Whether your goal is to prepare meals in a pinch, meaning little time, or a pinch as in pinching pennies, these freezer meals will be perfect for your whole family. Freezer meals have been a godsend to me over the years. When I make time to put freezer meals together, I wonder why I don’t make them more often. For all my busy moms out there, I wanted to share some freezer meals you can prepare in a pinch. You will thank me later.
We already know that sometimes our days just DO NOT go as planned. Whether we need to head out the door with not much notice or have a day full of appointments, we could use some fast meals more often than not. Freezer meals are like the answer to the headaches that come along with our sometimes chaotic days. They are also a reprieve for days when you just don’t feel like cooking.
Most moms I know can’t spend hours searching through recipes daily to make a meal. We could inevitably get sucked into the recipe searching spiral on the internet. Two hours later, we are left wondering why we did this to ourselves– yet again.
The best thing for busy homeschool moms for dinner time is freezer meals – either often or even once and a while. What’s even better than freezer meals? It’s freezer meals you can make in a pinch. They actually exist.
The reason why I selected the freezer meals below is that they had straightforward instructions and less than about seven ingredients. I really can’t deal with complications in my life, so these are for those moms who just can’t deal with extravagant recipes. Here’s to you!
For those moms who may need a few tips for tackling freezer meals, I wanted to share a few tips that will help you begin.
Did you ever find yourself asking:
How do I prepare meals for freezing? Package freezer meals? What if we never even have done a freezer meal?
I have asked all of these questions. This is me even now at times with new freezer meals; so you are not alone.
Here are some tips that I can’t live without when it comes to easy freezer meals in my home.
Be realistic.
If you are new to making freezer meals, know that when you see a website that says 50 freezer meals in one day, it is NOT for you! Start small. It’s OK.
When I was in my twenties, I was in a youth Bible Study where the leaders invited the group over every Sunday. We would help the Bible Study leaders make freezer meals for the whole week. They had a lot of the youth over throughout the week, so it only made sense we help them make the food we all would be eating anyway.
However, they had about twenty of us helping plus their children. Warning, do not try the 50 freezer meals in a day your first go around. Even when you are ready, you will need help tackling a large number of freezer meals.
Plan, Plan, Plan.
If you know you have a busy week coming up, make a list of the ingredients you need that you don’t have at home. Get all your ingredients the week before that busy week. Prioritize time to make the essential meals you need.
If you are new to freezer meals, then stop by here for some tips, tricks, and good-to-knows about preparing meals for freezing. Note: If you are a pro and just need to have the very best freezer meals in your arsenal, feel free to skip straight to the nitty-gritty in the lists below.
FREE Freezer Cooking Planning Worksheets
Label every bag… right after it’s zipped up. Trust me on this.
Date your freezer bags.
Frozen foods hold up for about 1 to 3 months in the freezer. Eat what you have before tackling more freezer meals. Even consider rotating older meals to the front of the fridge, so you eat those first.
Don’t grocery shop and cook on the same day.
If you do, you will dread it and be reluctant to do more freezer meals in the future. I have heard people wondering why one would grocery shop for hours just to order pizza when you get home. This is why people do that… sanity. It is for the sanity, people. Don’t judge. ;-)
Freeze meals in a freezer bag, flat.
This makes them easy to stack; they take up less space and are easier to organize.
Last on my quick tips is to let freezer meals be a family thing.
Making freezer meals can quickly turn into a family tradition with quality time and great lasting memories.
If you are looking for regular meal plans, we offer two free monthly meal plans – a regular one and in an instant pot meal plan. Each meal plan is set up on a calendar with clickable recipe links.
Now, it’s time to check out these freezer meals you can prepare in a pinch:
Remember, these freezer meal recipes have under ten ingredients each and have easy instructions.
Dinner freezer meals in a pinch
Mississippi Pot Roast | add a pinch
Easy Shredded Chicken Recipe | add a pinch
Meatloaf Muffins | add a pinch
Pulled Pork (Pork Roast) | add a pinch
Chicken Taco Soup | add a pinch
Chicken and Rice Casserole | add a pinch
Beef And Broccoli Teriyaki/Sesame Honey Chicken Lettuce Cups/Cilantro Lime Chicken/Cube Steaks With Gravy/ and many more | Happy Money Saver
Slow-Cooker Freezer-Pack Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry | Food Network
Shepherd’s Pie| Food Network
Lemon Garlic Chicken/Crock Pot Buffalo Ranch Chicken/BBQ Chicken/ and more | Everyday Shortcuts
Easy Freezer Meals – Sloppy Joes | One Hundred Dollars a Month
Brown Sugar & Garlic Pork Loin | Eating on a Dime
Easy Crock Pot Chicken Alfredo | Eating on a Dime
Texas Chili| Eating on a Dime
Undone Stuffed Pepper Casserole | The Savvy Couple
Italian Peppered Beef Roast Healthy choice! | Large Family Table
Beef Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats Healthy Choice! | Large Family Table
Easy Creamy Ranch Pork Chops | Large Family Table
Easy Italian Chicken | Large Family Table
Breakfast freezer meals in a pinch
Bacon Egg Cups | add a pinch
Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos| add a pinch
Breakfast Sandwiches | Her Happy Home
Breakfast Casserole Muffins | Thriving Home
Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Roll-ups | Pillsbury
Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Cups | Organize Yourself Skinny
Kodiak Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins / Breakfast Burritos | Her Happy Home
Egg, Potato, Sausage, and Cheese Breakfast Burritos | Stefaniegass.com
Egg & Potato Breakfast Bowl Bake | Large Family Table
25+ Breakfast MAKE AHEAD FREEZER MEALS | Large Family Table
Bonus freezer desserts in a pinch
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Freezer Recipe | Must Have Mom
Apple Crisp| Must Have Mom
Homemade Yogurt Pops | Happy Money Saver
Grab these FREE Printables to help go alongside your freezer meal journey!
FREE Printable Shopping List | Everyday Shortcuts
Weekly Meal Planner FREE Printable | The Savvy Couple
FREE Meal Planning Worksheets and FREE Step-By-Step Guide | Her Happy Home
5-Day Freezer Cooking Challenge FREE | Large Family Table
FREE Printable Easy Freezer Meal Recipes | Happy Money Saver
Ultimate Guide to Freezer Cooking | The Usual Mayhem
Easy freezer meals should not be complicated, they should take less than 15 minutes to prep, you don’t have to thaw overnight, not horrifically unhealthy (minus desserts), and are kid-friendly. That is tough, but I tried my best to give you meals my family eat and enjoy. I do add some Spanish seasonings, but they are fine as is.
Freezer meals save you time on your busy days and relieve your stress on stress-filled days. These aren’t gluten-free or vegetarian, but I am working on a healthier list, so stay tuned.
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Jeannette is a wife, mother and homeschooling mom. She has been mightily, saved by grace and is grateful for God’s sovereignty throughout her life’s journey. She has a Bachelor in English Education and her MBA. Jeannette is bi-lingual and currently lives in the Tongan Islands of the South Pacific. She posts daily freebies for homeschoolers!
