Freezer Meals 101

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

Making most of the dishes weeks or months ahead of your Thanksgiving feast ensures that you can truly enjoy that day. Instead of being in the kitchen cooking, you can be visiting with guests. Make ahead Thanksgiving recipes can really take the stress out of the day.

When you think of holiday meals, likely classic dishes such as sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and mashed potatoes covered in delicious gravy come to mind. Good news… These are exactly the sort of recipes that can be made ahead!A little bit of prep ahead of time can take so much pressure off for the big day.

Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

Make Ahead Stuffing

Make your dressing ahead with this easy stuffing recipe. Customize it according to your preferences or holiday traditions.

Make Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes

What would a Thanksgiving dinner be without mashed potatoes?! One of the most time consuming side dishes to make for your holiday feast is always the mashed potatoes.

Being able to make this weeks ahead ensures you'll have more time (and less dishes) on the big day.

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

Holiday Gravy for the Freezer

And what would those mashed potatoes be without being able to smother them in delicious gravy?! I've been making this gravy (based on a Jamie Oliver recipe) for years. It's chock full of flavour.

Honey Maple Glazed Carrots

Carrots are an easy side dish to add to your menu. Being able to take these out of your freezer to cook up is an easy addition to your meal.

Cranberry Sauce

My husband believes that turkey should never be served without cranberry sauce. I know this is a sentiment shared by many. Having this ready to go ensures that you can have the taste of a homemade cranberry sauce with the convenience of it ready-made.

Photo Credit: www.campbells.com

Green Bean Casserole

The green bean casserole has become synonymous with Thanksgiving for many. Did you know that you can make it ahead and freeze it? Place the fried onions for the topping in a separate bag to add partway through baking to ensure they don't get soggy.

Cheesy Crock Pot Jalapeño Corn Casserole

When you're cooking a meal for many, one of the things that can become a practical issue is oven space. When you choose a recipe that can be heated in the slow cooker, it frees up the oven for your other dishes.

This jalapeño corn casserole is deliciously cheesy.

Photo Credit: www.easyanddelish.com

Easy Make-Ahead Sweet Potato Casserole with Toasted Meringue

This sweet potato casserole can be made ahead in a foil container. Meringue or marshmallow topping should never be frozen so it can be added on the day of baking.

Photo Credit: sallysbakingaddiction.com

Cornbread Stuffing

Being from Canada, I hadn't even heard about cornbread stuffing until recently, but from what I hear, it seems like an American Thanksgiving staple that I need to try!

This cornbread stuffing recipe can be made ahead and store in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Photo Credit: www.simplyrecipes.com

Oven Roasted Vegetables

While not for the freezer, these vegetables can be prepped ahead and kept in the fridge until ready to roast. This saves valuable time on the day of your holiday meal.

Choosing vegetables such as sweet potatoes, fennel, carrots, and red onions also creates those beautiful fall colours that are perfect for the season.

Photo Credit: www.mustlovehome.com

Easy Pumpkin Pie (Freezer Ready)

You may be relieved to know that pumpkin pies freeze beautifully. This allows you to make your Thanksgiving dessert weeks or months ahead so you will have one less thing to worry about on the day of.

Photo Credit: www.thechaosandtheclutter.com

Sugar Cookies with Maple Icing

The maple syrup in the icing is what makes these cookies the right choice for your festivities.

We recently celebrated Thanksgiving with everything but the turkey made ahead of time and I can tell you that it took a huge weight off me. I enjoyed the day so much more because I didn’t have to think much about the meal. I was able to hold my grandbaby and visit with my kids while dinner took care of itself.

Watch us prepare our entire Thanksgiving dinners (aside from the turkey) for the freezer in the video below. I think my favourite dish of all was the homemade creamed corn. We are working on getting that recipe written up for our Freezer Meals 101 Club members because it was just so good!

How far in advance can you make ahead Thanksgiving side dishes?

Thanksgiving side dishes can be made up to three months in advance and frozen. Not all side dishes freeze well of course. You should never make a lettuce salad ahead for example because under no circumstances does lettuce freeze well. But there are many traditional holiday sides that freeze beautifully.

Can turkey stuffing be frozen?

After extensive testing in our kitchen, we are happy to be able to report that stuffing can be made ahead and frozen. The dressing can then be cooked on the day of in the oven or stuffed in the turkey and cooked.

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Make Ahead Buffalo Chicken Dip

By Sharla

Having a few snacks and appetizers stocked in your freezer is a great way to be prepared for last minute get-togethers. And since dips are always a hit at a party, I love having a few freezer friendly recipes on hand in case I need to whip up a quick appetizer. This make ahead buffalo chicken dip is perfect for any party! On top of being packed with flavor, this freezer friendly dip is ready to go in a matter of minutes.

Make Ahead Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped or shredded
8 ounce package of cream cheese
475 milliliter bottle ranch dressing
3-4 stalks celery, chopped (opt: 1-2 cans water chestnuts, chopped)
3/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Freezing instructions:

Place the cream cheese in the microwave to soften it, then mix the cheese with the ranch dressing and hot sauce. Continue blending the ingredients until smooth.
Stir in the chopped celery or water chestnuts, chicken, and shredded cheese.
Place the ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air from the bag, seal, and then press the dip flat. Freeze the bag until you’re ready to reheat.

Serving instructions:

Transfer the dip to the refrigerator to thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Transfer the dip to a baking dish and cook for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

How Do You Cook Buffalo Chicken Dip in the Slow Cooker?

It’s easy to bake this make ahead dip in the oven for a quick appetizer. But if you have a little more time on your hands, you can also reheat buffalo chicken dip in the Crockpot. Simply transfer the dip to the bowl of your slow cooker and heat it on low for two to three hours. To keep the dip from sticking to the sides of the pot and burning, spray the sides of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray before adding the dip ingredients.

What to Serve With Buffalo Chicken Dip

With all the flavour of buffalo chicken wings, this delicious dip pairs well with a variety of different dippers! That means you can provide your guests with different options when you serve your dip at your next get together.

Try dipping these snacks in your spicy dip at your party:

Tortilla chips
Cubed bread
Corn chips
Crackers
Celery stalks
Bagel chips
Baby carrots
Bell pepper slices
Pretzels
Cauliflower florets

Make Ahead Buffalo Chicken Dip

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Course: Appetizer

Servings: 6

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts boneless, skinless, cooked and chopped or shredded
8 oz. package of cream cheese
475 mL bottle ranch dressing
3-4 stalks celery chopped (opt: 1-2 cans water chestnuts, chopped)
3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place the cream cheese in the microwave to soften it, then mix the cheese with the ranch dressing and hot sauce. Continue blending the ingredients until smooth.
Stir in the chopped celery or water chestnuts, cooked chicken, and shredded cheese.
Place the ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air from the bag, and seal. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350‡.
Transfer the dip to a baking dish and cook for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or vegetables for dipping.

Make Ahead Stuffing

By Sharla

The holidays are a busy time. Less time spent in the kitchen on those special occasions is definitely a win for everyone! This make ahead stuffing is one way to reduce your workload and be able to actually enjoy visiting with your company.

The more you can do ahead, the less stress there is on the day of. Whether you call this dressing or stuffing, it’s one thing you’ll be able to cross off your to-do list.

When you pair this with our make ahead garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn casserole, you can make most of your holiday meal ahead of the big day.

Make Ahead Freezer Stuffing Recipe:

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

half a loaf of white bread, sliced (approx. 8-10 slices)
1/2 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper, divided
3/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 cup chicken broth/turkey broth

Assembly instructions:

Lay out bread slices the night before, so they dry out slightly.
Cube bread into half inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
In a large skillet, melt butter and sauté onion and celery over medium heat until just starting to soften, approx. 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour onion mixture into bread. Gently combine onion mixture and bread cubes.
In small sessions, pausing to gently mix, sprinkle poultry seasoning and more salt and pepper evenly throughout the bread and onion mixture.
Again, pausing to gently mix, slowly add chicken broth.
Place mixture in buttered 8×8 foil pan and top with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze. Alternatively, the mixture can be placed in a large freezer bag.
Gently remove excess air without flattening bread cubes. Seal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Remove plastic wrap, and cover with foil.
Place in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Serve with or without gravy.This stuffing is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, Easter, or just a nice family sit down meal. It goes well with:

turkey
mashed potatoes
sweet potato casserole
cauliflower
cranberry sauce
gravy
garden salad

Important Notes:

If your turkey is in the oven at 325°, the stuffing can also go in at that temperature, but increase the cooking time to 60 minutes.
If you want to stuff your turkey with this stuffing, omit the chicken broth. Follow directions for cooking a stuffed bird.

Variations to this freezer stuffing:

If you’re allergic to celery like I am, you can substitute roughly chopped water chestnuts.
Dry the bread cubes on a tray in a 200° oven for one hour instead of leaving them out overnight.
Use a combination of white or French bread and dark rye bread for a nice colour and flavour contrast.

Can you make stuffing ahead of time?

Yes! You can either make stuffing the night before and put in the fridge overnight and cook the day of serving or you can make it as directed above and keep in the freezer for weeks or months ahead.

Can you freeze stuffing?

You can freeze stuffing or dressing. It tastes best if it’s frozen before cooking and then thawed and baked. This stuffing will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

This makes it just what you need to make before the holiday season gets busy. This make ahead dressing for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter makes those days easier.

Can you freeze leftover stuffing?

You can freeze leftover stuffing. Allow it to fully cool before storing in a freezer bag or airtight container. Be sure to remove excess air before freezing.

We made this stuffing along with many other make ahead holiday side dishes in the video below:

Make Ahead Freezer Stuffing

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: stuffing

Servings: 4

Ingredients

half loaf white bread sliced (approx. 8-10 slices)
1/2 onion diced
2 stalks celery chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper divided
3/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 cup chicken broth/turkey broth

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Lay out bread slices the night before so they dry out slightly.
Cube bread into half inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
In a large skillet, sauté onion and celery in butter over medium heat until just starting to soften, approx. 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour onion mixture into bread. Gently combine onion mixture and bread cubes.
In small sessions, pausing to gently mix, sprinkle poultry seasoning and more salt and pepper evenly throughout the bread and onion mixture.
Again, pausing to gently mix, slowly add chicken broth.
Place mixture in buttered 8x8 foil pan and top with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze. Alternatively, the mixture can be placed in a large freezer bag.
Gently remove excess air without flattening bread cubes. Seal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Remove plastic wrap, and cover with foil.
Cook at 350° for 45 minutes.

Homemade Make Ahead BBQ Meatballs Recipe

By Sharla

Whether you’re looking for an easy main course for dinner or a simple appetizer for a party, you can’t go wrong with meatballs! And no matter when you plan to serve them, this BBQ meatballs recipe is sure to be a hit. On top of being quick and easy to make, this flavourful recipe can be made ahead and frozen until you’re ready to enjoy it.Because this freezer meal is cooked in the slow cooker, it’s a great dish to take to potlucks as well.

If you’re a fan of meatballs, we also have recipes for Keto Italian meatballs, Swedish meatballs, and easy Asian meatballs.

BBQ Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds ground beef, raw
5 oz. evaporated milk
1/2 cup instant oatmeal
2 eggs
1/4 cup onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons MSG-free onion soup mix

For the Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp liquid smoke (any flavor)
1 garlic clove, minced

Assembly Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, evaporated milk, oats, eggs, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion soup mix. Use your hands to work the ingredients together until everything is well combined.
Scoop out a small amount of the meat mixture and form it into evenly sized balls. Place each meatball on a cookie sheet with edges.
Bake the meatballs for 25 minutes, until they are cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely.
While the meatballs are cooling, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, and garlic in a bowl. After mixing the sauce ingredients together, pour the mixture into a large resealable freezer bag.
Once the meatballs are cool, transfer them to the freezer bag with the sauce and gently mix to coat meatballs in sauce. Remove excess air and seal the bag. Place the bag in the freezer.

Cooking Instructions:

Transfer the freezer bag to the refrigerator to thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the meatballs and sauce in a baking dish and cover the pan. Bake for one hour, removing the cover for the last 15 minutes.
To prepare in the crockpot, transfer the meatballs and sauce to the bowl of your slow cooker. Place the lid on top and cook for 2 to 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.

Is It Better to Freeze Cooked or Raw Meatballs?

Freezing meatballs is a great way to speed up the prep work as you’re cooking dinner. But if you’re new to freezer cooking, you might wondering which preparation method is best – cooked or raw meatballs.

While you can freeze your meatballs either cooked or raw, cooking them before freezing them seems to have better results. That’s because your meatballs will hold their shape and cook more quickly if they’re cooked before freezing.

To get your meatballs ready for the freezer, start by preparing and cooking them according to the recipe. After the meatballs are fully cooked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Then you can transfer them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag until you’re ready to serve them.

How Long Can Frozen Meatballs Stay in the Freezer?

When stored properly, your frozen meatballs will stay good for up to two months. The key to ensuring your meatballs stay good until you’re ready to use them is to take the time to properly store your meatballs in the freezer.

Allow them to cool. The most important step in freezing your meatballs is to allow them to cool completely before transferring them to the storage container. If you place hot meatballs in the container, you risk trapping steam and excess moisture in the bag with the meatballs. This could cause freezer burn after the food is placed in the freezer.
Place them in the right container. Once the meatballs are cool, transfer them to a freezer-safe container. You can store them in a baking dish with a lid, an airtight container, or a freezer bag for long-term storage.
Remove excess air. After you transfer the meatballs to the container, remove as much air as possible before sealing it. This will help protect your food from freezer burn and ensure they last all they way to their expiration date.
Label the container. The last step to storing your meatballs properly is to write the name of the recipe, date of freezing, and expected expiration date on the container. This will make it easy to identify everything in your freezer and ensure you cook your meatballs before they go bad.

What Can I Serve with BBQ Meatballs?

This quick and easy dinner is perfect for a busy weeknight. But as you’re planning your meal, you can’t forget about the sides! Try these serving ideas for rounding out your meal.

White or brown rice
Mashed potatoes
Macaroni and cheese
Steamed vegetables
Chopped salad

How Do You Store Leftover BBQ Meatballs?

After dinner is over, you may have a few uneaten meatballs leftover. Luckily, they’re easy to store! Just transfer the leftovers to an airtight container or cover the pan with plastic wrap. Place the meatballs in the refrigerator until you’re ready to reheat them. They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to four days.

Smoky BBQ Meatballs

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Course: Main Course

Keyword: meatballs

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. ground beef raw
5 oz. evaporated milk
1/2 cup instant oatmeal
2 eggs
1/4 cup onion minced
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
3 Tbsp. MSG-free onion soup mix

For the Sauce:

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp liquid smoke any flavor
1 garlic clove minced

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, evaporated milk, oats, eggs, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion soup mix. Use your hands to work the ingredients together until everything is well combined.
Scoop out a small amount of the meat mixture and form it into evenly sized balls. Place each meatball on a cookie sheet with edges.
Bake the meatballs for 25 minutes, until they are cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool.
While the meatballs are cooling, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, liquid smoke, and garlic in a bowl. After mixing the sauce ingredients together, pour the mixture into a large resealable freezer bag.
Once the meatballs are cool, transfer them to the freezer bag with the sauce and gently mix to coat meatballs in sauce. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
To prepare in the crockpot, transfer the meatballs and sauce to the slow cooker. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.

Oven Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the meatballs and sauce in a baking dish and cover. Bake for one hour, removing the cover for the last 15 minutes.

That Lady’s Chicken

By Sharla

Chicken is one of our favourite main courses. But it can be difficult to find quick and easy chicken recipes for meal prepping. With the help of this four ingredient Russian chicken recipe, you can whip up a delicious chicken dinner for your family with just a few minutes of prep work! This recipe has long been a family favourite of ours. In fact, all I need to do to ensure all my teen and young adult kids will come home is tell them that this is what’s for dinner.

Some of our other easy chicken dump recipes include:

That Lady’s Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 bottle of Russian dressing
1 1/4 cups apricot jam
3 tablespoons dry onion soup mix

Freezing instructions:

Place the chicken and other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Add the Russian dressing, apricot jam, and dry onion soup mix.
Seal the bag and squish the ingredients together to combine and coat the chicken in sauce.
Open the corner of the bag to remove excess air, then reseal and freeze.

Cooking Instructions:

Transfer the frozen Russian chicken to the refrigerator to thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the contents of the freezer bag to a large baking dish. Cover the dish and bake for one hour
To cook the chicken in the crockpot, pour the contents of the bag into the pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

You can find this recipe as well as other easy recipes in our Chicken Dump Recipes cookbook.

What is Russian Dressing?

With so many different salad dressings to choose from, you might not be sure which dressing is considered Russian dressing. Traditional Russian dressing is a tangy sauce typically made with tomatoes, vinegar, and a mix of spices. That’s why Russian dressing is usually red in color.

If you can’t find red Russian dressing in your store, the sauce can be replaced with other tomato-based dressings like Catalina.

What Does That Lady’s Chicken Taste Like?

The unique combination of Russian dressing, apricot jam, and onion soup seasoning give this delicious chicken recipe a sweet and sour taste. The sweetness comes from the addition of the jam. And the chicken gets its sour flavors from the vinegar and tomatoes found in the Russian dressing.

That Lady’s Chicken Recipe Tips

This four ingredient chicken recipe couldn’t be easier to prep and freeze! And with these preparation and cooking tips, you’ll be well on your way to a delicious chicken dinner for your family.

Avoid creamy Russian dressing. The key to getting the best flavor in your Russian chicken is to pick the right dressing. Avoid using creamy Russian dressing to make this dish. If you can’t find traditional dressing, you can use Catalina dressing as a substitute.
Use peach jam instead of apricot. If you don’t have any apricot jam on hand or can’t find any at your store, peach jam can be used as a substitute. This forgiving recipe can also be made with apricot or peach preserves.
Serve over rice. Once your Russian chicken is baked, you’re going to need some sides to go with it! Add some white, brown, or jasmine rice to the plate to go with your sweet and sour chicken.
Finish the chicken under the broiler. To get a nice glaze on the outside of your chicken, try placing it under the broiler for around two minutes. The heat from the broiler will help thicken the sauce, turning it into a delicious glaze over the top of each chicken breast.

Can You Freeze Russian Chicken?

Prepping the ingredients for your Russian chicken ahead of time is a simple way to get dinner ready fast. That’s because you can easily add all the ingredients you need for your Russian chicken to a freezer bag and store it until you’re ready to start cooking.

But even after thawing your chicken in the fridge, you’ll still need at least an hour to cook the Russian chicken before it’s ready to eat. If you want to speed up the prep time on dinner night, you can also cook the Russian chicken before freezing it.

To freeze your cooked Russian chicken, start by cooking the chicken as outlined in the recipe. The chicken can be prepared in either the oven or slow cooker. Once the chicken is cooked, allow it to cool completely.

Transfer the cooled chicken to a freezer-safe dish or freezer bag. Label the bag with the name of the recipe, date of freezing, and expected expiration date. Cooked chicken will stay good in the freezer for up to four months.

When you’re ready to reheat your Russian chicken, transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw. The chicken can be reheated in the oven at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes, until the meat and sauce are heated through. You can also reheat the chicken in a skillet over medium heat.

How Long is this Chicken Good For?

You can store your Russian chicken ingredients in the freezer for up to nine months before they need to be cooked. If you cook the chicken before freezing it, it will be safe to eat up to four months after freezing.

Once the chicken has been prepared, leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Make sure to eat your chicken within four days to enjoy it before it goes bad!

What to serve with Russian Chicken:

That Lady's Chicken

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Course: Main Course

Keyword: chicken, chicken dump

Servings: 4

Ingredients

3-5 chicken breasts boneless, skinless or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 bottle Russian dressing
1 1/4 cups apricot jam
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place the chicken and other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Add the Russian dressing, apricot jam, and dry onion soup mix.
Seal the bag and squish to combine.
Open the corner of the bag to remove excess air, then reseal and freeze.

Oven Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Pour the contents of the freezer bag to a large baking dish. Cover and bake for one hour.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

Thaw.
Pour the contents of the bag into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours.