With busy family dinners, the goal is to make it as simple as possible. The easier it is to repeat the more it actually happens. Freezer meals are a “future you” win. You get to cook once, eat twice (or five times), without having to do extra dishes on a Tuesday. Here are 30 options that freeze, reheat, and are ready to go without having to be in the mood to cook.
1) Classic Beef Lasagna
Lasagna is an excellent meal. You can prepare it in a disposable foil pan and wrap it up to freeze it. It is also possible for you to make it a little closer to when you’ll eat it. If you have kids who may be picky, you can also simplify it to meat sauce and noodles with ricotta and mozzarella.
For the best texture, you should thaw it before baking, but if you have a good oven, it can handle baking it straight from frozen. You’ll also need some foil to cover it while you bake it.
2) Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken enchiladas are super easy and the best part of this whole plan. Just roll some shredded chicken (and cheese, and maybe beans) in tortillas, pour some sauce over the top, and freeze the whole thing. It may help to warm corn tortillas so they won’t crack, or you could just use flour ones. To round out the meal, add a bagged salad or some microwave rice and you’re good to go.
3) Turkey Bean Chili
Chili is easy to freeze and reheat, making it perfect for meal prep! I recommend making a big pot of chili and freezing it in zip-top bags so it stacks and fits in your freezer like books. If your family has differing opinions on spice, make the chili mild for the base and let the adults add hot sauce to their bowls to adjust the heat. If you’re looking to avoid sad desk meals, our chili is a great go-to option!
4) Meatballs in Marinara
Meatballs are versatile and can be used in three dinners! They can be frozen in sauce or frozen plain. If you freeze them plain you can add the sauce later. One night you could have spaghetti, another night subs, and you could even do a rice and meatball bowl. The best part is you can take out exactly what you need. You don’t have to take out the whole tray!
5) Baked Mac and Cheese
This is really nice food that is simple to prepare by mixing, baking and freezing. Make sure to bake it for slightly less time before freezing so it stays nice and moist when you reheat it. If you want to make it a bit more filling, you can stir in some cooked, shredded chicken, or add peas or broccoli, but no one has to know this was a tactical move to get a bit more nutrition! It’s also a super easy choice for a drop-off meal if your friend needs some help with dinner.
6) Breakfast Burritos
If your mornings start too early, freezer breakfast burritos are perfect for you! Just scramble some eggs and mix them with some beans or cooked breakfast sausage, and some roasted potatoes. Once you’ve wrapped the mixture in a tortilla, freeze them individually. To reheat them, place a damp paper towel on top of the burrito to keep the tortilla soft. If you have a teen who eats like they are in training, be sure to make them doubles.
7) Chicken Pot Pie
If you don’t want a whole pie crust to go soggy when you freeze it, you can freeze the filling and deal with crust later. Use puff pastry, biscuits, or even toast. Nobody’s grading you on it. This is good if you have a tiny apartment where your freezer space is really small. It results in a warm dinner and it feels like you tried harder than you did.
8) Pulled Pork
Pulled Pork is good meal prep! You can use one cook to make many dinners. When you freeze the pulled pork, put a little of the cooking liquid in the bag so it reheats nicely. Use it for tacos, sandwiches, and rice bowls. Use the same base and it’ll give different vibes. If your family members like different sauces, you can keep the pork mostly plain and let them add their sauce to it.
9) Taco Meat
This meal is a good example of simple and effective dinner ideas. Just cook some ground beef (or turkey), add beans to the mix, season well and freeze in layers so it defrosts quickly. Then it will be heat and eat time! The kids will love it. It’s also great for nachos, stuffed peppers, or a taco salad.
10) Chicken Tikka Masala
The sauce in tikka masala keeps everything from getting freezer burnt, which means that it freezes great. You can make the chicken and the sauce, divide them into containers appropriate for your household, and freeze them. To serve, just cook the rice or warm the naan. It will feel fresh. If there are people in the house that are sensitive to heat, skip the chili and let the spice lovers add it at the end.
11) White Chicken Chili
How quick and easy is white chicken chili? No babysitting the pot for hours and hours. You can even use leftover rotisserie chicken, and the chili will still taste amazing! It also freezes really well, and in most cases, the flavor actually gets better after sitting in the freezer for a day and being reheated. Just be sure to add crushed tortilla chips at the table, so they stay crunchy!
12) Stuffed Shells
Stuffed shells can be seen as an easier version of lasagna. You can assemble them in sauce, which you should cover them in thoroughly, and freeze them beforehand so they don’t get mushy. If a kid is in your household that dislikes veggies, you can keep half of the ricotta filling plain and sneak spinach into the filling of the other half made for the adults. It’s a great recipe that may look complicated, but really isn’t.
13) Chicken Rice Casserole
This casserole is like the friend who always shows up right on the money. You have your choice of creamy binder as I give you options of soup, béchamel, or sour cream/ cheese mix, and also freeze it and forget it. Before you assemble, slightly under-cook the rice so it is perfect when finished in the oven. Pair this with something crunchy like carrots and hummus, and you now have yourself a balanced meal.
14) Shepherd’s Pie
Comfort food usually has a filling, greasy mixture and a starchy covering to keep everything together and insulated from drying out during re-heat operations. Shepherd’s pie is one of those meals. Use ground beef or lamb with the included green vegetables and peas for a complete meal all in one container. It’s also good for those stressful evenings where quick, digestible calories are needed.
15) Chicken Parmesan
You can prepare Chicken Parm without the mess of frying and still get a morale boost. Simply bread the cutlets and lay them on a tray to freeze. Once frozen, bag them up so they don’t stick together. Once you are ready to eat, take a tray out of the freezer and bake the frozen cutlets. Add some sauce and cheese towards the end and they will be ready! Serve them with pasta, salad or some garlic bread and everyone will be satisfied.
16) Chicken Noodle Soup
Soup freezes best when you leave the noodles out until serving, otherwise they can go mushy. Freeze the broth with the chicken and veggies, then do the noodles fresh in minutes. This is a great “someone’s getting a sniffle” plan, but honestly, it hits anytime. Bonus: it’s easy on picky eaters because of all the familiar flavors.
17) Beef Stroganoff
If you freeze the Stroganoff sauce and do the noodles later, you can have a weeknight power move. I know some people have issues with creamy sauces, but usually, a soft reheat and a stir solves the issue. Use mushrooms if your people like them, and skip them if they don’t and use more onion instead. It has that ‘looks like you put in a ton of effort’ vibe, which is my favorite kind of dinner.
18) BBQ Chicken
Shredded BBQ chicken is versatile, and versatile is what your family needs. Make it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Even freeze it in portions and use it for shredded BBQ chicken sliders one night, and the next use it for shredded BBQ chicken baked potatoes! Nobody will get bored. You can keep the sauce on the mild side and let the heat seekers add hot sauce!
19) Lentil Vegetable Stew
Lentils freeze well. You can get that “I’m full” feeling without spending too much money. This is a good option for a meatless meal, or if you are stretching your groceries. Add spinach at the end of reheating so it stays bright. Pair with bread and you have a simple meal after a long day.
20) Sloppy Joe Filling
Here’s a working ”Dinner in 10 minutes” plan: Prepare the beef, onion, and sauce mixture and then make the filling freeze flat for easy defrosting. Quickly toast the buns so they are fresh and not soggy, and add pickles if you want that. kids love the messiness and so will you.
21) Chicken Fried Rice
White or brown rice freezes exceptionally well, but only if you cool it quickly and pack it properly! Portion out your rice into appropriate size bags, and do the same with your diced cooked chicken and veggies. When it’s time to eat, all you need to do is a quick sauté and you’re done! You can keep the soy sauce separate for better control over the saltiness at the end.
22) Sausage and Peppers
Sausage and peppers smells amazing and creates tons of flavor without tons of ingredients. Cook everything before freezing it in meal-sized portions. Then you can serve it on hoagie rolls, over pasta, or with roasted potatoes. You can mix and match however you want! It also makes the kitchen smell like you have your life together.
23) Teriyaki Chicken
Chicken in teriyaki sauce is a recipe you can pull together without a lot of thought. The chicken can be cooked separately and frozen with the sauce to allow the chicken to reheat tender and soak in flavor. To go along with the chicken, steam some frozen broccoli or edamame for a balanced meal. If you are watching your sugar, you can reduce the sweetness of the sauce slightly, but just don’t make it sad.
24) Salsa Verde Chicken
A few ingredients can really go a long way; chicken, salsa verde, and salt. Cook the chicken, shred it, and freeze it. You now have a base to multiple meals. It’s mild enough for most families and you can bring on the heat with jalapenos or hot sauce. You will feel accomplished with this prep even at 7 PM.
25) Beef and Cheese Burritos
You’ll want to make these burritos for nights where no one can agree on what to eat. Just be sure to keep the burrito filling nice and dry. A good combo would be some beef, black beans, cheese, and maybe a little rice. Once they are wrapped up, make sure to tightly wrap them in some foil and toss them in the freezer. When you are ready to eat them, just pop em in the oven or air fryer until the outside is nice and crisp. Every one can personalize their food as well by putting out some salsa and sour cream.
26) Vegetable Pasta Sauce
Freezing sauces makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something with meal prepping! Simply simmer some onions and other veggies like zucchini and bell peppers into some marinara sauce and blend it if you’re worried about veggie haters. Use ice cube trays to freeze individual portions so you can just boil water when you want to eat it. This also saves money because you’re using up produce before it goes bad.
27) Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is ultimate comfort food, but unfortunately dumplings tend not to do so well in the freezer. Instead, freeze your creamy stew base, and then when it comes time to reheat the stew, add fresh biscuit dough or dumplings. It’s still easy, and you’ll preserve the texture. Consider it a little form check that makes the whole dish better!
28) Baked Ziti
If you are going to make pasta and sauce, you might as well make two dinners. When making it, prepare two ziti trays, one for tonight and one for the freezer. Make sure to slightly undercook the pasta so that it doesn’t get mushy after baking and reheating. This is as low-effort and high-reward as it gets!
29) Mini Meatloaves
Mini meatloaves are excellent if your family eats in shifts or you want easy portioning. Bake them in a muffin tin, cool, and freeze each one for quick reheats. They’re even great with mashed potatoes but maybe even surprisingly good crumbled into leftover pasta sauce. It’s classic comfort food without the commitment of a huge loaf.
30) Sausage Bean Soup
Being so hearty, it is unlikely anyone will come looking for snacks even an hour later. Thanks to the beans and sausage, this soup will keep you full for a long time! Kale stands up to freezing better than other, more delicate greens, so you’ll still enjoy it in the future. Since this soup keeps so well, we suggest making a big batch and then freezing the soup in individual servings as well as in larger family-sized servings. The soup is a reliable addition to an already great day!
Meal Prep Gear I Use
What I reach for when cooking from this post.
- BYSNOW 16 oz Deli Containers with Lids. Leak-proof lids, freezer to microwave, and enough of them that you stop rationing containers.
- WOODLANDS USA Teak Wooden Ladle with Spoon Rest. Deep teak bowl for soups and stews, a hook handle, and a spoon rest so the counter stays clean.
- BYSNOW 16 oz Deli Containers with Lids. Leak-proof lids, freezer to microwave, and enough of them that you stop rationing containers.
