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Home Recipe Round-Ups

25+ Summertime Freezer Meals

Polly Conner
By: Polly ConnerPosted: 4/22/21Updated: 3/18/25

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Freezer cooking–aka prepping meals ahead and freezing to have on hand for later–is one of the best summer cooking strategies. It allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in the sun having fun!

We’ve listed some of our very favorite summertime freezer meals below, but you may also like our make ahead meals for vacation or these summer meal prep ideas too.

Summertime freezer meals this …


 
BBQ shredded beef sandwich on a plate with corn on the cob and grapes.

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches

These bad boys cook in the slow cooker which is great in the summer because you’re keeping your kitchen cool! The magic to this easy freezer meal is in the homemade BBQ sauce. It’s a great recipe for a crowd too!

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Sandwiches go well with:

  • Corn on the Cob
  • Oven Baked Steak Fries
  • Fiesta Chopped Salad

Or try our BBQ Pulled Pork with 5-Ingredient Coleslaw.

SLOW COOKER BBQ BEEF SANDWICHES
Chicken burrito bowl with toppings

Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls

Use our Southwest Chicken Marinade to grill some of the best chicken tenders ever. Use it in a bowl with all your favorite fixings, like rice, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, etc. Healthy, customizable for all ages, and one of our favorites!

Serve with:

  • Grilled Corn on the Cob
  • Avocado Lime Salsa

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN BURRITO BOWLS
Grilled cheesy chive burger on a bun with oven fries on the side.

Cheesy Chive Burgers

I personally love having burgers as a freezer meal in the summer. They thaw out fast and they’re a meal everyone is happy with. Burger recipes are super easy to scale up and freeze for later too. Here are 10 other ground beef recipes you might like!

These burgers go great with:

  • Oven Fries
  • Grilled Asparagus
  • Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad

CHEESY CHIVE BURGERS
Chicken, broccoli, rice, and cheese foil packet opened on a plate ready to eat.

Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Foil Packets

Chicken, broccoli, cheddar cheese, and bacon are served over brown rice in these ooey, gooey chicken foil packets. Grill, bake, or cook over the campfire! You can even make them ahead and freeze for later with our instructions.

Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Foil Packets
Breakfast burritos in a marbled serving dish with the ends cut off so you can see the eggs, bacon, and more inside.

Breakfast Burritos

Your family will love this easy, make-ahead Breakfast Burrito Recipe that goes straight from the freezer to the microwave or oven for a fast and satisfying breakfast. My family also loves breakfast burritos for dinner!

Breakfast Burritos
Turkey Pesto Panini

Turkey Pesto Paninis

The ingredients in our Turkey Pesto Panini recipe are simple, but the flavor is BIG. You’ll love how quickly this turkey pesto sandwich comes together and how easily you can turn them into a freezer meal too!

Turkey Pesto Paninis
Grilled Mediterranean shrimp skewers sitting on a bed of rice.

Mediterranean Shrimp

Looking for a lighter freezer meal? This Mediterranean Shrimp recipe is a winner. It’s light, fresh, and super tasty. One tip to freezing shrimp is to NOT freeze it in the marinade. The citrus messes with the texture and makes it mushy when thawing. The simple solution to making this a freezer meal is to just freeze the marinade in a separate bag!

You also might like: Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and Pineapple Kabobs

MEDITERRANEAN SHRIMP
Gourmet grilled chicken sandwich on a bun with bacon, tomato, lettuce and cheese.

The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Sandwich

These are a go-to in our house. This chicken marinade is to DIE for. Make lots. Freeze lots. Eat lots! Again, an easy freezer meal that you can make multiple of batches of to save time, money, and stress.

ULTIMATE GRILLED SANDWICH
overhead shot of asian meatballs on a plate with stir fry veggies as a side and chop sticks laying on the plate

Asian Turkey Meatballs

Whether you want a tasty appetizer for a party or a healthy, satisfying dinner for the fam, this creative spin on meatballs does the trick. Don’t skip out on the Sweet Soy Sauce for dipping, or drizzle it over stir-fried veggies.

Meatballs are great to make in bulk and freeze cooked or uncooked for later use.

Asian Turkey Meatballs
A hand holding southwest chicken wraps with sauce dripping out.

Southwest Chicken and Bacon Wraps

If you aren’t feeling the chicken sandwiches above, consider these freezer-friendly Southwest Chicken Wraps. When making them a freezer meal, simply freeze the chicken in the marinade. In separate bags, freeze the cheese, bacon, and sauce. That way you have a whole kit to pull out in the future!

Serve these wraps with:

  • Guacamole with tortilla chips
  • Strawberry Avocado Salad with Balsamic Honey Vinaigrette
  • Healthier Strawberry Shortcake

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND BACON WRAPS
Crispy carnitas tacos in a metal dish with white bowls of toppings on the side.

Slow Cooker Crispy Carnitas

This is the type of recipe our readers go crazy over. Slow Cooker Carnitas are a dump-and-go crock pot meal that is easy, freezes well before or after cooking, and feeds an army.

SLOW COOKER CRISPY CARNITAS
cropped-th-powerball-cookies-7-1.jpg

Powerball Cookies

Having a healthy summertime snack is always fun. These freezer friendly Powerball Cookies live in the freezer after you make them and serve as a perfect afternoon snack.

Powerball Cookies
Steak and chicken fajitas lined up on a tray with salsa, lime, and guacamole on the side.

Chicken and Steak Fajitas

These chicken and steak fajitas make a great go-to weeknight dinner that tastes like restaurant quality. They’re quick to assemble, easily customized to your taste preferences, and a meal that all ages enjoy.

Chicken and Steak Fajitas
English muffin pizzas being served on a white plate.

English Muffin Pizzas

Here’s a fun twist on pizza: Freezer Friendly English Muffin Pizzas! Kids have fun assembling these and they make a perfect last minute meal to pop out of the freezer when you’re in need of a quick meal.

Have picky eaters? Here are 30+ more kid-friendly recipe ideas!

ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZAS
vegetarian lunch wraps on a wooden cutting board with small bowls of corn, salsa, and rice

Make Ahead Lunch Wraps

Can you freeze wraps? You bet!! Freezer-friendly lunch wraps are nutritious, hearty, and completely adaptable to whatever your family might like in them!

Make Ahead Lunch Wraps
Make ahead breakfast sandwiches stacked on a cutting board.

Make Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

Kids and adults alike love these simple freezer-friendly Breakfast Sandwiches filled with just a few ingredients. Make them in mass and freeze to have on hand for busy mornings as a grab-and-go option. What a nutritious, protein-rich, and delicious breakfast to start your day!

Make Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches
Ground beef Philly cheesesteaks cut in half and stacked up on a plate with bowls of pickle spears and chips in the background.

Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteaks

Made with a savory ground beef filling and melted cheese that is nestled between two slices of perfectly toasted sourdough bread, these sandwiches are a delightful twist on the classic Philly cheesesteak.

Ground Beef Philly Cheesesteaks
7 chicken marinades

7 Best Chicken Marinades

These 7 well-tested, easy chicken marinades will transform boneless chicken breasts into several tasty, healthy meals. We’ll show you 4 different methods for cooking your marinated chicken, plus how to make them into freezer meals for later.

  • Balsamic Chicken Marinade
  • The BEST Savory Chicken Marinade
  • Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
  • Asian Chicken Marinade
  • Honey Dijon Chicken Marinade
  • Southwest Chicken Marinade
  • Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade

 

7 BEST CHICKEN MARINADES
Bowls of egg fried rice next to pan it was made in

Fried Rice with Sweet Soy Sauce

Here is a vegetarian freezer meal option that you’ll love. Use up those summertime veggies and make a huge batch of this Fried Rice with Sweet Soy Sauce. It freezes beautifully!

FRIED RICE WITH SWEET SOY SAUCE
A bowl of Mexican Shredded Chicken with toppings and a fork.

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

This creamy, comforting Crockpot Mexican Chicken makes for a delicious, healthy, and EASY meal. Serve over brown rice with your favorite Mexican toppings. Freezer meal instructions included, so you can double the batch and have another later.

Crockpot Mexican Chicken
Pork tenderloin being sliced and on a cutting board.

Pork Tenderloin with Seasoned Rub

This freezer friendly pork tenderloin recipe is a no-fail freezer meal. Make sure to use the 7-6-5 method when cooking it on the grill!

Pork Tenderloin goes well with:

  • Asian Slaw
  • Boiled Baby Potatoes

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SEASONED RUB
A hand holding one half of a Chicken Burrito about to dip it into a small bowl of Cilantro Lime Aioli on the plate.

On-the-Go Chicken Burritos

This simple, individual chicken burrito recipe makes for a filling, healthy, and satisfying lunch or dinner anywhere and anytime. Be sure to double the batch and freeze some for later using our instructions.

On-the-Go Chicken Burritos

More Great Freezer Meals to Try

  • Easy Freezer Meals for Two – If you’re just cooking for one or two people, try these favorites.
  • Kid-Friendly Freezer Meals – These are our hand-picked freezer meals that kids can’t resist.
  • Freezer Meals to Take on Vacation – Save so much money and time by prepping some of these meals ahead of time.
  • Vegetarian Freezer Meals – From soups to pastas and more, you’ll love these meatless meals.

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Polly Conner

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.

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