30+ Kid Friendly Freezer Meals
Look no further for kid friendly freezer meals that you can stock up on. These 30+ recipes are well-tested on our own families and many of our readers’ families, as well. A must have resource for the future!
A few days ago, my three year old threw a 15 minute tantrum at the kitchen table. The reason for the unrest? A broken banana. I wish I were joking. As I was peeling it for him, it broke in half. My attempts to explain that it would taste just the same fell on deaf ears.
If you’ve had young children, you are well aware that they can love something one day and consider it a crime that you would even consider putting that food on their plate again. Their fickleness about food can be maddening–especially if you’ve worked hard to make a homemade meal.
Because we are well acquainted with the struggle of finding meals that kids will like, we’ve tested and rounded up over 30 kid-friendly freezer meals. We’ve included instructions to make ahead and freeze every single recipe. This means if you are a wise mama, which I’m sure you are, you should probably double the recipe and freeze one for later.
30+ Kid-Friendly Freezer Meals
BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Breakfast may well be the most important meal your child eats all day, so why not prep some healthy freezer meal breakfast options to have on hand?
Freezer Breakfast Burritos
Can be frozen and thawed individually for a grab-and-go meal.
Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
What kid doesn’t love a muffin? This one’s tasty and healthy.
Freezer Smoothie Packs
Having a stash of smoothie packs is such a fun, unique idea for kids! Use our printable labels to help keep them organized too.
Blueberry Power Muffins
Packed with nutritious ingredients and great for busy mornings.
Breakfast Casserole Muffins
Have these on hand for hearty, grab-and-go breakfasts.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal
Rachel bakes one of these most weeks and her kids mow through it. Serve warm with a little milk on top.
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes
Did you know you make a large batch of pancakes ahead and freeze them? These are a reader and kid fave!
Chocolate Zucchini Waffles
A chocolately way to pack in some extra veggies. Make extras and freeze for later.
SLOW COOKER RECIPES:
Slow cooker meals that picky kids will eat? We’ve found them! P.S. Did you know we published a whole cookbook with family-friendly freezer meals that work in the slow cooker?!
Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef
One friend’s child confessed, “This is better than candy!” True story. Serve over mashed potatoes or polenta or on it’s own.
Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sliders
A simple mid-week recipe that can easily be prepped ahead of time and ready to throw into the slow cooker (or try this Instant Pot version).
French Dip Grilled Cheese
This is one of the most popular recipes from our newest cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker. We’re excited that our publisher gave us permission to share this one with you! Your family is going to love this drop-and-go meal.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Cheese Taquitos
These go directly from freezer to oven to table in minutes! A family favorite among our readers.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Can’t go wrong with pulled pork! Kids and parents alike love this freezer meal.
Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Beef Sandwiches
If your kids prefer shredded beef over shredded pork, then give this freezer meal recipe a try.
CASSEROLE RECIPES:
Most casserole recipes can be prepped and frozen. They are a great way to stock the freezer for busy nights!
Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Hands down our most popular recipe on Thriving Home. Serve “as is” or over your child’s favorite pasta.
This fake-out lasagna is hearty and delicious!
Baked Penne Pasta
This baked pasta makes a TON! Tip: Split it between two 8×8 inch casserole dishes and freeze one for later!
Mac and Cheese with Sneaky Sweet Potato – Vegetarian freezer meal
Rachel’s made this baked mac and cheese for years for her little ones as a way to add in some extra veggies. The sweet potato is pureed (read: hidden) and gives it that orangey color they like. 😉
Spinach Lasagna Roll-Ups – Vegetarian freezer meal
Kids love the individual rolled up lasagna noodles. Don’t worry, the sneaky spinach is tucked away inside the cheesy goodness.
MORE KID FRIENDLY FREEZER MEALS
We’re not even close to done! Here are some more make ahead meal ideas that kids will love!
Baked Italian Meatballs
Serve with a side of sauce for dipping, or over spaghetti, or on mini buns with provolone cheese. Delicious!
Gourmet Chicken Sandwiches
Marinate and grill up these flavorful chicken breasts for some delicious sandwiches that everyone will love.
Ham & Cheese Sliders
These are my go-to meal for groups. Kids LOVE them.
Mini Meatloaf Muffins
We have parents tell us all the time that they make these for their kids. Great way to sneak in extra veggies, too.
Pork Tenderloin with a Seasoned Rub
We’ve both been making this easy, weeknight recipe for our families for years. A winner dinner! Serve with ketchup or BBQ sauce, if the kids like that.
Mini Italian Burgers
Take your sliders to the next level by adding in some shredded Parm, fresh herbs, and tomato paste. Yum!
Mini Chicken Burgers with Herbs
No one ever complains when we serve these! Eat by themselves or on a mini bun.
SOUPS AND STEWS:
Tomato Bisque
One of our most popular recipes! Rachel serves this soup with grilled cheese that’s cut into sticks. She calls it “Grilled Cheese Dippers” and the kids use the soup as a dipping sauce.
Slow Cooker Cheddar & Bacon Potato Soup
Potatoes, bacon, cheese…what’s not to love here, kids?
Easy No-Peek Stew
If your kids will go for beef stew, this is the one to make. It’s the EASIEST!
Mexican Soup
Top with some sour cream and cheese and serve with tortilla chips.
The Best Kid-Friendly Freezer Meal Resources
Although we love the recipes above, we actually spent years painstakingly developing, testing, and retesting freezer-friendly recipes for our cookbooks! You can find them at all major booksellers. Check out the reviews to see what readers are saying!
5 Best Ways to Package and Store Your Freezer Meals
If you want to make freezer cooking a way of life (which we are convinced saves time, money, sanity and helps you eat healthier!), then an investment in good quality freezer containers is really worth it. We write all about the 5 best ways to package and store your freezer meals here.
Keep Your Freezer Meals Organized with Our Printable Labels!
We’ve got a quick (and cute) solution to keep track of recipe details for your freezer meals OR for meals to take to someone else—printable Freezer Meal Labels!
Find all of our Freezer Meals on the blog by category HERE.
I love all these ideas! Freezer meals are so nice to have on hand for when you know you will be out of town or gifting to friends who are going through something tough.
Planning next month’s menu, and I can not wait to make that brownie baked oatmeal. Looks so good!
This is seriously the best and most helpful recipe page I have ever found! Thank you so very much! I am a very busy mommy with kids who are 7, 3, 2, and due in May. It can be really hard to find just the right recipes to fit each of their tastes, my busy schedule, and my husband’s picky taste too! This is PERFECT! Now I can get started freezing some meals for when the baby arrives too!
**Can I ask you: Can these glass containers go straight from the freezer to the oven? Thank you so much for your time!!
It’s not recommended to place a dish from the freezer into a hot oven. The dramatic temperature change can cause the glass to crack or shatter. One way around this is to place the dish in the oven BEFORE preheating and letting it warm up with the oven as it comes to temperature. I’ve done this a few times!
The ideal way to cook most of these meals is to let them thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours before cooking but I also know that not everyone is thinking that far in advance. 🙂
These all sound so good.. Unfortunately many have cheese, my picky eater won’t eat most cheesy foods there are a couple i will try though… Thank you!
I began following your blog when I was pregnant with my second child and decided I’d stock up on freezer meals for maternity leave/back-to-work (which, incidentally, was the BEST. IDEA. EVER.) That baby boy is now 2, and I’d wager about half of what makes it to my table each week is pulled from your blog – so thanks! Got (and love!) your cookbook and will host my first freezer party tomorrow night (eek, there’ll be 8 of us!).
Ok, done with sharing 😉 Question time – I’m interested in sharing other freezer meal ideas at the party and the Easy Stromboli sounds yum. But the partner blog’s freezer instructions aren’t listed/clear. Can you help? How best to thaw, and the cook time? Thanks!
Hi Tara. Thanks for your comment and kind words! About the stromboli…I’m sure Karrie over at Happy Money Saver can give you her exact instructions, since it was her recipe. But, from my experience from making stromboli, just make it all the way up until the baking step. Do not bake, but instead wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw completely in the fridge and bake according to instructions. I’ve tried baking from frozen and it took an eternity and was hard to get done in the middle. Again, I would double check with Karri, though.
Hi, I have a daycare of 98 pre school children…. Could you help me figure out the equivalent measurements/quaintly of the ingredients used in your freezer meals? I use the NC CACFP standards.
Thank you for your time,
Kim Noble
Hi Kim. What a smart idea to make freezer meals for your daycare! To figure out the amounts, look at the servings for each recipe. Divide 98 by the # of servings in that recipe. That will tell you how many batches of the recipe to make. For instance, if a recipe makes 6 servings, then you would need to make about 16 batches. That means just multiply all the ingredients in that recipe by 16 to make enough for all 98 kids. Does that help?
Great ideas, especially for hectic weeks!!!
Thanks for all the freezer meal ideas, recipes, how to’s on your blog! I’m loving your multi colored aluminum pans. Got a link for where to pick those up? Thanks so much!
I got the disposable pans at Party City. Make sure to check out the freezer containers that we both use and love here!
Thank You!!
Hey Polly. Awesome article. My sister’s fridge broke down and her kids have gone crazy over it, so I somewhat understand how you feel hehe. And the Frigidaire Gallery® 2-in-1 Freezer/Refrigerator actually fits the bill. I’ll be sure to show her this article so she can save money and eat more healthy. Thanks!
“…the unrest” made me LOL!
Hi! Thanks for all the freezer kid- friendly ideas! I was wondering about your freezer. Does the unit get warm on the outside? We are shopping for a freezer and I would like to put a freezer in our walk-in pantry off the kitchen. I have heard others say that freezers give off heat and they would be best in the basement or garage. Where do you keep your freezer & would you agree it’s best away from items in a pantry?