Easy Freezer Meals for Two

A common question we get about freezer cooking is, “What are some easy freezer meals for just one or two people?” We’ve compiled a fabulous collection of make-ahead recipe ideas that work to individually prep ahead, package, and freeze for one or two people.

 

Freezer cooking is incredibly versatile and useful for all stages of life. Hopefully this article can give you some ideas on how to make meals for not only yourself but also anyone else who could benefit from meals prepped and ready to go in their freezer.

How to Package Freezer Meals in Smaller Portions

First, let’s begin with some tips we’ve learned over the years for making sure your freezer meals end up tasting like fresh meals.

• If you’re making individual items like hamburgers, chicken tenders, or fish sticks, we suggest freezing them in single layers in a freezer bag or container and then divide those layers with parchment paper so they don’t stick to each other. Some recipes like sandwiches and burritos work well to wrap individually in foil. This will make it easier for you to pull out the amount you need.

• Another trick is to flash freeze foods that you will remove individually (i.e. chicken tenders, burgers, fish sticks, etc). That just means you place them on a sheet pan and put them in the freezer until they are solid (about 2-3 hours). Then dump them in a freezer bag. They won’t stick together and will be easy to pull out for single use.

• As for casseroles, divide our recipes up and put into loaf pans (9 inch pans) to make about 2-3 servings. Note that the baking time will be less, since it’s a smaller amount, so keep a close eye on it. I hope that helps some.

• I find that mason jars work really well for individual portions of soup, but remember to leave at least 1 inch of head room at the top because the food will expand when it freezes.

Freezer Meals for Two

Below are well-tested recipes that will successfully work for smaller portioned freezer meals. Some require you to thaw and then cook. Others require you to thaw and just warm them up (because they’ve already been cooked). And, still others can be cooked directly from frozen. I made notes below for you.

Breakfast

1. Breakfast Burritos – Wrap individually. Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
2. Smoothie Freezer Packs – 7 flavors + FREE printable of the recipes and shopping list
3. Mini Bacon, Spinach, and Egg Quiches – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
4. Make Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches – Wrap individually. Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
5. Easy Breakfast Casserole Muffins – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
6. Zucchini Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
7. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
8. Blueberry Baked Oatmeal – Bake and cool. Slice and wrap single portions in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag. Warm in microwave with some milk.
9. Chocolate Waffles with Banana – Freeze cooked, cooled waffles in a freezer bag. Thaw and reheat waffles as needed. Toaster oven works great!
10. Any pancake recipe – Fully cook, cool, and freeze in layers in a freezer bag. Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat. Start with our Oatmeal Pancakes!

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Chicken

1. Herbalicious Chicken Bites – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
2. Chicken Taquitos – Bake in the oven from frozen.
3. On-the-Go Chicken Burritos – Take out however many you want, thaw, and bake or warm in the microwave.
4. Oven Fried Parmesan Chicken Tenders – Take out however many you want and cook from frozen in the oven.
5. Mini Chicken Burgers with Herbs – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook on the stovetop.
6. Chicken Broccoli & Rice Foil Packs
7. Chicken and Cheese Chimichangas -Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.

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Beef

1. Cheddar Chive Burgers – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
2. Mini Meatloaf Muffins – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
3. Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Sandwiches – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up. These can also be made in the Instant Pot. 
4. Meatballs with Sneaky Veggies – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
5. Crowd Pleaser Mexican Soup – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
6. Super Sloppy Joes – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Thaw and warm when ready to eat!
7. Taco Bar – Just freeze cooked taco meat. 
8. Balsamic Shredded Beef – Cook fully and freeze in the sauce in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
9. French Dip Sandwiches – Cook fully and freeze in the sauce in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up. Keep ciabatta rolls and Provolone cheese slices on hand in the freezer.

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Pork and Turkey

1. Turkey Burger Sliders – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
2. Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato and Black Beans – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
3. Carnitas – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
4. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork or Instant Pot Pulled Pork – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
5. Mini Turkey and Veggie Meatloafs – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
6. Ultimate Cheddar and Twice Baked Potatoes or Super Stuffed Potatoes – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
7. Turkey Pesto Paninis – Wrap individually before cooking. Thaw and cook as directed.
8. 4-Ingredient Pan-Seared Pork Chops – Easy to pull out however many you want, thaw, and pan-sear on the stove top.
9. Asian Turkey Meatballs – Fully cook, cool, and freeze the meatballs in individual portions with a little sauce. Thaw and warm in the microwave.

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Seafood

1. Pan-Fried Catfish – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
2. Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
3. Parmesan and Cracker Crusted Tilapia – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
4. Mini Salmon Patties with Lemony Avocado Sauce – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.

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Pizza, Pasta, and More

1. Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups – Freeze about 4 rolls (2 servings) in a loaf-sized pan and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil; note that the cook time will decrease some, so keep an eye on them.
2. Whole Grain Pizza Bread – Assemble and freeze. Cook directly from frozen.
3. English Muffin Pizzas – Assemble and freeze. Cook directly from frozen.
4. Beefy Baked Ravioli – Freeze in loaf pan sizes. Thaw and bake (cook time will decrease, so keep an eye on it.)

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Soups and Chilis

All of our 25+ soups and chilis, except the ones with tortellini or noodles, would work well. Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.

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From Freezer to Table: Freezer Meals for Two

If you have our first cookbook, From Freezer to Table, below are recipes from the book that work for 1-2 people.