.

I like to do this, too, but the tortillas always seem more soggy and just fall apart. It's very unappetizing. I've tried both flour and corn tortillas, though dh prefers flour, with the same result. Do your tortillas get soggy, too? If not, how do you prevent it?

[Pen]

Don't Panic - Dinner's in the... https://www.amazon.com/dp/0800730550?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Miss Tick]

Our library has a copy of Seriously Good Freezer Meals, which I have had some success with.

[Carol in Cal.]

Chili

Black bean soup

Many bean soup

Spaghetti sauce

Burgers all mixed and shaped

Chocolate mousse

Pie crusts for quiche which is nutsy fast to put together

Polenta pizza crusts ditto

[madteaparty]

Quiche, lasagna, quinoa pilaf, any sort of soup and stew.

[Emba]

10 hours ago, wilrunner said:

I like to do this, too, but the tortillas always seem more soggy and just fall apart. It's very unappetizing. I've tried both flour and corn tortillas, though dh prefers flour, with the same result. Do your tortillas get soggy, too? If not, how do you prevent it?

I only use corn tortillas and they do get soggy, but I guess not enough that it bothers any of us? At any rate they don’t seem to get any soggier than if I roll the enchiladas. I think freezing them with  moisture from the sauce destroys the texture either way, but not enough to outweigh the convenience for me.

[klmama]

How do you all package soup for the freezer?  

[KungFuPanda]

1 hour ago, klmama said:

How do you all package soup for the freezer?  

Freezer bags in meal-sized or single serving portions. It depends on how much I have leftover. If a soup has potatoes, I leave them out of the portion I want to freeze and add them when I reheat.  I do that with pasta too.

[StaceyinLA]

On 1/19/2020 at 4:54 PM, KungFuPanda said:

I like having a stash of burritos in the freezer.  You can make them any way you like and one burrito is one meal for one person.  I usually do rice, pork, veggies, cheese, beans, cilantro, and I mix plain yogurt and salsa to put on them (because sour cream doesn't freeze as well). If you assembly-line it you can pump out a LOT of burritos with these ingredients because it's impossible to make just  little bit of that stuff.  I'm down to one freezer burrito and I feel really insecure.

 

I keep a stash of burritos in the freezer for my husband. Mostly he'll take a couple for lunch during the week if we don't have leftovers. I just do them with homemade refried beans, cheese, some diced onion and jalapeño, roll them up, wrap in foil and freeze. He keeps a jar of salsa in the fridge at work.

They also come in handy on nights I don't have time to or feel like cooking, like if I'm getting home late or something - he'll just pull a couple out and throw them in the oven.

[StaceyinLA]

I don't have much to contribute other than this thread is great, and timely. My dd is due in less than 2 weeks with baby #4.. She lives in a house on our property, so I'll be helping out a lot.

I did do a freezer cooking day where I froze some of my mom's family recipes (her chicken spaghetti, and meatloaves in gravy), and a couple different types of meatballs - some that go in a curry, and then some beef/bacon ones (my grandson told me he thought those would be good, and they are). I also froze a gumbo "soup," which is just a made up recipe where I put gumbo ingredients (chicken, good sausage, okra, some tomato), and then add something like kale to a homemade chicken bone broth instead of a roux/gravy.

However, I clicked some of these links and love some of the freezer to slow cooker recipes - making a list and will get some of those in the freezer for sure! 

[JustEm]

Thank you all. I will be rereading this and checking out specific recipes this week so I can start preparing the meals this weekend. A few things I know I'm making.

-roasting 4 chickens to pull apart the meat and divide into portions that can be grabbed and used in meals.

-Chicken broth from the carcasses and at least one veggie rich soup.

- meatless chili

-i have 2 pork loins that I'm going to roast and just slice up and freeze. Dh can use it as dinner or easy lunches for himself.

- enchilada filling. That way they can just be assembled and heated up the day of.

- egg muffins

I'm still figuring out what none cooked meals I want to prepare that can just be dumped and cooked.

[jpinal205]

We did a lot of freezer meals when our kids were little and dh worked out of town. I still make these regularly. Just pop the frozen ones in a gallon bag. Always ready side or snack. https://muffintinmommy.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/frozen-fruit-cups/

[Emba]

Speaking of burritos- I used to make breakfast burritos and freeze for DH for days when he gets up early for work. But he doesn’t like how easily the tortilla gets tough when overheated in the microwave, and he now prefers I make breakfast sandwiches with pancakes for the bread instead. I make a batch of pancakes of roughly equal size, put a fried egg between two of them, plus a slice of cheese, wrap each sandwich in foil, then put the foil packages into a gallon ziplock bag. A batch of them really doesn’t take long.

[JustEm]

6 minutes ago, emba56 said:

Speaking of burritos- I used to make breakfast burritos and freeze for DH for days when he gets up early for work. But he doesn’t like how easily the tortilla gets tough when overheated in the microwave, and he now prefers I make breakfast sandwiches with pancakes for the bread instead. I make a batch of pancakes of roughly equal size, put a fried egg between two of them, plus a slice of cheese, wrap each sandwich in foil, then put the foil packages into a gallon ziplock bag. A batch of them really doesn’t take long.

I will have to see if this is something dh is interested in making. He is the pancake maker in this house and at least a few kids would eat those. He's also looking for breakfast meals that he can make fast on the weekdays because with his new job he's struggling to find time to work out daily. But it has only been two weeks so he's still in the beginning of a new routine

[Kassia]

52 minutes ago, CuriousMomof3 said:

 

That is brilliant!

I've been making pancake sandwiches for my kids with peanut butter or almond butter and jelly or nutella.  I freeze the pancakes and the put the toppings on in the a.m.., but I hadn't thought about egg and cheese.  

 

We do the same with pancakes.  I make batches of them to freeze.  My daughter loves them with peanut butter (but Nutella would be divine!).  

[Storygirl]

17 hours ago, klmama said:

How do you all package soup for the freezer?  

I used to use gallon sized freezer bags, but it bothered me that they were disposable.  I also didn't like shuffling through them in the freezer. I would freeze them flat, but they still ended up fitting in my freezer oddly. Over the past few months, I've been using 9 c (I think) plastic containers, which fit a batch of soup that makes a meal for my six family members. I like that I can reuse them and that I can put a freezer label on that I can easily see. They stack better in my freezer, so that I can find them more easily, and they don't slide around when I am moving things around in there.

I've started to look at silicone baggies but haven't tried any yet.

Some people use mason jars. I haven't tried that, though I do use mason jars for make-ahead smoothies.

I also have some soup recipes that I make partially before freezing. I leave out any dairy, grain, or potato products and add it in the day that we are eating the soup. When I make minestrone, I prepare meatballs and vegetables but wait and add the broth, beans, and noodles on the day that we eat it. Sometimes I want to cook the soup with the broth ahead of time, because it develops the best flavor, but other times, I freeze things and add the broth in later; I figure that adding a carton of broth takes me only a tiny bit of time but saves that freezer space for something else (my freezer is usually packed). Each soup that I make ahead and freeze, I do something a bit different with.