Freezer Meals for One
Freezer cooking is a great solution for those who live alone or even for those in families who just want individual meals to take to work for lunches. One of the most common things I get asked about is how to make freezer meals for just one or two people.
There are many of my readers who are interested in making freezer meals for seniors who live alone or for young adults just moving out on their own. Whether you’re wanting to make meals for yourself, a friend, your parent, or your child, I’ve got all the tips you need to make single serving freezer meals.
These ideas also work well for weekly or monthly meal prep for singles or couples.
I recently put together meals for my mother-in-law and for my dad. They were simple, easy to reheat, and perfect for one person. You can see how I made them step by step in the video below:
Containers for individual freezer meals:
Individual plastic containers – These containers are great for meal prep because they are freezable, microwaveable, and dishwasher safe.
Medium sized (quart size) freezer bags – Plastic freezer bags or reusable silicone bags are a versatile option for freezing meals in smaller portions.
Souper Cubes – These containers are designed for freezer cooking. They are particularly good for soups and stews. You can get them in 1/2 cup, 1 cup, and 2 cup sizes. The 2 cup trays are perfect for things such as individual lasagnas.
Mason Jars – If you use mason jars for soups or stews, be sure to leave space at the top because the liquid will expand as it freezes.
Small foil containers – Foil containers with lids are particularly handy for dishes that need to be cooked in the oven such as pasta bakes, enchiladas, or casseroles.
When it comes to containers, the important thing to remember is to ensure to get out all the extra air that you can. In freezer cooking, air is what causes freezer burn.
Freezer Meal Recipes for One or Two:
These are some of the best make ahead recipes I’ve found that adapt well to being made into individual dinners.
Beef and Bean Burritos – These are all individually wrapped so they can be pulled out one at a time.
Chicken Fried Rice – Make the full recipe and divide into individual containers. Since everything has already been cooked ahead, these dishes will only need to be reheated making them ideal for taking as a work lunch or for dinner.
Chili – I recently made individual keto meals for my husband and I used Souper Cubes to take his keto chili recipe and make 1 cup portions for him to take out as needed.
Simplest Butter Chicken – When I “make” this in single portions, I precook the chicken and I also cook up some basmati or jasmine rice. I then put the butter chicken on on side of the container, the cooked rice on the other, and some frozen peas in the middle. This creates a full balanced meal.
Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas – When I make these for my mother-in-law, I place three enchiladas in a small foil container and then pour the enchilada sauce and shredded cheese on top before adding the lid and freezing.
Mini Meatloaves – These meatloaf muffins are ideal for single servings!
Blue Cheese Hamburgers – Take out one patty at a time to cook up for a great summer meal.
Chicken Asparagus Bake – This is another recipe where all the ingredients are cooked ahead of time. Once you spoon this into individual containers and freeze, each will only need to be reheated.
Hamburger Soup – Simmer the soup on the stove before transferring cooled soup into mason jars or medium sized freezer bags. Pull out and reheat on a chilly day.
Make Ahead Mac and Cheese – Put in smaller containers that can be baked.
Stir Fry Packs – Simply pack these in several quart sized bags instead of one gallon one and then take out and fry up to serve with rice. Such an easy meal!
More freezer meals for one (or two):
- Cheesy Turkey Sausage Pasta
- Ranch Chicken Tenders
- Vegetarian Taco Soup
- Individual Chicken Pot Pies
- Meatballs
- Mini Pizzas
- Sloppy Joes
Freezer Breakfast Recipes for One or Two People:
- Smoothie Bags
- Pancake Mini Muffins
- Breakfast Sausage Hand Pies
- Scrambled Egg Bites
- Breakfast Sandwiches
- Breakfast Burritos
How to make single serving freezer meals:
- Sit down and plan out which recipes you want to make.
- Make a grocery list with the ingredients you’ll need.
- Ensure that you have the containers you’ll need.
- Make space in your freezer.
- Shop for the ingredients (and containers if you don’t already have them).
- Prep all similar ingredients together (brown the ground beef, cook and cube the chicken, cut the onions and other vegetables, shred the cheese, cook the rice, etc.)
- Set aside a few hours or an entire day to assemble the meals. The time needed will depend on how many recipes you’re making and how involved the recipes are.
- Clean up.
- Enjoy not having to cook again for a long time!
It’s always more fun to do this with a friend or family member. Get some music playing to keep your energy up, drink plenty of water, and wear good running shoes to protect your feet and back from getting sore. It will be worth it!
With these tips, you will fill your freezer with meals to last you several weeks or even months.
If you’re looking to easily meal plan, the Freezer Meals 101 Club has hundreds of tried and true freezer meal recipes and allows you to create a shopping list, prep list, and printable labels at the click of a button. What makes it perfect for those cooking for one or two is that you can adjust the serving size of any recipe in the Club and it will automatically update the instructions and shopping list!
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