As life gets busier and busier, finding the time to make a healthy and delicious meal can often feel like an impossible task. But what if we told you that with just a bit of prep work, you could have a freezer full of individually portioned meals ready to heat up at a moment's notice? That's right, it's time to start thinking about make ahead freezer meals. Here are six easy recipes to get you started:
Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- 12 jumbo pasta shells
- 6 oz. fresh spinach
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1\/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
- Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water, then set aside.
- Wilt spinach in a pan over medium heat. Remove from heat and squeeze out excess water.
- In a bowl, mix together spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, egg, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Stuff each pasta shell with about 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture.
- Pour a small amount of marinara sauce into the bottom of a freezer-safe baking dish. Arrange stuffed shells on top of sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the shells. Cover tightly with foil and freeze.
- To reheat, preheat oven to 350F. Remove foil and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Cheeseburger Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1\/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1\/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp. mustard
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Form the mixture into meatballs (about 1.5 inches in diameter) and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together cheddar cheese, ketchup, and mustard.
- When meatballs are cooked, remove from oven and top each one with a dollop of cheese mixture.
- Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- Let meatballs cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze.
- To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes or until hot.
Garlic & Herb Chicken Thighs
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1\/2 tsp. black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a small bowl, mix together garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Place chicken thighs on a baking sheet. Rub with garlic mixture, making sure to get some under the skin.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and golden brown on top.
- Let cool, then transfer chicken to a freezer-safe container and freeze.
- To reheat, preheat oven to 350F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until hot throughout.
Beef & Vegetable Stew
- 2 lbs. stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, salt, and black pepper.
- Toss stew meat in flour mixture until all sides are coated.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add coated stew meat and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add beef broth, water, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir well.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until meat is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
- Remove bay leaf and let cool.
- Transfer stew to a freezer-safe container and freeze.
- To reheat, microwave for 3-4 minutes or until hot.
Vegetarian Chili
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1\/2 tsp. cumin
- 1\/2 tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can corn, drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1\/2 tsp. black pepper
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add red and yellow peppers to the pot and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika to the pot. Stir well.
- Add kidney beans, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors are well combined.
- Let cool, then transfer chili to a freezer-safe container and freeze.
- To reheat, microwave for 3-4 minutes or until hot.
Tomato & Basil Soup
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1\/2 tsp. salt
- 1\/4 tsp. black pepper
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, basil, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors are well combined.
- Let cool, then transfer soup to a freezer-safe container and freeze.
- To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes or until hot.
With these delicious make ahead freezer meals in your arsenal, you'll never have to resort to takeout or fast food again. Spend just a few hours prepping and cooking, and you'll have weeks' worth of meals ready to go whenever hunger strikes. Happy cooking!
If you are looking for 31 Easy Dinners That Are Freezer Friendly (And Stress Free) you've came to the right page. We have 35 Pics about 31 Easy Dinners That Are Freezer Friendly (And Stress Free) like 31 Easy Dinners That Are Freezer Friendly (And Stress Free), Easy-Freeze Slow Cooker Cookbook: 100 Freeze-Ahead, Cook-Themselves and also 150 Easy Freezer Meals You Can Make Ahead | Taste of Home. Here it is:
31 Easy Dinners That Are Freezer Friendly (And Stress Free)
www.savvyhoney.com freezer crockpot crunch cotter
200+ Easy To Make Freezer Meals That Save You Time And Money - DIY & Crafts
www.diyncrafts.com freezer meals breakfast delicious easy make diy food diyncrafts
Easy Freezer Meals | Freezable Meals, Freezer Meals, Easy Freezer Meals
www.pinterest.com meals freezer moms easy graceandgoodeats freeze make freezable good must mom recipes baby before collect ahead perfect later food these
Make Ahead Freezer Meals - NEPA Mom
www.nepamom.com meals ahead freezer make summer freeze homeschoolgiveaways over busy moms cooking meal when then them made easy few but
17 Healthy Freezer Meals You Can Cook In A Crockpot Or Skillet
www.pinterest.com meals freezer healthy crockpot skillet cook moneysavingmom
Eight “No-Cook” Freezer Meals In 90 Minutes – New Leaf Wellness
newleafwellness.biz meals freezer cook bag crockpot healthy cooking meal food frozen bags recipes leaf wellness freeze minutes yourself ahead made list
70+ Healthy Freezer Meals - Thriving Home
thrivinghomeblog.com meals freezer healthy meal food freezable freeze recipes cooking easy make family thriving thrivinghomeblog ahead instructions ages favorite choose board
Think You Need To Cook A Meal Like This Every Night? Make It Easier
www.pinterest.com meal
100 Cheap & Easy Freezer Meals - Prudent Penny Pincher
www.prudentpennypincher.com freezer meals easy meal cheap recipes prep cooking freeze made crockpot prudentpennypincher pre cooker slow freezable ahead planning budget healthy
Fix And Freeze Meals Recipes - Cha Ching Queen
chachingqueen.com freeze meals peppers stuffed recipe fix freezable meal dinner easy prepare ahead cook later time
On-the-Go Chicken Burritos (Freezer Meal) | Recipe | Chicken Freezer
www.pinterest.com freezer burritos meal thrivinghomeblog
31 Easy Dinners That Are Freezer Friendly (And Stress Free)
www.savvyhoney.com spinach parmesan freezer cooks averie
So, Um, How Long Can You Freeze Your Meals Before They're Bad? - The
classpass.com meals freeze long um bad before re they so danielle january
31 Easy Dinners That Are Freezer Friendly (And Stress Free)
www.savvyhoney.com burritos smothered burrito refried averie averiecooks baked friendly seasoned
150 Easy Freezer Meals You Can Make Ahead | Taste Of Home
www.tasteofhome.com lasagna freezer tasteofhome cheeseburger nutty toffee cauliflower
10 Quick And Healthy Freezer To Slow Cooker Recipes (NO Prep Cooking
www.superhealthykids.com freezer prep meals healthy slow cooker recipes quick cooking meal needed meat cook stew taste onion diced vegetable beef
31 Easy Dinners That Are Freezer Friendly (And Stress Free)
www.savvyhoney.com meal prep rice cauliflower meals fajita easy healthy make freezer bowls recipes ahead recipe dinner foods eating bowl cravings kirbie
40 Quick Freezer Meal Prep Ideas That'll Make Your Life Much Easier
www.diybunker.com freezer ahead easy make chicken meals meal bake potato recipes broccoli dinners bacon dinner quick recipe prep healthy food cooking
15 Easy Freezer Meals To Make Now Before Winter Gets Too Bleak | The
www.huffingtonpost.com freezer meals easy bleak gets too winter before make harvest baked minimalist baker half sweet huffingtonpost
No Cook Freezer Meals - 28 Meals In 20 Minutes - The Little Frugal House
www.thelittlefrugalhouse.com freezer meal
Easy Make Ahead And Freezer Meals
life-in-the-lofthouse.com meals freezer make easy ahead
29 Convenient Make Ahead Freezer Meal Recipes
www.onecrazyhouse.com freezer ahead make meal recipes
6 Healthy Freezer Meals For New Moms (Or Anyone!) - Jar Of Lemons
www.jaroflemons.com meals freezer healthy moms recipes anyone make meal jaroflemons choose board snacks
Make Ahead Freezer Meals | 6 Easy Recipes For Individual Portions
www.pinterest.com freezer meals microwave easy homemade cook recipes individual make ahead portions choose board learningmomma
How To Make Homemade Freezer Meals | Snappy Living
snappyliving.com frozen individual combination
16 Slow Cooker Recipes You Can Make Once And Freeze All Winter
www.pinterest.com Freezer Meals: 21 Make-Ahead Recipes To Eat All Week
greatist.com casserole breakfast meals freezer ahead cheesy make recipes sausage potatoes delicious meal loaded healthy damn eat week greatist goodness people
37 Simple Freezer Meals For Two (or More)
www.developgoodhabits.com iowagirleats
Freezing Meals For Your Slow Cooker, Part 2 | Slow Cooker Freezer Meals
www.pinterest.com Easy Individual Mini Lasagnas Freezer-Friendly! | Best Freezer Meals
www.pinterest.com freezer easy meals individual mini dinners make lasagnas lasagna friendly meal ahead meat freezable time less amazing recipe choose board
Easy-Freeze Slow Cooker Cookbook: 100 Freeze-Ahead, Cook-Themselves
avxhm.se cooker freeze slow easy cookbook cook themselves meals ahead every macmillan
60 Best Images About Pack Your Lunch On Pinterest | Back 2 School
www.pinterest.com meals work freezer lunch ahead lunches make go cook grab microwave week easy tips time put together take prep mom
10 Easy Crock-Pot Freezer Meals - Mommy's Fabulous Finds
www.mommysfabulousfinds.com meals freezer crock pot easy crockpot make recipes cooker slow ahead frozen meal freeze pork chicken steak tenderloin mommy recipe
Home Sweet Cozy Home: Freezer Cooking
homesweetcozyhome.blogspot.com freezer cooking meals freeze recipes cozy sweet bag productive winter having tips meal dishes freezing make homestead simple freezers
Easy Packaging, Ready To Freeze | No Cook Meals, Cooking, Food
www.pinterest.com Meals work freezer lunch ahead lunches make go cook grab microwave week easy tips time put together take prep mom. Cooker freeze slow easy cookbook cook themselves meals ahead every macmillan. 10 quick and healthy freezer to slow cooker recipes (no prep cooking