Freezer Meals 101

Less time cooking, more time living

No Bake Cranberry Pistachio Energy Balls

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These no bake cranberry pistachio energy balls are a great way to start the day. They are a healthy on-the-go breakfast or snack. Since they can be made ahead and frozen, they are good to have on hand for busy families.two energy bites on a striped towel with the dough in the background. Text reads "Cranberry Pistachio Energy Balls"These no bake cranberry pistachio energy balls are easy to make and can be stored in the freezer. The recipe is also very forgiving and can be adapted according to your preferences.

Cranberry Pistachio Energy Balls Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dates
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup raw pistachios
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup currants
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 cups instant oats

Directions:

  1. Add the dates, cranberries and shelled pistachios to a food processor. Roughly chop.
  2. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. Add the salt, maple syrup and honey and mix well.
  4. Mix in the chia seeds, currants and brown sugar.
  5. Stir in oats and mix very well with a sturdy wooden spoon.
  6. Place the bowl in the fridge for about an hour to firm up the mixture. This will make rolling it into balls
    much easier.
  7. Remove mixture from the fridge. Roll into 1” balls. You can use a 1 inch cookie dough scoop to help make them more uniform if you wish.
  8. Store the energy balls in an airtight container in the freezer or the fridge.

This recipe will make about 15 energy balls. You can double or triple the recipe if you’ll be storing them in the freezer as they freeze well for 3 to 6 months. 

Cranberry Energy Bites Variations:

  • substitute raisins or chopped dried apricots for the dried cranberries
  • if there is a nut allergy in the family, omit the pistachios
  • substitute hemp seed for the chai seeds
Print
Cranberry Pistachio Energy Balls
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Keyword: energy balls
Servings: 15 energy balls
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dates
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup raw pistachios shelled
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup currants
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 cups instant oats
Instructions

  1. Add the dates, cranberries and shelled pistachios to a food processor. Roughly chop.

  2. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. Add the salt, maple syrup and honey and mix well.
  4. Mix in the chia seeds, currants and brown sugar.
  5. Stir in oats and mix very well with a sturdy wooden spoon.

  6. Place the bowl in the fridge for about an hour to firm up the mixture and making rolling into balls easier.

  7. Remove mixture from the fridge. Roll into 1” balls.

  8. Store the energy balls in an airtight container in the freezer or the fridge.

Check out some of our other easy on-the-go make ahead breakfasts:

Make Ahead Everything Bagel Muffins

Scrambled Egg Bites

Cherry Muffins with Crunchy Topping

Pizza Buns (a kid friendly freezer meal)

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Cheesy pizza buns are about as kid friendly a freezer meal as you can get. You’ll be surprised how easy they are to make at home. These can be made as a freezer meal, creating an easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love.cheesy chunky topping on bread. Text reads "Pizza Buns freezer meal"My kids love pizza in pretty much any form. In an attempt to keep them fed but not have the same thing every day, I’ve come up with a lot of variations over the years such as our Crock Pot Pizza Casserole, Tater Tot Pizza Casserole, and Pizza Stuffed Chicken.

This recipe can be adapted to include your favourite pizza toppings such as:

  • pineapple
  • cooked bacon
  • cooked chicken
  • spinach
  • banana peppers
  • or whatever you like best.

Pizza Buns Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup ham, cubed
  • 1/4 cup salami, sliced or chopped
  • 1/4 cup pepperoni, sliced or chopped
  • 1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 213 mL jar pizza sauce
  • optional: 10 oz. can mushroom pieces, drained

For cooking day:

  • buns

Assembly instructions:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and place in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Remove excess air and seal.
  3. Lay flat and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Cut buns in half and place on a baking sheet.
  3. Spoon mixture on top of each bun half and bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Print
Pizza Buns
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pizza buns
Servings: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1/2 cup ham cubed
  • 1/4 cup salami sliced or chopped
  • 1/4 cup pepperoni sliced or chopped
  • 1/2 cup green pepper chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 213 mL jar pizza sauce
  • 10 oz. can mushroom pieces drained (optional)
For cooking day:
  • buns
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and place in a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Remove excess air and seal.
  3. Lay flat and freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Cut buns in half and place on a baking sheet.
  3. Spoon mixture on top of each bun half and bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.

Check out some of our other pizza inspired make ahead recipes:

Pizza Stuffed Chicken

Instant Pot Pizza Casserole

Tater Tot Pizza Casserole

Slow Cooker Pizza Casserole

Ham and Potato Casserole (freezer meal)

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Looking for a way to use up leftover ham? This casserole works beautifully for that. It is a simple and inexpensive ham and potato casserole that’s very family friendly. And it can be made as a freezer meal. white plate with cheesy potato cubes topped with red ketchup. Text reads "Ham and Potato freezer meal casserole"Tossing this into a freezer bag is so quick. If you have a lot of leftover ham after Thanksgiving or Easter, you can make several of these casseroles to freeze. 

Using frozen hash browns is a much faster way to throw together a meal with potatoes and they work better in a freezer meal. This is a trick I also use in our Beef Hash.

Ham and Potato Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups frozen hash browns (cubes)
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed ham (I use black forest ham, but you can also use leftover ham from a holiday meal if you have it)
  • 1/2 cup onions, chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Assembly instructions:

  1. Cube the ham. Chop the onions. Grate the cheese.
  2. Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to combine the ingredients well.
  3. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
  3. Dump the bag ingredients in. Bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes.

Most of my kids like to squeeze some ketchup on top of theirs. You can eat it plain, with ketchup, or with hot sauce. 

This is one of those recipes where you can’t really go wrong. You can change it up by adding a different type of cheese, topping with breading, or adding your favourite seasonings.

Print
Ham and Potato Casserole
Course: Main Course
Keyword: ham, potato
Servings: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 cups frozen hash browns cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed ham
  • 1/2 cup onions chopped
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • 10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Cube the ham. Chop the onions. Grate the cheese.
  2. Add all ingredients to a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to combine the ingredients well.
  3. Remove excess air and seal. Freeze.
Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.
  3. Dump the bag ingredients in. Bake at 375° for 50-55 minutes.

You might want to try these other family friendly freezer meals:

Easy Beef Hash

Chicken Asparagus Bake

Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casserole

Buffalo Ribs in the Instant Pot (freezer meal)

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This simple Instant Pot recipe has just a few ingredients but is so tasty. Make Buffalo Ribs as a meal or to serve as a game day snack. If you like buffalo wings but want to change it up a bit, this is a great way to go.

ribs sit in a red basket with a bottle of Frank's hot sauce in the background. Text reads "Buffalo Ribs freezer meal"You can serve these along an assortment of our other game day make ahead recipes such as Hot Roast Beef or Ham Sandwiches or KFC Style Chicken.

Buffalo Ribs Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 rack of ribs (approximately 2 lbs.)
  • 1 cup buffalo sauce, plus more for serving
  • salt and pepper to taste

For cooking day:

  • 1 cup water

Assembly instructions:

  1. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. 
  2. Place in a large resealable freezer bag.
  3. Pour in the buffalo sauce and squish to coat.
  4. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Instant Pot cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Place the ribs in the Instant Pot.
  3. Add the water and secure the lid on your Instant Pot.
  4. Set the timer for 25 minutes on manual.
  5. Do a natural release.
  6. Serve brushed with additional buffalo sauce.

I prefer using Frank’s Red Hot Wings as the sauce, but feel free to use whatever your favourite brand of buffalo sauce is. 

If you want, you can sprinkle a bit of parsley on the ribs before serving. And if you like things spicy, you can of course add more of the buffalo sauce.

Print
Instant Pot Buffalo Ribs
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
 
Course: Main Course
Keyword: ribs
Ingredients
  • 1 rack ribs approximately 2 lbs.
  • 1 cup buffalo sauce plus more for serving
  • salt and pepper to taste
For cooking day:
  • 1 cup water
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Season the ribs with salt and pepper.
  2. Place in a large resealable freezer bag.
  3. Pour in the buffalo sauce and squish to coat.
  4. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
Instant Pot cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Place the ribs in the Instant Pot.
  3. Add the water and secure the lid on your Instant Pot.
  4. Set the timer for 25 minutes on manual.
  5. Do a natural release.
  6. Serve brushed with additional buffalo sauce.

You might also be interested in these make ahead Instant Pot recipes: 

Instant Pot Shrimp Boil

Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes

Philly Chicken Sandwiches

Crock Pot Jambalaya Soup (freezer meal)

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Experience the Creole flavours of Jambalaya in a bowl with this Crock Pot Jambalaya soup. This recipe is on the spicy side, but not in an overpowering way. It can be adjusted for those who like things extra spicy by adding extra cayenne in the recipe or by adding hot sauce when it’s served.black bowl with shrimp, sausage, vegetables, liquid with a spoon. Text reads "Jambalaya Inspired Soup"Growing up in a meat and potatoes type of family, I had never heard of Jambalaya, but in my teen years, I would sometimes go to a restaurant where if any person ordered Jambalaya, the entire wait staff and kitchen would all shout out “Jambalaya” at the top of their lungs. Naturally, this made me curious. What could this mysterious dish be and what would it taste like?

Also, I liked hearing this cheerful chorus ring out through the restaurant and wanted to hear it again. So I ordered it for myself and got to taste a new blend of flavours. I was an immediate fan. Since then, I’ve tried many variations on the classic cajun dish including this soup.

Jambalaya Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb. hot breakfast sausage slices, cooked and quartered
  • 1/2 lb. cajun spiced smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1/2 lb. precooked shrimp, frozen, tails removed
  • 3 medium stalks celery, coarsely sliced
  • 3 medium carrots, coarsely sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1/2 small head of cabbage, sliced and coarsely chopped
  • 4 oz. jar sliced pimentos
  • 1 cup Burgundy wine
  • 1 1/4 tsp. paprika
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 tsp. coarse salt
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano or Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. basil 
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. thyme 
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

For cooking day:

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Assembly instructions:

  1. Chop the vegetables and cook and cut the meats.
  2. Place the prepared meat, vegetables, and all other ingredients and seasonings (except for the water and cornstarch) in a large resealable bag. 
  3. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze. 

Crock pot cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump all the ingredients from the bag into a slow cooker.
  3. Mix the cornstarch and water and pour over the ingredients in the Crock Pot.
  4. Cook on high for four hours.
  5. Serve warm with Louisiana hot sauce your favourite hot sauce on the side for the spice lovers. 

Stovetop cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Just simmer the soup in a large pot on the stovetop over medium high heat, stirring periodically until the vegetables have softened to your liking.
  3. Serve warm with hot sauce on the side.

Note that traditionally, Jambalaya has rice. If you want to add rice to this recipe, it’s a nice addition and it stretches out the meal to make it more filling and more economical as it feeds more people that way. Just be sure to add more liquid to compensate.

Is Jambalaya Cajun or Creole?

Well, this question is a tricky one because the answer is, it’s both. The general rule of thumb is that if the dish is reddish or orange in colour, it’s Creole. If it’s brown, it’s Cajun. This is because of the blend of spices used. Either way, it’s always delicious!

What do I serve with Jambalaya soup?

This soup is hearty enough to be served on its own as a meal, but if you want to add a side, here are some simple suggestions:

Print
Jambalaya Soup
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Cajun
Keyword: soup
Ingredients
  • 1/2 lb. hot breakfast sausage slices cooked and quartered
  • 1/2 lb. cajun spiced smoked sausage sliced
  • 1/2 lb. precooked shrimp frozen, tails removed
  • 3 medium stalks celery coarsely sliced
  • 3 medium carrots coarsely sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 8 oz. tomato sauce
  • 1/2 small head of cabbage sliced and coarsely chopped
  • 4 oz. jar sliced pimentos
  • 1 cup Burgundy wine
  • 1 1/4 tsp. paprika
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 tsp. coarse salt
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano or Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. basil
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. thyme
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
For cooking day:
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Chop the vegetables and cook and cut the meats.
  2. Place the prepared meat, vegetables, and all other ingredients and seasonings (except for the water and cornstarch) in a large resealable bag.
  3. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
Crock pot cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump all the ingredients from the bag into a slow cooker.
  3. Mix the cornstarch and water and pour over the ingredients in the Crock Pot.
  4. Cook on high for four hours.
  5. Serve warm with Louisiana hot sauce your favourite hot sauce on the side for the spice lovers.
Stovetop cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Just simmer the soup in a large pot on the stovetop over medium high heat, stirring periodically until the vegetables have softened to your liking.
  3. Serve warm with hot sauce on the side.
Recipe Notes

Note: Traditionally, Jambalaya has rice in it so feel free to add rice to the recipe, but be sure to add more liquid to compensate. 

Check out some of our other hearty make ahead soups:

Chunky Cream of Chicken SoupHearty Hamburger Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup