20+ Great Freezer Meals

More Than 20 Great Freezer Meal Recipes

Compiled by Avalie

Just a few tips:
Always label your freezer bags with the name of the food, the cooking directions, and the date you assembled it, BEFORE you fill the bag with food.
Phantom Container Method: If you want to cook the casserole in your special pans (like stoneware), but you don’t want to leave the container in the freezer with your casserole, just line the pan with foil before assembling the casserole. When finished, put the pan and casserole in the freezer until frozen through. Then remove the food and foil from the freezer and wrap in plastic wrap or a freezer bag, and label. When you’re ready to cook, peel off the plastic and foil, and put into your pan to thaw and bake.
Keep a list of your freezer meals on your freezer door, and cross them off as you use them. Most meals are best if used within 3-6 months.

Oven-Baked French Toast--NEW! (Aug 4)
Everyday Food Magazine, adapted by Avalie

4 Large Eggs

1 and 1/2 cups milk (can use church cannery dried milk reconstituted)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

4 thick slices challah bread or other egg bread (recipe for Challah bread below)

2 Tbsp melted butter

In a 9x13 baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt.

Arrange bread in dish in a single layer; let soak 15 minutes in refrigerator. Turn bread over; cover, and refrigerate until most of the liquid is absorbed, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Brush a rimmed baking sheet (I like stoneware better) with butter. With a spatula, carefully transfer soaked bread to sheet. Bake until French toast is set in center and lightly browned on the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve or cool and freeze in ziploc freezer bags. To reheat frozen French toast, heat in microwave or toaster oven until warmed through. Serve with syrup, powdered sugar, or jam. SO TASTY! This is as fast as Eggo Waffles to reheat from frozen. Way better for you, and WAY better tasting (not to mention very cheap to make!) I make one or two batches of Challah Bread, and it makes LOADS of French toast. I just cook up a few dozen pieces, then freeze them. My family can help themselves to a great meal out of the freezer whenever they want it!

Challah Bread (for French Toast)--NEW! (Aug 4)

Handmade Breads by Kathy Summers

You don't need a mixer to make this delicious bread. I have to admit, I do use my KitchenAid, since we make bread multiple times each week.

1 and 3/4 cups warm water

2 Tbsp. yeast

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup light olive oil

4 large eggs

6 to 7 cups bread flour (or unbleached flour)

Spray large baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (I use stoneware baking pans)

Measure warm water (110 to 115 degrees F) into a large mixing bowl

Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the warm water, add the sugar and stir until they dissolve.

Add salt, oil, and eggs to the yeast mixture. Stir.

Add 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture. Stir vigorously.

Add 1 to 2 cups more flour, approximately 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead in 1/2 to 1 cup flour until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough should not be hard to knead.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the dough into two pieces for two loaves, or three pieces for one large braided loaf. Roll each piece into a loaf shape (or long ropes if you are going to braid it). Place on a greased baking pan.

Let the dough rise until almost doubled in size

Brush the top with a beaten egg, if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Remove from pan. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before cutting.

If making into French toast, cut into 1-inch thick slices.

Seasoned Freezer Potato Wedges
Cheri Robinson

New Potatoes, cut into wedges
Put in Ziploc Freezer bag (quart serves 3-4, gallon serves 8-10)
Add 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (for quart size), double for gallon size
Add 1 tsp. Season-All
Add other herbs (basil and oregano are great—a dash of each)

Shake bag, to coat evenly. Zip up bag, squeezing air out as you go. Freeze. (Or cook immediately).

Cooking Directions:
Put frozen potatoes in a baking dish in a single layer. Bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes, or until crispy-brown on the outside, flaky on the inside.


Easy Pleasing Meatloaf
www.kraftfoods.com

2 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce, divided

Non-Freezer Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients except 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce.
SHAPE meat mixture into oval loaf in 13x9-inch baking dish; top with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
BAKE 1 hour or until cooked through (160ºF).
Freezer Directions (by Avalie):
MIX all ingredients together in Ziploc Freezer Bag, squeeze out air and close bag.
FREEZE.
When ready to eat, THAW meatloaf in refrigerator and BAKE 1 hour or until cooked through (160ºF).
OR BAKE frozen meatloaf, covered, for 2 hours or until cooked through (this method can produce a drier meatloaf).

Seasoned Ground Beef
(my recipe)
3-4 lbs ground beef
4 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, minced
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

Brown ground beef, drain fat. Add garlic and onion to pan, return to heat. Simmer until garlic and onion are soft and transparent (2-3 minutes). Add Italian Seasoning and stir until mixed. Remove from heat. Divide into labeled quart-sized freezer bags (I like to freeze in 1-lb portions, since many recipes call for this amount). Let cool. Remove air from bag and freeze. When ready to use, reheat in microwave or thaw in refrigerator. Or use it in your slow cooker recipe frozen, and add an hour to your cook time.

Add this to any casserole, soup, or any other recipe that calls for ground beef. If your family doesn’t like garlic or onions, simply omit them.

Fried Chicken Chunks
(my recipe)
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, thawed and cubed
2-3 Tbsp. Cornstarch
2-3 eggs, beaten
Oil

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Coat chicken cubes in cornstarch, dip in egg, immediately fry in oil, turning after 1-2 minutes. Cook on both sides, until chicken is no longer pink in middle. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Place in freezer bags. Freeze. When ready to eat, reheat in toaster-oven or microwave. Serve with rice and sweet and sour sauce, orange sauce, plum sauce, or other asian-style sauce.

Meatball Mix
(Mix A Meal Cookbook)
4 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 cups milk

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients (if you don’t want to get your hands dirty, use a freezer bag and squish it all around until well blended). Shape mixture into 1-1 ½ -inch balls. Place meatballs on ungreased baking sheet (or a mini muffin pan) and bake 25-30 minutes, until browned. Remove immediately and drain on paper towels. When cooled, put about 20 meatballs each into four 1-quart freezer containers. Seal. Freeze. Makes about 80 meatballs. To use, simply reheat in microwave. Great with pasta and marinara sauce, or over rice with sweet and sour sauce.

Mushroom Chicken
(Pampered Chef)
2 lbs frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 cup milk
8 oz. carton fresh mushrooms, sliced (or one can sliced mushrooms)
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed/minced
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Grated Parmesan cheese

Place all ingredients except frozen chicken and parmesan cheese into gallon-sized freezer bag, mix well. Add frozen chicken. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Chicken will marinate as it defrosts in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Pour contents from bag into baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (30 min for tenderloins). Grate cheese onto chicken after baking. Serve with pasta or rice.

Caesar Chicken
(Pampered Chef)
2 lbs frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
2 (16 oz) bottles Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed/minced
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Place frozen chicken in freezer bag; add garlic and one bottle of dressing. Coat chicken well. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Chicken will marinate as it defrosts in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Pour contents from bag into baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (30 min for tenderloins). Grate cheese onto chicken after baking. Serve over cooked pasta with grated cheese. Try it as a wrap. Make Chicken Caesar Salad, using 2nd bottle of dressing. Note: the oils from the dressing will separate a little as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon when serving.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes
(Fix It and Forget It Cookbook, adapted for freezer by Avalie)
3 lbs ground beef, browned and drained
1 onion, finely chopped (dehydrated is fine)
1 green pepper, chopped (dehydrated is fine)
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
¾ cup ketchup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder

Combine all ingredients (except rolls) in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 3-4 hours. Divide into meal-sized portions for your family and put each family-sized portion in quart-sized freezer bag. Let cool. Remove air from bag and seal. Freeze. When ready to eat, remove bag and reheat in microwave. Serve in rolls or on baked potatoes.

Pot Roast with Gravy and Vegetables
(Fix it and Forget It Cookbook, adapted for freezer by Avalie)
3-4 lb beef roast
2-3 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. flour
¼ cup cold water
1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet, or gravy browning seasoning sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium onions, cut in wedges
4-6 medium potatoes, cubed
2-4 carrots, quartered (or baby carrots)
1 green pepper, sliced

Place roast in gallon-sized freezer bag. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make paste of flour and cold water. Stir in Kitchen Bouquet, and pour paste over roast. Add garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, and greet pepper to freezer bag. Shake bag to coat everything with gravy. Squeeze out air and seal. Freeze. Thaw for 24 hours in refrigerator. Pour contents of bag into slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or High 4-5 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

Café Rio-Style Pork
(updated from L. Rhoton)
3-4 lbs pork roast
2 ½ cups Dr. Pepper or Coke (NOT DIET!)
1 12 oz bottle taco sauce
1 ¾ cup brown sugar
Juice from 3-4 limes
½ tsp. chipotle chili pepper seasoning
1 Tbsp. cumin

Combine in slow cooker. Cook Low 8-12 hours, or until shreds easily. Shred pork. Divide into family-sized portions and place in freezer bags. Let cool. Remove air from bag, seal, and freeze. When ready to eat, reheat in microwave. Serve on salad, tortillas, or chips.

Saucy Pork Chops
(Fix It and Forget It Cookbook, adapted for freezer by Avalie)
4 pork chops
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. oil
2 cups ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. hickory flavored liquid smoke
1 cup onions, chopped

Season chops with salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Brown on both sides in oil in skillet. Drain. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, and onions in freezer bag. Squeeze around to mix sauce. Add browned pork chops. Squeeze air out of bag and seal. Freeze. To cook, let thaw in refrigerator overnight. Pour contents of bag into slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or High 4-5 hours. Great with rice, fries, or potatoes.

Mexican Chicken
(Pampered Chef)
2 lbs frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
16 oz jar mild or medium salsa
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, pressed/minced
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 can black olives, drained and sliced
Grated Monterey Jack cheese

Place all ingredients except frozen chicken and cheese into gallon-sized freezer bag, mix well. Add frozen chicken. Squeeze air out of bag and freeze. Chicken will marinate as it defrosts in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Pour contents from bag into baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (30 min for tenderloins). Grate cheese over chicken after finished baking. Serve with corn bread, rice, and steamed veggies. Or try it in a tortilla, or on a salad.

Hamburger Patties
(my recipe)
4 lbs ground beef
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1-2 eggs
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl with your hands (or put half at a time into a ziploc freezer bag and squish it around) until well mixed. Shape into patties, place each pattie in Ziploc freezer bag, separating each layer with waxed paper (to keep them from sticking together). Remove air from bag and seal. Freeze laying flat, so patties keep proper shape. When ready to grill hamburgers, do not thaw. Simply place frozen patties on grill, and cook until cooked through. If pan-frying hamburgers, thaw first.

Taco Meat
(my recipe)
4-5 lbs ground beef
Taco Seasoning
Water

Brown ground beef, drain fat, add taco seasoning and water. Follow directions on taco seasoning package for proportions and simmer times (each brand is a little different). Package 1-3 cups (depending on how much your family eats in one meal) of taco meat into labeled quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags. Let cool. Remove air from bag, seal, and freeze. When ready to serve, simply microwave until heated through. Makes great burritos, tacos, and taco salads.

Meaty Lasagna
(Simply Casseroles Cookbook, adapted for freezer by Avalie)
1 lb cooked, seasoned ground beef
1 28-oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 6-oz can tomato paste
½ tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 16-oz container Ricotta cheese or Cottage Cheese
2 cups (8-oz package) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, divided
1 16-oz package lasagna noodles, uncooked
Disposable 13x9 foil lasagna pan, multiple loaf pans, or foil for “phantom container method” (see tips for details)

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and Italian Seasoning. Mix until well blended. In another bowl, combine Ricotta/Cottage Cheese, half of mozzarella, and half of Parmesan. Mix until well blended. Place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles lengthwise on bottom of baking dish; break a noodle in half and set it at end of dish to fill entire length. Spread 1/3 of ricotta mixture over noodles. Using a large ladle, spoon ¼ of meat sauce over cheese. Repeat layers two more times, alternating pattern of noodles. Top the last cheese/sauce layer with noodles (there may be a few noodles left over) and remaining meat sauce. Place remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses in a freezer bag. Wrap top of lasagna in foil, label, tape bag of cheese to pan, and place in freezer. When ready to bake, thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours. Bake lasagna, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Sprinkle on remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and continue to bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Beef and Gravy
(my recipe)
In small or medium saucepan, heat
1 lb Seasoned Ground Beef (or one can of ground beef from cannery)
(add 2 Tbsp Minced Garlic and 1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning if using unseasoned beef)
In small bowl, combine
1 Tbsp Kitchen Bouquet
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Cup Water
Mix together until well blended
Slowly pour mixture into saucepan with Seasoned Ground Beef
Simmer, stirring constantly until sauce thickens into gravy. Remove from heat.
Serve over rice, noodles, baked potatoes, or anything else that sounds good to you!

Apricot Chicken
(my recipe)
2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup apricot jam
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. powdered ginger

Combine all ingredients in a labeled freezer bag. Seal and squish around to mix. Squeeze out air and freeze. Chicken will marinate as it defrosts in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Pour contents from bag into baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (30 min for tenderloins). Serve with rice and stir-fry veggies.


BBQ Chicken
(my recipe)
2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
½ bottle BBQ Sauce (we like Bullseye)

Place frozen chicken and BBQ sauce in gallon-sized ziploc freezer bag. Squeeze out air, seal, and freeze. When ready to eat, let thaw in refrigerator. Pour entire contents of bag into baking dish and bake at 350 for 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. OR put entire contents of bag into crock pot, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.

Baked French Toast
(Everyday Food Magazine, adapted for freezer by Avalie)
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups milk
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
4-6 thick slices challah, brioche, or other egg bread (1-inch thick)
2 Tbsp melted butter

In a 13x9 inch baking dish, whisk together eggs, milk, ¼ cup sugar, vanilla and salt. Arrange bread in dish in a single layer; let soak 15 minutes. Turn bread over; cover, and refrigerate until most of the liquid is absorbed, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with butter. With a spatula, carefully transfer soaked bread to sheet. Bake until French Toast is set in center and lightly browned on bottom, 25-30 minutes. Let cool. Transfer baked French Bread slices to labeled freezer bag, with waxed paper between layers of bread. Remove air from bag, and seal. To reheat, warm frozen bread in toaster-oven or microwave. Serve with syrup or jam.

Breakfast Burritos
(Cheri Robinson)
1-2 baked potatoes cut into cubes
2 eggs
2-3 tortillas
Green onion, chopped
Onion, chopped
Salsa
Cheese
Salt & Pepper

In a skillet, brown potatoes, onion, and pepper in butter or Pam cooking spray. Add eggs, cook. Add Salsa and Cheese. Pour into tortillas, wrap and eat or wrap in Saran Wrap and freeze. To reheat, remove plastic wrap and wrap in damp paper towel and microwave until warmed through. Option: add bacon, sausage, or other meat.

Crock Pot Potato Casserole
(Cheri Robinson, adapted for freezer and Crock Pot by Avalie)
Put into Crock Pot
1 lb Seasoned Ground Beef (or one can of ground beef from cannery)
1 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoning Salt
5 Potatoes, cubed
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can Milk (use soup can to measure milk)
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup frozen peas

Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or high 4-5 hours. Casserole is done when potatoes are fork-soft. If frozen peas fall apart, try adding them during last hour of cooking.

OR Mix all together (omit ½ can milk) in large casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Taco Soup with Black Beans
(Fix It and Forget It Cookbook)
1 lb Seasoned Ground Beef
28-oz can crushed tomatoes
15 ¼ - oz can corn, undrained
15-oz can black beans, undrained
15-oz can red kidney beans, undrained (or pinto work great, too)
1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
1 envelope dry taco seasoning
1 small onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours. Pour into clean jars or freezer containers. Cover, leaving at least 1 inch headspace. Freeze. When ready to serve, heat in microwave or on stovetop. Serve with cheese, chips, and sour cream.

Sweet Pork Roast
1 can Coke
1 tsp. garlic
¾ cup ketchup
½ brown sugar
¼ cup barbeque sauce (we like Bullseye best)
¼ cup Coke

Pour 1 can Coke on 3-6 lb pork roast. Cook on Low 5-7 hours. After roast has cooked, shred with coke still in pan. Drain Coke and fat. Mix rest of ingredients together. Pour over shredded pork. Cook another 1-2 hours. Serve on toasted buns. Or cool and freeze in Ziploc freezer bags in dinner-sized portions. To serve from frozen, simply remove from freezer bag and reheat in microwave.

Kalua Pig (Luau Pork)
4-5 lb pork roast (bone in is fine)
1/8 to ½ cup Kosher salt
3 cloves minced garlic
½ cup liquid smoke
1 cup water

Rub salt over roast. Set roast in slow cooker. Add other ingredients to slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 6-12 hours, or until meat shreds easily with fork. Shred meat. Serve over rice. Or cool and freeze in Ziploc freezer bags in dinner-sized portions. To serve from frozen, simply remove from freezer bag and reheat in microwave.