This is a list of 15 easy freezer meals for busy moms, and they are perfect for whatever stage of motherhood you are in. Specifically, for me, I loved having freezer meals ready when I was postpartum with both kiddos. Luckily, I had friends and family who had made meals ahead of time and brought them over for us.
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They were a game changer on those nights when you were just completely sleep-deprived, wiped, and needed to get dinner on the table. Let's take a look.
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1. Chicken Enchiladas
These are a really good freezer meal option since you can assemble them ahead of time, and they are really easy to take straight from the freezer to the oven on a busy night. Enchiladas are a go-to meal in our house, especially chicken.
My kiddos love chicken, and you can really switch these up by putting in beans or throwing in different cheeses. You can really make this part of your dinner rotations because there are so many options and ways to play with it.
Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
Method
- Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Stir together the shredded chicken, 1 cup of cheese, green chiles, and sour cream.
- Spoon the filling into the tortillas, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover tightly with foil and freeze unbaked.
- To cook, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake covered at 375°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
2. White Chicken Chili
This Chicken Chili is a Tex-Mex soup-style dish that freezes and reheats really well. It will taste better if you can bring this back to life in a slow cooker, but the stovetop works just fine if you need to get it done quickly and it's a really busy night.
Soups and chilies freeze really well, and these are good to make ahead, especially for those cold winter nights when you want that comfort food, but you just don't have the energy to make it.
White Chicken Chili
Ingredients
Method
- Add chicken, white beans, green chiles, broth, ranch seasoning, and cumin to a large pot.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the cream cheese until melted and smooth.
- Cool completely before dividing into freezer-safe containers.
- To serve, thaw overnight and reheat gently on the stovetop.
- Add toppings just before serving.
3. Baked Ziti
Fresh or frozen, this is a meal that my husband absolutely loves. The really good thing about baked ziti is you can use either beef or Italian sausage, and you can switch up the flavor profile by trying out different sauces and cheeses.
Another good thing is pasta freezes really well, so these will hold up as long as you have them in an airtight freezer container. This is really simple to pop in the oven and bring back to life quickly.
Baked Ziti
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the pasta just shy of al dente, then drain.
- Brown the sausage or beef in a skillet and drain excess fat.
- Mix pasta, meat, marinara, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning.
- Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella.
- Cover tightly with foil and freeze unbaked.
- Thaw overnight and bake at 375°F for 35 minutes covered, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
4. Turkey Taco Meat
Turkey taco meat works really well when frozen in batches, and having it cooked ahead of time makes it an easy base component to grab and add to whatever you're making.
The thing with freezing cooked meat is you really want to make sure that this is vacuum sealed to really preserve the flavors. If not, you risk creating a freezer-burned dish that no one is going to be a fan of.
Turkey Taco Meat
Ingredients
Method
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Cook onion for 3 minutes, then add ground turkey.
- Cook until the turkey is browned and no longer pink.
- Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce or salsa, and water.
- Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
- Cool completely, portion into freezer bags, flatten, and freeze. Reheat from thawed in a skillet.
5. Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Slow cooker barbecue pulled pork is a high-yield dish that freezes well when it is shredded. But again, you want to make sure that you vacuum seal any cooked meats that you put in the freezer and plan on reusing. If not, they are going to have that freezer-burn taste, and it is going to ruin the flavor of the initial cook, and you don't want that.
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Ingredients
Method
- Stir together brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Rub the seasoning all over the pork.
- Place pork in the slow cooker with broth or apple juice.
- Cook on low for 8 hours, until tender.
- Shred the pork and stir in BBQ sauce.
- Cool completely and freeze in meal-size portions. Thaw and reheat for sandwiches or bowls.
6. Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Soups freeze really well and are easy to reheat. The good thing about soup is that if it reheats a little thick, you can simply add either water or, in this case, with this being a creamy tomato basil soup, you can even throw in a little bit of milk, giving it that creamy taste to really bring it back to life. That makes this a really good pairing with a good grilled cheese.
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Heat olive oil in a large pot and cook onion until soft.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, broth, sugar, and basil.
- Simmer for 25 minutes.
- Blend until smooth, then stir in cream.
- Cool completely and freeze in containers. Thaw and reheat gently without boiling.
7. Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Honey garlic chicken thighs are a really good freezer meal. They are easier to grab from the freezer if they're already fully cooked and marinated with that sweet, savory sauce combination.
But again, make sure that you vacuum seal these to really preserve that honey garlic flavor. You'll be surprised how quickly they come back to life with a quick reheat in the oven. I also like to give them a quick brushing of some fresh honey to really bring that original flavor back to life.
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Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk together honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and ginger.
- Place chicken thighs in a freezer bag and pour the sauce over the top.
- Seal, flatten, label, and freeze.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Bake at 400°F for 30 to 35 minutes, or cook in a slow cooker on low for 4 to 5 hours.
- Thicken the sauce with cornstarch slurry if desired before serving.
8. Breakfast Burritos
Breakfast burritos are so easy to make in general. But when you make these, you wrap them in foil, and then you put those into an airtight container. That way you have a grab-and-go breakfast that is ready for busy mornings when you just don't have the time to make breakfast.
They are really easy to reheat in the microwave, too. A trick for us is always wrapping them in a paper towel to prevent that tortilla from getting hard and crispy in the microwave. You want to keep these nice and soft to reheat nicely.
Breakfast Burritos
Ingredients
Method
- Scramble eggs with milk, salt, and pepper until just set.
- Warm tortillas so they fold without tearing.
- Divide eggs, potatoes, sausage or bacon, and cheese among the tortillas.
- Fold into burritos and wrap each one tightly in foil or parchment.
- Freeze in a labeled freezer bag.
- To reheat, unwrap and microwave until hot, or warm wrapped in foil in a 350°F oven.
9. Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is a classic, and it is very easy to freeze and bring back to life. But you want to freeze just your broth and chicken on this one. Freezing your noodles and then reheating them actually gives you a really mushy texture.
So it will take a little more time, but I recommend cooking the noodles fresh and then adding them to your frozen broth and chicken. That way you still have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Cook onion, carrots, and celery in olive oil until starting to soften.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in broth, chicken, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Simmer for 25 minutes, then remove the bay leaf.
- Cool and freeze without noodles.
- When serving, thaw, reheat, and cook noodles directly in the soup until tender.
10. Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stuffed bell peppers are a meal my family prefers to have fresh, but that does not mean you can't freeze these and reheat them. They are pre-assembled, and what makes them nice is that they're portioned and individually sized, making them a good freezer option for reheating on those busy nights.
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Method
- Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain.
- Stir in cooked rice, diced tomatoes, marinara, Italian seasoning, 1 cup cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Spoon filling into the bell peppers.
- Place peppers in a freezer-safe baking dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Cover tightly and freeze.
- Thaw overnight and bake covered at 375°F for 35 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more.
11. Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
Sweet potato black bean burritos are a great vegetarian option that you want in the lineup. You can fill your tortillas easily, roll these up, then put them in foil and an airtight container. Be sure to wrap these in a paper towel when reheating to prevent your tortilla from getting crispy in the microwave.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
Ingredients
Method
- Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, chili powder, and cumin.
- Roast at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.
- Mix roasted sweet potatoes with black beans, rice, salsa, and cheese.
- Divide filling among tortillas and roll into burritos.
- Wrap individually and freeze in a labeled bag.
- Reheat from thawed in the microwave or oven until hot.
12. Teriyaki Chicken
Teriyaki chicken is a great meal to freeze and bring back to life. You are going to have these marinated and cooked ahead. Just be sure to, again, vacuum seal any meats to prevent them from losing that flavor. When you're ready to eat, you can throw these into a wok, give them a fresh drizzle of some more teriyaki sauce, and it's going to taste as if you cooked it fresh every single time.
Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger.
- Place chicken in a freezer bag and pour sauce over the top.
- Seal, label, and freeze flat.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Cook chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through.
- Slice or shred chicken and thicken sauce with cornstarch slurry if desired.
13. Mini Turkey Meatballs
Mini turkey meatballs are not only a healthy dinner option, but they are really easy to make ahead of time and then freeze for when you need them on a busy night. Meatballs are, of course, kid-friendly, and you can put these into pasta or a sandwich.
Be sure to vacuum seal these to really hold on to that flavor. I'd recommend just seasoning, cooking them, and freezing them. Then, when you're ready to cook these up, you can throw them into a sauce. I wouldn't freeze them in the sauce, though.
Mini Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix turkey, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and parsley gently.
- Roll into small meatballs and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through.
- Cool completely on the pan.
- Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat in sauce, soup, or the oven.
14. Chicken Pot Pie Filling
Chicken pot pie filling is really easy to make ahead of time and then freeze it. You will just have to obviously make your pot pie crust separately when you're ready to fill it.
You can take the time to make individual pies in ramekins with a fresh crust, or just toss some biscuits in the oven, put this pot pie filling on top, and you'll still get that same comfort-food dish.
Chicken Pot Pie Filling
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a large skillet and cook onion until soft.
- Sprinkle in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk until smooth.
- Simmer until thickened.
- Stir in chicken, mixed vegetables, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Cool completely and freeze in bags or containers. Thaw before baking with pie crust, biscuits, or puff pastry.
15. Sausage and Vegetable Pasta Bake
A sausage and vegetable pasta bake is perfect because you can make it as a casserole and have it assembled and frozen before you ever need to bake it. Sausage with pasta is a definite go-to in our house. Whether it is fresh or frozen, it is a meal that comes together perfectly every single time.
Sausage and Vegetable Pasta Bake
Ingredients
Method
- Cook pasta just shy of al dente and drain.
- Brown sausage in a skillet, breaking it into crumbles.
- Add vegetables and cook until just softened.
- Mix pasta, sausage mixture, marinara, ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella.
- Cover tightly and freeze unbaked. Thaw overnight and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered.
Make Freezer Meals a Habit
Basically, if you are a busy mom, I recommend making freezer meals a habit. There are so many varieties that you can play around with, so many meals that you can make ahead of time.
If you have some time to kill on a weekend, make some of these, get them in the freezer, and on those busy nights when you're standing there not knowing what to make for dinner, you have these options instead of spending money on eating out and falling out of a routine of home-cooked meals. Have a fun batch-cooking session on Saturday or Sunday, and have these ready to go on those nights that otherwise feel pretty overwhelming.