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Home Recipe Index Freezer Meals

The 70+ Best Freezer Meals on the Planet

Updated: 5/30/22

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

After writing two freezer meal cookbooks and testing hundreds and hundreds of recipes over 10+ years, we’ve narrowed down the best of the best healthy freezer meals for your family. Our freezer meal recipes and methods are well tested and delicious.

Check out our growing list of amazing make-ahead freezer meals below.

Benefits of Freezer Cooking

As tongue and cheek, “freezer cooking evangelists”, we are constantly sharing about the amazing benefits of freezer cooking with anyone who will listen.

We’ve even been able to share about freezer meals on the Hallmark Channel and in People Magazine!

get started

Here are some of the benefits we regularly point out:

  1. Freezer cooking saves money by buying in bulk and avoiding eating out. If you can incorporate 1-2 freezer meals a week, you can save over $2,000 in a year!
  2. Cooking in bulk cuts down on time in the kitchen by prepping meals with the same ingredients at one time. Browning ground beef? Chopping veggies? Making soup? Why not double or triple it and then utilize the freezer? You save time on prep and clean up. We even created 1 Hour Freezer Prep Sessions to help you do this!
  3. Freezer cooking helps you eat wholesome, delicious meals at home regularly. You know what goes in your food. You can make modifications too.
  4. Having a stash of freezer meals reduces dinnertime stress while bringing your family together around the table. This is what freezer cooking is really all about! 

Get Our Freezer Meal Quick Start Guide!

5 days of recipes & tips from freezer meal experts.

What is considered a healthy freezer meal?

We aren’t about diets, eating low-fat foods, or cutting out food groups.

We are about cooking tasty, homemade food and eating all things in moderation. We’re also about cooking with as many unprocessed, organic and/or local ingredients as possible, including a variety of:

  1. vegetables and fruit
  2. whole grains
  3. local, organic, and/or grass-fed meats (that’s why we’re big fans of Butcher Box*)
  4. healthy fats (i.e. olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and organic dairy)

By simply making homemade meals for your family, you are cutting out loads of sodium, sugar, simple carbs, and harmful trans-fats that come from fast food and store-bought convenience foods. You control what goes into your food.

What’s the best way to store frozen meals?

There are several different ways to safely and effectively store meals in your freezer. Some work better than others depending on the type of food you are freezing or even the space you have in your freezer.

The best way to store and save a freezer meal is in any method that will prevent air from getting to the food. It really depends on the recipe!

Freezer Meal Containers We Use and Recommend

1) Freezer-safe glass baking dish with air-tight lid

Having a glass baking dish or rigid container with an air-tight lid is a safe, reusable, and practical option. It not only allows for easy stacking of frozen meals, but a glass baking dish can also go into the oven when ready to bake or reheat.

2) Freezer Storage Bags

You have two options for resealable freezer bags: Disposable or reusable bags.

3) Wide-Mouth Mason (canning) Jars

Most canning jars are freezer-safe and useful when freezing soups, sauces, broths, and more. We like that they are made of safe material and that you can store smaller or individual servings of your freezer food.

4) Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil

Foil does a great job of blocking moisture and air in the freezer. It’s helpful because it can be molded into almost any shape and used to wrap and store baked goods, meat, burritos, sandwiches, etc. Or, use it to wrap a baking dish that doesn’t have a lid.

5) Vacuum Sealer

Many of our readers have said they use a vacuum sealer for their freezer meals and have had great results. The benefit of preserving food this way is that, if done correctly, your meal is completely air-tight. And…as we all know by now…air is the enemy of delicious freezer meals! Vacuum sealer fans and companies swear that this method extends the life of freezer food from months to years. We haven’t tested that yet. 😉

If you want more detail on how to properly freeze food, we have written a whole post about the 5 Best Ways to Package and Store Freezer Meals.

What’s the best way to thaw a frozen meal?

We’ve learned all the tricks when it comes to safely thawing your freezer meals. Here are the 3 primary ways:

Thaw Freezer Meals in the Refrigerator

The best and safest way to thaw a freezer meal is to put it in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Thawing time will depend on the size of the meal but plan on roughly 5 hours per pound.

Thaw Frozen Food in Cold Water

Another safe thawing option is to place the food in a leak-proof plastic bag and immerse it in cold water, changing the water out every 30 minutes. This still takes a bit of time–anywhere from 3-5 hours depending on how big your meal is, but it’s quicker than the refrigerator option.

Thaw Frozen Food in the Microwave

A third option is to microwave-defrost food in a microwave-safe dish. Defrost your food using your microwave’s instructions. The reason this is the third option (our least favorite) is because this method (especially chicken) can tend to dry out food a bit.

Regardless, sometimes you just need to quickly thaw something, so the microwave it is!


Breakfast Freezer Meals

Is a healthy breakfast possible on those chaotic weekday mornings? We’ve got you covered with these wholesome, freezable breakfast ideas to make ahead and have on hand.

Blueberry Banana Bread

egg bites in a silicone muffin pan

Cheddar Chive Egg Bites

Chocolate Baked Oatmeal {aka Brownie Baked Oatmeal}

a slice of breakfast casserole with hash browns being served with a spatula

Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns {Only 5 Ingredients}

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Easy Breakfast Casserole Muffins

Pumpkin Spice Muffins With Crumble Topping

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

smoothie packs

7 Frozen Smoothie Packs (+ Printable with Shopping List)

Blueberry French Toast Casserole {with Vanilla Glaze} in a glass casserole dish

Blueberry French Toast Casserole with Vanilla Glaze

ham and cheese egg cups on a white serving platter with sliced green onions on top

Baked Ham and Egg Cups

Blueberry Avocado Muffins

Chocolate Banana Muffins

make ahead breakfast sandwiches on a cutting board

Make Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches

6 mason jars with various overnight oats in them

7 Overnight Oats Recipes

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

See All freezer meals breakfast ideas
Smoothie

7 Must Have Smoothie Recipes

Get our best smoothie recipes, freezer pack instructions, & pro tips sent straight to your inbox.


Chicken Freezer Meals

We love easy, freezable chicken recipes and we know you do too! We have a huge variety of easy chicken freezer meals for you to browse though. Enjoy!

th chicken spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti

Honey Garlic Chicken Kabobs

overhead final shot of Crock Pot chicken and dumplings

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

horizontal side shot of plated crockpot mexican chicken in a bowl with a fork with toppings

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

gluten-free Honey Bourbon Chicken and Stir Fry Vegetables on a large white platter

Slow Cooker Honey Bourbon Chicken

chicken parmesan sliders on a cutting board

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

vertical shot of steak and chicken fajitas lined up on a tray with salsa, lime, and guacamole on the side

Chicken and Steak Fajitas

Italian baked chicken thighs on a white plate with a red and white towel on the side.

Italian Baked Chicken Thighs

Chicken Burrito Bowl

Honey Dijon Chicken Sandwiches

On-the-Go Chicken Burritos

On-the-Go Chicken Burritos

cooked chicken drumsticks on a plate with broccoli and mashed potatoes

Crockpot Drumsticks

two white bowls of lemon chicken orzo soup with spoons in them and crusty bread on the side

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup (For Crockpot or Instant Pot!)

southwest chicken wraps

Southwest Chicken and Bacon Wraps

Chicken and Cheese Taquitos piled on a serving platter with avocado lime salsa on top and salsa on the side.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Cheese Taquitos

baked chicken parmesan

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

Top Chicken Marinades

All of our marinades work great for freezing.

chicken breasts in marinade in a gallon sized freezer bag

Asian Sesame Chicken Marinade

southwest chicken marinade in a freezer bag with chicken breasts

Southwest Chicken Marinade

chicken breasts in freezer bag with lemon garlic marinade

Lemon Garlic Chicken Marinade

cilantro lime marinade and chicken breasts in a sealed freezer bag

Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade

See all Marinades
See all chicken freezer meals

Beef Freezer Meals

These beef freezer meals are total crowd pleasers. Not only are they tasty but they are filling too!

Totally Tasty Taco Bar

vertical shot of steak and chicken fajitas lined up on a tray with salsa, lime, and guacamole on the side

Chicken and Steak Fajitas

Beef Taquitos

shredded beef

Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef

Shredded Beef Tacos

Stovetop Chili

Super Sloppy Joes

Mini Italian Burgers

Baked Nachos

Hearty Baked Penne Pasta

Smash Burgers (with a Secret Sauce)

Crockpot French Dip

Baked Italian Meatballs

th beefy baked ravioli

Beefy Baked Ravioli: An Easy Fake-Out Lasagna

Crowd Pleaser Mexican Soup

meatloaf muffins

Meatloaf Muffins

Tip: This is the place where we both source our grass-fed beef (and it’s delivered to our doorsteps).

See all beef freeer meals

Crock Pot Freezer Meals

Once you start making freezer meals for the slow cooker, you won’t go back. It’s magic to have a meal prepped ahead of of time for the Crockpot! Get started with these recipes.

Slow Cooker Cooking Times Chart

Snag our 1 page cheat sheet and never overcook (or undercook) and Crock Pot meal again!

Download Now

horizontal side shot of plated crockpot mexican chicken in a bowl with a fork with toppings

Crockpot Mexican Chicken

chicken parmesan sliders on a cutting board

Chicken Parmesan Sliders

overhead final shot of Crock Pot chicken and dumplings

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Teriyaki chicken thighs on a grey plate garnished with sliced green onion.

Teriyaki Chicken Thighs

Greek Pitas with Pulled Pork

Chicken Taco Soup

shredded beef

Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

pizza soup

Pizza Soup

Beef Taquitos

Cuban Pulled Pork Sandwiches

THE Cuban Panini

pork carnitas

Slow Cooker Crispy Carnitas

slow cooked ribs on a cutting board with extra sauce on the side

Crock Pot Ribs

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili (with Sweet Potato and Black Beans)

Crockpot French Dip

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Want the Best of the Best?

Top 5 Slow Cooker Recipes

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Instant Pot Freezer Meals

Push a button and dinner is done. When you prep freezer meals for the Instant Pot, it can be that easy! We’ve fine tuned the art of Instant Pot freezer meals and sharing everything we know in the recipes below!

Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart

Our free cheat sheet with the best timing and methods for cooking different types of meals in the Instant Pot.

Download Now

overhead shot of finished Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Instant Pot Pork Loin with Maple Glaze

pizza soup

Pizza Soup

Chicken and Cheese Taquitos piled on a serving platter with avocado lime salsa on top. Other toppings are nearby, like avocado, tomatoes, and salsa.

Instant Pot Chicken and Cheese Taquitos

Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup

a hand with a fork twirling a bite of spaghetti on a plate

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork

Crispy carnitas tacos in a metal dish with white bowls of toppings on the side.

Instant Pot Crispy Carnitas (From Fresh or From Frozen!)

Instant Pot Chili

Instant Pot Baby Back Ribs

The Best Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

BBQ shredded beef sandwich on a plate with corn and grapes

Instant Pot BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Instant Pot tomato soup in a white bowl

Instant Pot Tomato Soup

hand holding a chicken parmesan slider that has a bite out of it

Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Sliders

Instant Pot Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal

sloppy joes

Instant Pot Sloppy Joes

See all instant pot freezer meals

Vegetarian Freezer Meals

Finding tasty vegetarian freezer meals can be a challenge. Fear not, below you’ll find some of the best of the best!

baked cheese tortellini in glass dish

4-Ingredient Baked Tortellini

pizza soup

Pizza Soup

freezer-friendly lunch wraps on a wooden cutting board

Make Ahead Lunch Wraps

Overhead portrait photo of tomato bisque soup

Tomato Bisque

Pumpkin Chili

4 Cheese Penne Pasta with whole wheat pasta is a healthier baked pasta that comes together quickly.

4 Cheese Baked Penne Pasta

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Fried Rice with Sweet Soy Sauce

see all vegetarian freezer meals

Want More Freezer Meals?

We have SO many more freezer meal recipes that we know you will love. Hop over to our Freezer Meal Category page for many more delicious and easy freezer meals like the ones above!

Freezer Meals in Baggy Holders
see all the freezer meal recipes

Looking for a Freezer Meal Prep Session?

Do you like the idea of stocking your freezer with 6 meal in 1 hour? What if all of the brainwork was done for you? We’re talking shopping lists, step-by-step instructions, labels, and even a video tutorial.

Our 1 Hour Freezer Prep Sessions have been a massive success with our readers and we know they can help you too. Hop over to learn more!

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Learn More About 1 Hour Freezer Prep
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Rachel Tiemeyer

Rachel Tiemeyer

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!

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  1. Avatarlori says

    Posted on 5/15/22 at 10:56 pm

    Why does it have to be so complicated??

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 5/16/22 at 2:10 pm

      I’m sorry it feels overwhelming to you, Lori. Maybe you could try one of our “Double Your Dinner” recipes to begin with: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/doubleyourdinner/

      Or, you can just choose any of these freezer meal recipes to make ahead and freeze (or double so you can eat one fresh and freeze one for later). Here are all of our freezer-friendly recipes with instructions: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/category/recipe/freezer-meals/

      Please reach out if you have questions. We love to help people get started with freezer cooking!

      Reply
  2. AvatarSandra Coffey says

    Posted on 4/7/21 at 3:26 pm

    The 4 layer turkey stuffing casserole was just like Thanksgiving Meal. Perfect for my son and daughter in law who just had a baby. I also fixed for them the Baked Tortellini with Sneaky Spinach. Thanks so much

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 4/7/21 at 3:38 pm

      Wonderful to hear that, Sandra! And congrats on your new grandbaby! Thanks for taking the time to let us know. 🙂

      Reply
  3. AvatarEdward Kieni Kimani says

    Posted on 4/26/20 at 6:14 pm

    How can I get the Thrive frozen foods in Kenya?

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 4/27/20 at 11:53 am

      I’m sorry, but I’ not sure.

      Reply
  4. AvatarMattie says

    Posted on 11/3/19 at 9:04 pm

    I’ve been following y’all for around 7 years? More than any other site—you’re recipes are my favorite. They always turn out great and I regularly have at least two of your meals in my weekly rotation. Just made the pumpkin chili tonight and it was amazing! I would have NEVER made this but so glad I trusted you guys and tried it!!

    Reply
    • RachelRachel says

      Posted on 11/4/19 at 12:19 pm

      Mattie, this is such an encouraging comment. Thank you for taking the time to leave it. This is exactly why we do what we do! Bless you!

      Reply
  5. AvatarErin says

    Posted on 5/16/19 at 8:59 am

    Your site was recommended from a friend and MAN am I glad she did! I just ordered your cookbook!

    I do have a question, do you have any freezer meals that you recommend for freezer to grill?

    Thanks so much!

    Reply
    • RachelRachel says

      Posted on 5/16/19 at 11:20 am

      Hey Erin. Nice to have you here! Yes, we have a whole post about freezer meals for the grill at the link below. I’d also suggest several from the cookbook including our Cheddar Chive Burgers, Chicken and Broccoli Foil Packs, Cilantro Lime Chicken, Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce, and the Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken Sandwiches. I hope that gives you a good start. Let me know if I can help in any other ways. Happy Freezer Cooking! https://thrivinghomeblog.com/30-real-food-grilling-ideas/

      Reply

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New to freezer cooking?

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5 days of recipes & tips from freezer meal experts.

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