Easy Freezer Meals for One or Two
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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.
My personal top picks are On-the-Go Chicken Burritos, Baked Italian Meatballs in marinara sauce, and Slow Cooker Turkey Chili.
Table of Contents
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. (Or you can fully bake the casserole ahead of time, let it cool completely, and divide into individual portions.)
- 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 One or 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
- Make Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches – Wrap individually. Take out however many you want, thaw, and warm up.
- Breakfast Burritos – Wrap individually. Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
- Smoothie Freezer Packs – 7 flavors + FREE printable of the recipes and shopping list
- Mini Bacon, Spinach, and Egg Quiches – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
- Easy Breakfast Casserole Muffins – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
- 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.
- Chocolate Waffles with Banana – Freeze cooked, cooled waffles in a freezer bag. Thaw and reheat waffles as needed. Toaster oven works great!
- 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!
Chicken
- Chicken Meatballs – Take out however many you want, thaw, and bake. Freeze the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce to serve on the side.
- Creamy Chicken Taquitos – Bake in the oven from frozen.
- On-the-Go Chicken Burritos – Take out however many you want, thaw, and bake or warm in the microwave.
- Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders – Take out however many you want and cook from frozen in the oven (or as Air Fryer Chicken Tenders).
- Mini Chicken Burgers – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook on the stovetop (or as Air Fryer Chicken Burgers).
- Chicken Broccoli & Rice Foil Packs – Thaw and bake in the oven (or on a grill).
- Cheesy Chicken, Brown Rice & Veggie Casserole – Prep and freeze unbaked or fully cook the casserole and freeze in small portions.
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole – Prep and freeze unbaked or fully cook the casserole and freeze in small portions.
Beef
- Beef Burritos – Take out however many you want, thaw, and warm in the oven or microwave.
- Meatloaf Muffins – Take out however many you want, thaw, and bake if still raw (or warm up if fully cooked).
- Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Sandwiches – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
- Meatballs with Sneaky Veggies or Italian Baked Meatballs – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up. Serve on pasta or as a Meatball Sub.
- Super Sloppy Joes – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Thaw and warm when ready to eat!
- Taco Bar – Freeze cooked taco meat, a bag of cheese, and tortillas as a kit.
- Balsamic Shredded Beef – Cook fully and freeze in the sauce in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up. Serve with mashed potatoes or polenta.
- French Dip Sandwiches – Cook fully and freeze shredded beef in the sauce in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up. Keep ciabatta rolls and Provolone cheese slices on hand in the freezer.
- Instant Pot Beef Stew – Freeze in individual portions to warm up later. (So good!)
Pork and Turkey
- Turkey Burger Sliders – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato and Black Beans – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
- Carnitas – Cook fully and freeze the shredded pork in juices in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork or Instant Pot Pulled Pork – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
- Mini Turkey and Veggie Meatloafs – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
- Ultimate Cheddar and Twice Baked Potatoes – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
- Turkey Pesto Paninis – Wrap individually before cooking. Thaw and cook as directed.
- Pan-Seared Pork Chops – Easy to pull out however many you want, thaw, and pan-sear on the stove top.
- Asian Turkey Meatballs – Fully cook, cool, and freeze the meatballs in individual portions with a little sauce. Thaw and warm in the microwave.
Seafood
- Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
- Mini Wild Salmon Patties with Lemony Avocado Sauce – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
- Catfish Nuggets – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook on the stovetop.
Pizza, Pasta, and More
- 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.
- Pizza Bread – Assemble and freeze. Cook directly from frozen.
- English Muffin Pizzas – Assemble and freeze. Cook directly from frozen.
- Beefy Baked Ravioli – Freeze in loaf pan sizes. Thaw and bake (cook time will decrease, so keep an eye on it.)
- Hearty Baked Penne Pasta – Fully cook and freeze in individual portions. Or try our vegetarian version called Easy Cheesy Baked Pasta.
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.
Here are my top 5 soups:
Vegetarian Meals
- Make Ahead Lunch Wraps – Warm in the microwave or oven after thawing or from frozen.
- Egg Fried Rice with Sweet Soy Sauce – Divide into 2 cup Pyrex containers and freeze. Warm in the microwave.
- Cancer Fighting Soup – This delicious immune boosting soup can be frozen in individual containers.
- Coconut Curry Soup – Freeze in individual containers and warm in microwave or on the stove.
- Vegetarian Tortilla Soup – So easy and healthy.
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.
Breakfast Recipes
- Blueberry Avocado or Pumpkin Muffins (p. 42 and 45)
- Breakfast Cookies (p. 47)
- Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal (p. 51) – divide into two 8×8 pans
- Oatmeal Pancake Mix (p.54)
- Apple Maple Sausage Bites (p. 56) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Chocolate Zunana Waffles (p. 58)
- Mixed Berry Scones (p.61)
- Southwest Breakfast Burritos (p. 64)
Chicken Recipes
- Parmesan Chicken Tenders (p. 72) – take out however many you want and cook from frozen
- Chicken and Broccoli Foil Packs (p. 75) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Individual Chicken Pot Pies (p. 83) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Chicken Fried Rice (p. 91) – freeze in small portions; takes just a few minutes to warm in the microwave
Beef Recipes
- Cheddar Chive Burgers (p.98) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Beef and Bean Burritos (p.106) – take out however many you want, thaw and warm up
- Sloppy Joes (p.110) – freeze into smaller portions, thaw, and warm up
Pork and Turkey
- Yum Loaves (p.115) – take out what you need, thaw, and bake
- 4-Ingredient Pork Chops (p. 116) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Ham and Swiss Glazed Paninis (p.120) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes (p. 121) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Mini Turkey and Veggie Burgers (p. 127) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Turkey Pesto Paninis (p.129) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
Seafood
- Straight From Alaska Salmon Burgers (p. 132) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Not So Fishy Sticks (p.134) – take out however many you want; cooks directly from frozen
- Shrimp Potstickers with Sweet Soy Dipping Sauce (p. 138) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Mini Crab Cakes with Creamy Herb Dipping Sauce (p.144) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Pesto and Feta Tuna Melts (p.147) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
Pizza and Pasta
- English Muffin Pizzas (p. 160) – remove however many you want; cook directly from frozen
- Cheesy Lasagna Pockets – remove however many you want; takes a few minutes to warm in the microwave
- Make-Your-Own Calzones – remove however many you want; takes a few minutes to warm in the microwave
- Pesto Chicken Lasagna Rolls – 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.
Slow Cooker
- Chicken and Cheese Chimichangas (p. 192) – remove however many you want, thaw, and cook
- Chili-Rubbed Brisket (p. 195) – We don’t offer this in the freezer directions, but you can fully cook and then freeze small portions to warm up later.
- Killer Carnitas (p. 196) – We don’t offer this in the freezer directions, but you can fully cook and then freeze small portions to warm up later.
- French Dip Sandwiches (p. 198) – We don’t offer this in the freezer directions, but you can fully cook and then freeze small portions to warm up later.
- Polly’s Signature Taco Soup (p. 209) – freeze in individual portions, thaw, and warm up
From Freezer to Cooker: Recipes for 1-2 People
If you are looking for ideas from our second cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, simply refer to the icon index in the back of the book (page 247) and you’ll find a list of “Fully Cook and Freeze” recipes that will work for 1-2 people as well! If you’re a slow cooker or Instant Pot fan, you’ll LOVE this cookbook.
FAQs
What freezer containers do you recommend?
We wrote a post with information about our Top 5 Best Freezer Containers.
What is the best way to thaw frozen food?
Again, we wrote a whole post about how to thaw chicken, and it applies to pretty much any freezer meal.
What are some things I might not know I can freeze?
Well, did you know you can freeze chicken and dumplings, chicken pot pie, quiche, brownies, and cookie dough? We’ve written full posts with tips and tricks to help you!
Freezer cooking is incredibly versatile and useful for all stages of life. Hopefully this article about freezer meals for one or two people 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.
I have a question. Is it possible to freeze a cooked meat and veggie in a glass container together and reheat within a week or so? Or would they need to be separated
You certainly can, but meat and veggies often reheat at different times in the microwave. I’d suggest storing them separately in small Pyrex containers with lids. Also, meat can dry out, so it’s best to leave it in it’s juices or a sauce if possible. Hope this helps some!