Freezer Meals 101

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Freezer to Crock Pot

Southern-Style Ground Beef Casserole (freezer meal)

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Not only is this southern-style ground beef casserole an all-in-one dish, but it’s also a freezer meal so this is about as easy as dinner gets! It includes ground beef and vegetables and if you want, you can top it with cheese.large pot filled with food topped with melted cheese and white ladle. Text reads "Southern Style Ground Beef Casserole" #freezermeals101 #southernstyle #beefcasserole #freezercasserole #makeahead I love a good all-in-one casserole. As a busy mom, it’s so nice for supper to be as easy as possible. One dish means fewer dishes! And I’m all about making clean-up as fast as possible.

Southern-Style Ground Beef Casserole Recipe:

  • 1 lb. browned ground beef
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 3/4 cup green pepper, chopped
  • 15 oz. can kernel corn, drained
  • 14 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • optional: shredded cheese (cheddar or tex mex)

*Use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if you want to make this gluten-free.

collage of southern-style beef casserole in a freezer bag, with a scoop in a skillet and on a plate with cheese on topAssembly Instructions:

  1. Brown ground beef. Cool slightly and then add to a large resealable freezer bag.
  2. Add the chopped onion, diced green pepper, corn, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.
  3. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
  4. If you want to serve with cheese, place shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag, seal, and staple above the seal to the larger bag.

southern-style beef casserole in a bowl, topped with cheeseStovetop Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Heat in a pan until the desired temperature is reached. Cook on low in crockpot for 3-5 hours.
  3. If you want, you can top with shredded cheese before serving.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook on low in Crock-Pot® for 3-5 hours.
  3. If desired, top with cheese before serving.

plate with southern-style beef casserole, topped with cheese and a serving bowl full besidesIf you want, you can set out salsa, hot sauce, Thai Sweet Chili sauce, or ketchup. Some of us like to eat this plain while others (ahem…my kids!) like to slather it in the sauce of their choosing.

Print
Southern Style Ground Beef Casserole
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, casserole
Servings: 6
Calories: 214 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef browned
  • 1/2 cup onion chopped
  • 3/4 cup green pepper chopped
  • 15 oz. can kernel corn drained
  • 14 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • optional: shredded cheese cheddar or tex mex
Instructions
Assembly Instructions:

  1. Brown ground beef. Cool slightly and then add to a large resealable freezer bag.

  2. Add the chopped onion, diced green pepper, corn, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings.

  3. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

  4. If you want to serve with cheese, place shredded cheese in a medium freezer bag, seal, and staple above the seal to the larger bag.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Heat in a pan until the desired temperature is reached. Cook on low in crockpot for 3-5 hours.

  3. If you want, you can top with shredded cheese before serving.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Cook on low in Crock-Pot for 3-5 hours.

  3. If desired, top with cheese before serving.

Check out some of our other make-ahead casseroles:

Chicken Cordon Bleu Slow Cooker Casserolechicken cordon bleu being lifted from a dish with lots of cheese stretching from it

Stuffed Pepper Casseroleclose up of stuffed pepper casserole in an oven-safe dish

Beefy Rice Casseroleclose up of a bowl of beefy rice casserole with tomatoes

Hearty Hamburger Soup (freezer meal)

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Is there anything better on a cold day than homemade hamburger soup?! This soup has all your protein, barley, and veggies in one place, making it a simple family meal. bright orange bowl filled with chunky soup. Text reads "Hamburger Soup freezer meal" #freezermeals101 #hamburgersoup #freezermeal This hamburger soup recipe actually came about accidentally. Sometimes when my neighbor and I do our massive freezer meal marathons, we have some of our prepped ingredients left over at the end. Not wanting to have anything go to waste, we invent recipes at the end. Our Tex Mex Pasta Bake and Asian Rice Bowl are examples of recipes that came about the same way.

And now every time we are left with hamburgers and vegetables, we make this hamburger soup recipe. It’s become such a staple that we often cook up extra ground beef just for this. It’s also a really economical meal.

Hearty Hamburger Soup Recipe:

  • 1 lb. browned ground beef
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup barley
  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 1 tsp. parsley
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 cups beef broth*

*Be sure to add the beef broth last and hold the bag well while pouring to prevent spills!

collage of hamburger soup in the freezer bag, in a ladle coming out of the crock pot and in a bowlAssembly instructions:

  1. Brown ground beef.
  2. Chop vegetables.
  3. Place cooked beef, vegetables, and other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Be sure to add the beef broth last and hold the bag securely or have someone else hold the bag for this step so that it doesn’t spill.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Heat in a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.
  3. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

close up of hamburger soup with carrots, peas and tomatoes in a bowlCrock Pot Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.
  3. Remove the bay leaf prior to serving.

Serve soup with crusty bread or buns. If you want, you can also offer a side salad as well, but it has enough vegetables to be served without a salad.

Print
Hearty Hamburger Soup
Course: Soup
Keyword: beef, hamburger soup, soup
Servings: 6
Calories: 107 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. browned ground beef
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/2 cup barley
  • 1 cup carrots peeled and finely diced
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup celery diced
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • 1 tsp. parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 3 cups beef broth
Instructions
Assembly instructions:
  1. Brown ground beef.
  2. Chop vegetables.

  3. Place cooked beef, vegetables, and other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag. Be sure to add the beef broth last and hold the bag securely or have someone else hold the bag for this step so that it doesn't spill.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Heat in a large pot on stovetop over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.

You may be interested in these other make-ahead soup recipes:

Enchilada Soupclose up of enchilada soup garnished with parsley

Corn Chowder with Baconclose up of corn chowder with bacon soup

Spicy White Bean and Chicken Soupclose up of spicy white bean and chicken soup with cheese melted on top

Delicious Enchilada Soup (freezer meal)

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This delicious enchilada soup can be made either in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker. It’s hearty and healthy. I’ve been on a bit of an enchilada kick lately and this is a nice recipe for keeping that same flavor profile but changing things up a bit.

yellow bowl with creamy rose coloured soup on top and black slow cooker on bottom with chunky soup. Text reads "Enchilada Soup freezer to crock pot" #freezermeals101 #enchiladasoup #crockpotsoupI love having soups made ahead in the freezer. Whether it’s our vegetarian taco soup, homestyle chicken noodle, or Italian wedding soup, they hit the spot on a cold winter day, but they are also a great meal to cook on hot summer days without needing to turn the oven on.

This recipe is gluten-free. It can fit into a variety of diets.

close up of freezer bag filled with enchilada soup ingredientsSoups are also a great way to stretch a dollar as they can feed many and still keep you on budget.

Enchilada Soup Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
19 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
12 oz. can kernel corn (not drained)
2 cups enchilada sauce
4 cups chicken broth
salt
pepper

For the cooking day:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

collage of enchilada soup in the freezer bag, in a crockpot and in a bowlAssembly instructions:

  1. Put everything except for the cream, sour cream, and cheddar cheese in a freezer bag.
  2. Remove excess air. Seal and freeze.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook for 4-6 hours on low in the Crock-Pot.
  3. Shred the chicken.
  4. Add the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
  5. If you want, you can serve with tortilla strips and cilantro.

enchilada soup in a crock potInstant Pot Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump bag ingredients in the Instant Pot. Seal.
  3. Cook on manual for 20 minutes.
  4. Use quick release.
  5. Stir in the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
  6. Serve with tortilla strips and cilantro if desired.

bowl of enchilada soup garnished with parsleyIf you want, you can top this with shredded cheddar cheese or cubed avocado. Personally, I’m partial to avocado. Serve this soup with a side of bread or buns to create a complete meal.

Print
Enchilada Soup
Course: Main Course, Soup
Keyword: enchilada soup, soup
Servings: 6
Calories: 572 kcal
Ingredients
  • 3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
  • 2 tsp. garlic minced
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. hot sauce
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 red pepper chopped
  • 19 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 12 oz. can kernel corn not drained
  • 2 cups enchilada sauce
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • salt
  • pepper
For the cooking day:
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
Assembly instructions:

  1. Put everything except for the cream, sour cream, and cheddar cheese in a freezer bag.

  2. Remove excess air. Seal and freeze.
Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Cook for 4-6 hours on low in the Crock-Pot.

  3. Shred the chicken.

  4. Add the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

  5. Serve with tortilla strips and cilantro (optional).
Instant Pot Cooking instructions:
  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump bag ingredients in the Instant Pot. Seal.
  3. Cook on manual for 20 minutes.
  4. Use quick release.
  5. Stir in the cream, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
  6. Serve with tortilla strips and cilantro (optional).

Check out some of our other make-ahead soup recipes:

Vegetarian Taco Soupclose up of a spoon lifting some vegetarian taco soup out of a bowl

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soupclose up of homemade chicken noodle soup

Spinach and Sausage White Bean Soupclose up of spinach and sausage white bean soup with colored pasta

The Best Freezer Chili

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When we do our big freezer meal assembly days, we always try some new recipes and rotate through some of our favorites, but this Chili is one of the recipes that we make every single time. Because it really is the best freezer chili recipe of all time. I would venture to say that it may in fact be the best chili recipe ever. blue bowl with chunky ground beef chili topped with white sour cream. Text reads "The Very Best Freezer Chili Recipe" #freezermeals101 @verybestchili #makeaheadMy neighbor Christie and I get together to do our marathon freezer meal prep sessions. I was telling her how good my chili was the first time we got together for meal assembly and I could tell that she was skeptical, but she texted me after her family tried the chili and let me know that this would be the only chili recipe we would use from now on.

I occasionally make other chilis for the freezer such as White Chicken Chili, Taco Chili, and Thick and Chunky Beef Chili, but always in addition to this one, never instead of. It’s just that good!

While I haven’t entered the recipe in a chili contest, over the years, friends and family have all asked me to share the secret to this meal and told me that it’s the best chili they’ve ever had. I often set out a Crock-Pot® of it for birthday parties and family gatherings. I sometimes use vegetarian Mexican Ground Round in place of the beef. close up of freezer chili with a dollop of sour creamThe recipe is one that is almost as old as my marriage. It’s the first meal I attempted to make for my new husband. I used a cookbook we had gotten as a wedding gift. Over the years, I’ve adapted it and tweaked it and this is the result.

The Best Freezer Chili Recipe:

  • 1 1/2 lbs. browned ground beef
  • 1 onion, coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 19 oz. can kidney beans with liquid
  • 14 oz. can Heinz chili style beans with liquid*
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid
  • 5 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • dash pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup (this is my secret ingredient!)

*Note: The chili-style beans can be hard to find. If your grocery store doesn’t carry them, you can substitute pinto beans instead.

collage of freezer chili in a bag, on a spoon being lifted from a crockpot and in a bowlAssembly instructions:

  1. Put all ingredients in a large resealable bag and squish them together to combine. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Stovetop Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Heat in a large pot over medium heat until the desired temperature is reached.
  3. Allow it to simmer so that the flavors meld.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.

ladle lifting some freezer chili from a crock potThis Chili recipe is one of the meals featured in our Soups and Stews Freezer Meal Plan. The Menu Plans include recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels.

Recipe notes and suggestions:

To make this dish vegetarian/vegan, substitute Mexican Ground Round for the beef.

This chili is gluten-free and dairy-free.

If you want, you can top it with sour cream, shredded cheese, or cubed avocado.

bag with freezer chili

Print
The Best Freezer Chili
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili
Servings: 6
Calories: 226 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef browned
  • 1 onion coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 19 oz. can kidney beans with liquid
  • 14 oz. can Heinz chili style beans with liquid*
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid
  • 5 1/2 oz. can tomato paste
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • dash pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
Instructions
Assembly instructions:

  1. Put all ingredients in a large resealable bag and squish them together to combine. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

Stovetop Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.

  2. Heat in a large pot over medium heat until the desired temperature is reached.

  3. Allow it to simmer so that the flavors meld.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Cook in the slow cooker on low for 3-5 hours.

Recipe Notes

The chili-style beans can be hard to find. If your grocery store doesn't carry them, you can substitute pinto beans instead.

Check out some of our other make-ahead chili recipes:

Instant Pot White Chicken Chilicup of white chicken chili topped with sour cream

Taco Chili Freezer Mealbowl of taco chili garnished with cheese and dill

Thick and Chunky Beef Chilibowl of thick and chunky hearty chili topped with tortilla chips

Philly Chicken Sandwiches (Freezer Meal)

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These Philly Chicken Sandwiches can be cooked in the Crock-Pot® or Instant Pot and are an easy make-ahead lunch idea. They are a nice change from the usual PB&J.

chicken and vegetables in a bag on top with shredded chicken filling and cheese on top of a bun and text that reads "Philly Chicken Sandwiches" #freezermeals101 #phillychicken #freezersandwich #makeahead #chickendinner

I find it especially helpful to have things in the freezer for the kids to take for school lunches. You can meal prep the week of lunches by cooking the filling for these sandwiches on the weekend and then putting the sandwiches together on weekdays. Then you can add in snacks from the freezer such as homemade granola bars and muffins to round out the lunch.

Philly Chicken Sandwiches Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 green pepper, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 an onion, sliced
  • 2 tsp. seasoning salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 8 slices provolone cheese

For cooking day:

  • 8 hoagie buns

freezer bag with ingredients to make philly chicken sandwichesAssembly instructions:

  1. Place the slices of provolone in a medium freezer bag.
  2. Place chicken and all the other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.
  3. Remove excess air and seal. Staple the medium and large bags together above the seal and freeze.

Slow Cooker Cooking Instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Put the ingredients from the large bag in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
  3. Shred the meat. Place the filling on the hoagie rolls and top each one with a slice of cheese. If you want, you can microwave or place it in the oven for a short time just to melt the cheese.

collage of process to make philly chicken sandwiches, in the freezer bag, in the Instant Pot, being shredded and on a bunInstant Pot Cooking instructions:

  1. Thaw.
  2. Dump the contents of the large bag in the Instant Pot and seal.
  3. Cook for 12 minutes on manual and do a natural release.
  4. Shred the meat. I find it’s easiest to do this right in the Instant Pot. I use my meat masher for this.
  5. Place the filling on the hoagie rolls and top each with a slice of the Provolone.

Notes about this recipe:

You can substitute hot dog buns in place of the hoagie buns if that’s what you have on hand.

Sliced provolone is traditionally the type of cheese used on Philly Cheesesteaks but if you’d prefer, you can substitute cheddar or mozzarella.

This recipe and others are included in our Lunch Freezer Meal Plan. Each menu plan has recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels to make meal planning simple.

Print
Philly Chicken Sandwiches
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Philly chicken, sandwich
Servings: 8
Calories: 206 kcal
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 green pepper sliced
  • 1 red pepper sliced
  • 1/2 an onion sliced
  • 2 tsp. seasoning salt
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 8 slices provolone cheese
For cooking day:
  • 8 hoagie buns
Instructions
Assembly instructions:

  1. Place the slices of provolone in a medium freezer bag.

  2. Place chicken and all the other ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.

  3. Remove excess air and seal. Staple the medium and large bags together above the seal and freeze.

Slow Cooker instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Put the ingredients from the large bag in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

  3. Shred the meat. Place the filling on the hoagie rolls and top each one with a slice of cheese. If you want, you can microwave or place it in the oven for a short time just to melt the cheese.

Instant Pot instructions:
  1. Thaw.

  2. Dump the contents of the large bag in the Instant Pot and seal.

  3. Cook for 12 minutes on manual and do a natural release.

  4. Shred the meat. Do this right in the Instant Pot with a meat masher.

  5. Place the filling on the hoagie rolls and top each with a slice of the Provolone cheese.

Be sure to take a look at these other make-ahead lunch ideas:

Corn Dog Mini Muffinspile of corndog mini muffins ready for lunch

Beef and Bean Burritosclose up of beef and bean burritos with salsa and cheese on top

Make-Ahead Mac and Cheesefork lifting mac and cheese from a bowl