Freezer Meals 101

Lasagna Soup

Soup is a great dinner option, no matter what time of year it is. And if you’re a fan of meal prepping, you know how convenient soup can be. Just compile the soup ingredients and toss them in the freezer to quickly and easily prepare a delicious dinner. This quick and easy freezer lasagna soup recipe is one of those amazing make ahead dinner ideas that you’ll want to prepare over and over again. In addition to being packed with flavour, this delicious dish is also super simple to prepare.This freezer meal combines the flavours of traditional lasagna without the work of layering the ingredients. It was my attempt to create a lazier version of the original! It’s truly a win-win.

Freezer Lasagna Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb. browned ground beef or cooked ground Italian sausage
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
3 cloves garlic, minced
crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 onion, diced
900 mL chicken or beef broth
2x 15 oz. cans fire roasted tomatoes
5 oz. can tomato paste

For day of serving:

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Ricotta cheese
5 lasagna noodles

Assembly instructions:

Brown the hamburger or ground sausage in a large skillet.
Allow the meat to cool, then combine it with the oregano, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, bay leaves, fennel seed, nutmeg, onion, broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste in a large freezer bag.
Remove excess air from the bag and seal. Flatten the bag and store in the freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw the meat mixture in the refrigerator.
Pour the ingredients into a large stovetop pot and cook over medium heat until boiling.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
Add broken lasagna noodles and cook until noodles are softened.
When ready to serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top each bowl with some ricotta and Parmesan cheese.

What Are the Best Containers to Freeze Soup in?

I love using freezer bags to freeze all my meals because they allow you to conserve space in your freezer. But there are a few other great options for freezing soup if you’re worried your recipe might leak out of the bag before it freezes or as thaws.

Freezer safe plastic containers. Plastic containers with airtight lights are a great option for storing liquid ingredients in the freezer. Make sure your containers are safe to use in the freezer, then fill them up with your soup mixture. After placing the lid on top, just store your soup in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy it.
Glass freezer dishes. Glass dishes are another good option for storing your soup in the freezer. To ensure your soup doesn’t spill, make sure your glass dish has an airtight lid on top.
Mason jars. Since glass mason jars are safe in the freezer, they make great storage containers for soup. Use a large jar to store your soup until it’s ready to be eaten, making sure the lid is screwed on tightly to prevent leaks.

How Do You Freeze Soup in a Resealable Bag?

Using freezer bags is my favourite way to store freezer meals, no matter what the meal is made up of. And while it may seem difficult to store soup in a bag, it’s actually a pretty simple process once you get the hang of it. Follow these easy steps for storing your soup in the freezer:

Use a bag holder for easy pouring. The hardest part about storing soup in freezer bags is getting the soup into the bag. A bag holder, which has clips to hold the freezer bag in place, is a great way to ensure you don’t make a mess as you’re pouring your soup into the bag. If you don’t have a bag holder, try folding the top of the bag over to create a bowl shape, then slowly adding the soup using a measuring cup or ladle.
Remove as much air as possible. To keep your soup from getting freezer burn, make sure to remove as much air as possible from the bag before you store it. This will help keep the bag flat as it freezes and keep the air inside the bag from damaging your food while it’s being stored.
Freeze on a flat surface. Since the contents of the bag will likely move around before it freezes solid, it’s important to store your soup on a flat surface until it’s frozen. If you have room in your freezer, try placing the bag on the floor of your freezer or on a flat shelf. You can also place the bag on top of a baking sheet to ensure it freezes completely flat.
Don’t forget to label the bag! Once the bag is frozen, it’s going to be difficult to tell what’s inside. That’s why it’s essential that you label each bag before you place it in the freezer. In addition to writing down the name of the recipe, it’s also a good idea to jot down the reheating instructions and the date you put the dish in the freezer. This will help you know which recipes need to be prepared first and how to prepare the recipe once it’s out of the freezer.

Lasagna Soup

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: lasagna soup, soup

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef or ground Italian sausage browned
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
3 cloves garlic minced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 onion diced
900 mL chicken or beef broth
30 oz. fire roasted tomatoes
5 oz. can tomato paste

For day of serving:

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup Ricotta cheese
5 lasagna noodles

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Brown the hamburger or ground sausage in a large skillet.
Allow the meat to cool, then combine it with the oregano, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, bay leaves, fennel seed, nutmeg, onion, broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste in a large freezer bag.
Remove excess air from the bag and seal. Flatten the bag and store in the freezer until ready to eat.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Pour the ingredients into a large stovetop pot and cook over medium heat until boiling.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add broken lasagna noodles and cook until noodles are softened.
When ready to serve, spoon the soup into bowls and top each bowl with some ricotta and Parmesan cheese.

Some of our other popular make ahead soups:

Beef Stir Fry Freezer Packs

By Sharla

Stir fry is a great option when looking for quick and easy freezer meals. In addition to being made up of freezer-friendly components like meat and vegetables, there’s no cooking involved in your freezer meal prep! That makes this freezer stir fry one of my favourite quick and easy meal prep recipes. You only need a handful of simple ingredients to prepare this freezer meal, which makes it a great choice for a quick weeknight dinner. Simply toss the ingredients in a freezer bag, then thaw and reheat when you’re ready to cook. That’s all you need to do to create this simple make-ahead dinner!

How to Make Freezer Stir Fry Bags:

Ingredients:

pack of beef strips
1 cup frozen broccoli florets
1 cup sliced yellow and red peppers
½ cup sliced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1/2 cup oyster sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup water
salt and pepper

For day of cooking:

2 tsp. corn starch

Assembly instructions:

Place all ingredients except the corn starch in a large freezer bag
Remove excess air from the bag, seal, then place in the freezer.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw the frozen ingredients completely, then heat in a skillet over the stovetop.
While cooking, whisk in two teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Serve over noodles or rice.

Does Stir Fry Freeze Well?

Stir fry is a great option for freezer meals because all the components of the recipe are freezer-friendly, including:

Meat: You can use beef or chicken in this stir fry recipe, making it a versatile way to complete your meal prep for the week. No matter what type of protein you use, simply slice the meat into thin strips and place them directly in the freezer bag. There’s no need to cook the meat before freezing it.
Vegetables: Using frozen vegetables is a great way to speed up the prep time of your stir fry. You can also add raw vegetables, like sliced peppers and onions, directly to your freezer bag before placing it in the freezer.
Sauce: Create a sauce and marinade for your stir fry by adding the stir fry sauce directly to the freezer bag before freezing. Simply combine all the ingredients of the sauce, then pour it in the bag and shake to cover the meat and vegetables evenly and completely before placing the bag in the freezer.

What is the Best Way to Freeze Stir Fry?

There are two different methods for freezing your stir fry, depending on the time you have to prepare your dinner. Try these tips for freezing your beef stir fry:

All in one freezer bag. The quickest way to prepare your stir fry for freezing is to simply dump it in a freezer bag, seal, and freeze. After you have all your ingredients prepped, just add everything to a freezer bag or freezer safe container. Toss until the ingredients are coated in sauce, then flatten the bag and place it in the freezer until frozen.

Par-freezing the ingredients. When freezing all the ingredients into one bag, you run the risk of the ingredients clumping and sticking together. That makes it difficult to cook and takes the ingredients longer to thaw. If you have a little extra time available to prep your stir fry, try par-freezing your ingredients before placing them in the freezer bag. Follow these steps to par-freeze your stir fry:

After chopping your vegetables and meat, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the freezer until the ingredients are frozen.
Pour the frozen ingredients into a zip-top bag.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a smaller freezer bag. Seal the bag and add it to the larger bag with the frozen meat and veggies.
Press out all the air from the bag and flatten the ingredients, then store the bag in the freezer until you’re ready to cook.

Stir Fry Recipe Variations

Once you’ve made this simple recipe, you can change up the ingredients to suit your family’s tastes. Try these recipe variations to create a delicious dinner for your family:

Change up the meat. Beef stir fry is a great choice for dinner, but there are other meats you can include in your stir fry to change up the flavour. Try adding sliced chicken breast or frozen shrimp to your meal.
Add more veggies. There are a variety of other vegetables you can add to your stir fry to increase the servings and bulk up the meal. Try adding chopped celery, sliced carrots, frozen green beans, water chestnuts, or frozen corn.
Spice up the sauce. Up the flavour of your stir fry by adding some spiciness to the sauce. If your family likes spicy dishes, try mixing in some chopped jalapeño. Or for more subtle heat, mix in red pepper flakes or sriracha into the sauce.

Beef Freezer Stir Fry Bags

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: stir-fry

Ingredients

package beef strips
1 cup broccoli florets frozen
1 cup yellow and red peppers sliced
½ cup onion sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1/2 cup oyster sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup water
salt and pepper to taste

For day of cooking:

2 tsp. corn starch

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Place all ingredients except the corn starch in a large freezer bag
Remove excess air from the bag, seal, then place in the freezer.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw the frozen ingredients completely, then heat in a skillet over the stovetop.
While cooking, whisk in two teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Serve over noodles or rice.

Check out these other simple skillet freezer meals:

Egg Roll in a Bowl (freezer meal)

By Sharla

Egg rolls are delicious dinner option. But they’re also time-consuming to prepare. What if you could enjoy all the flavours of an egg roll without all that hard work? This egg roll in a bowl recipe has that egg roll flavour you’re craving without all the rolling.

And the best part about this simple dinner idea is that it’s perfect for freezing! Follow these easy instructions for making your own freezer meal to help speed up your dinner prep.

Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. ground pork or ground Italian sausage, browned
1 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz. bag coleslaw mix (I like the colourful one)
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1-2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil

Assembly instructions:

Add the browned ground pork, diced onion, minced garlic, coleslaw mix, and shredded carrots to a large freezer bag.
Season with the onion powder, red pepper flakes, and ginger.
Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and olive oil.
Remove excess air from the bag and seal it. Squeeze the bag a few times to mix the ingredients together, then place it flat in the freezer.

Cooking instructions:

Allow the ingredients to thaw completely.
Add the contents of the bag to a large skillet. Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Serve with sliced green onions on the top, if desired.

Egg Roll Bowl Recipe Ideas

Once you have the basic egg roll bowl prepared, there are so many different ways you can enjoy it! Try one of these egg roll bowl recipe variations the next time you whip up this quick and easy freezer meal:

Serve over rice. Create even more servings for your dinner with the help of rice. Steam enough rice to make one serving for each member of your family, then top the rice with your egg roll bowl mixture.
Add more veggies. Another simple way to enhance your egg roll bowl is to add more vegetables the meal. Stir fry veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and zucchini all make great additions to your egg roll bowl.
Use different meat. You can easily swap out the ground pork for another meat depending on your family’s preferences. Ground meat, like beef or turkey, is a good choice because it’s quick and easy to cook in bulk. Or use shredded chicken in place of ground pork for a different variation on this easy dish.

Can You Freeze Egg Roll Filling?

You’ve probably seen egg rolls in the freezer section of your grocery store before, but have you ever wondered if you can freeze the filling of those egg rolls? All the ingredients inside your egg rolls are freezer-friendly, which means you can absolutely freeze egg roll filling! These simple tips will help you make your egg roll bowl ahead of time and store it in your freezer until you’re ready to enjoy it.

Egg Roll in a Bowl Tips:

Cook the meat before freezing. Adding raw meat to the veggies when you store your egg roll filling in the freezer will contaminate the other ingredients. That’s why it’s important to take the time to cook your meat before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Brown your ground pork or sauté your chicken before freezing to ensure your egg roll filling is safe to eat when you take it out of the freezer.
Allow the meat to cool completely before mixing with other ingredients. After cooking your meat, it’s a good idea to allow it to cool before adding the veggies to the bag. Placing tender vegetables, like the cabbage in the coleslaw mix, in a freezer bag with hot meat will cause the cabbage to wilt.
Remove excess air to prevent freezer burn. Once you have all your ingredients added to your freezer bag, take a minute to press out as much extra air from the bag as possible. This will prevent freezer burn on the egg roll ingredients.
Freeze until ready to eat. You can store your egg roll in a bowl in the freezer for up to three months before you need to reheat and eat it.
Allow to thaw before cooking. For best results, it’s a good idea to let your egg roll filling thaw completely before cooking it. This will make it easier to cook the ingredients and ensure everything is cooked evenly. To thaw your egg roll filling, place it in the refrigerator 24 hours before you plan on cooking it.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator. After cooking your egg roll filling, you should store your leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Leftover egg roll bowl ingredients can be kept up to four days when refrigerated.

Some of our easy other skillet freezer meals:

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. ground pork or ground Italian sausage browned
1 cup onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
16 oz. bag coleslaw mix
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1-2 tsp. ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Add all ingredients to a large freezer bag.
Remove excess air. Seal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

Thaw.
Add bag contents to a large skillet. Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat.

Recipe Notes

If desired, sprinkle with some sliced green onions before serving.

Cheesy Crock Pot Jalapeño Corn Casserole

By Sharla

When planning your freezer meals for the month, you probably put a lot of focus on your main dishes. But adding a few freezer side dishes to your menu is a great way to include a flavourful addition to your meal. This cheesy jalapeño corn casserole can be reheated in the slow cooker, making it a great choice for your next make ahead meal.

Crock Pot Jalapeño Corn Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients:

28 oz. frozen corn
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 jalapeño, finely diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt, pepper

Freezing instructions:

Add the frozen corn, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, jalapeño, butter, and heavy cream to a large freezer bag.
Remove excess air from the bag. Seal and freeze.

Serving instructions:

On day of cooking, dump all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for three to four hours, stirring partway through to combine all the ingredients.
Serve.

How Do You Melt Cream Cheese in the Crock Pot?

You might be wondering how this freezer side dish will come together if all the ingredients are simply dumped into the crock pot to reheat. Since the slow cooker will melt the cream cheese as it warms, there’s no need to pre-mix your ingredients before adding them to your crock pot.

To be sure your corn casserole is thoroughly mixed before you serve it, you can remove the lid from the slow cooker to stir the ingredients together halfway through the cook time. Otherwise, just allow the casserole to cook for the time specified in the recipe, then stir the ingredients together until they’re smooth before you’re ready to serve your side.

How Do You Cut a Jalapeño?

Dicing a spicy pepper can be tricky! And since this recipe uses a finely diced jalapeño, it’s probably a good idea to learn the best way to cut your pepper. Follow these simple tips to learn the right way to dice a jalapeño:

Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin. Plastic gloves are the best way to keep the pepper’s juice from getting on your skin, which could cause a reaction if your skin is sensitive to the pepper’s capsaicin.
Cut off the stem to remove the seeds. The seeds of the jalapeño are what give it it’s spice. So, if you want your jalapeño corn to be spicy, you can leave some seeds intact. Otherwise, start by cutting off the stem of the pepper, then slice the pepper in half lengthwise. Use your finger or a small spoon to scrape the seeds off each side and discard.
Slice, then dice the pepper. Once the seeds are removed, slice the pepper into thin strips. Line up all the strips together into a bunch and dice them into small cubes to add to your casserole.

Check out some of our other make ahead side dishes:

Crock Pot Jalapeño Corn Casserole

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: corn, corn casserole

Ingredients

28 oz. frozen corn
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
1 jalapeño finely diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Freezing instructions:

Add the frozen corn, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, jalapeño, butter, and heavy cream to a large freezer bag.
Remove excess air from the bag. Seal and freeze.

Cooking instructions:

On day of cooking, dump all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for three to four hours, stirring partway through.
Serve.

Ham and Cheese Sliders Make Ahead Sandwiches

By Sharla

Ham and cheese sliders are a classic party snack that’s perfect for a variety of occasions. On top of being a delicious dinner idea, these mini sandwiches are perfect for youth group events, camping, and potlucks, too! But the best part about these delicious snacks is that you can make them ahead of time! These freezer-friendly sandwiches can be made up to six months in advance and stored in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy them. We love bringing these bunwiches camping with us. In a pinch, you can even cook them on the grate on the fire.

In the video below, you can watch how these sliders are made as well as get other ideas for make ahead camping meals such as our individually wrapped hot beef sandwiches.

How to Make Ham and Cheese Sliders:

Ingredients:

dozen buns
12 slices deli ham
6 cheese slices (Swiss, cheddar, or marble)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 Tbsp. dried onion

Assembly Instructions:

Place the buns on a flat surface and slice the buns all together.
Put the bottom part of the buns in a 9×13 aluminum baking tray.
Layer ham and cheese on top of the buns, then place the top layer of buns over the cheese.
Mix up the dressing by combining the melted butter, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, honey, and dried onion in a small bowl. Spread the dressing mixture over the top of the buns.
Cover the tray with two layers of aluminum foil and store in the freezer until you’re ready to eat.

Serving Instructions:

Allow the sandwiches to thaw completely.
Preheat the oven to 350° and place the covered baking dish directly in the oven.
Bake the sandwiches for 20 minutes, until the buns are toasted and the cheese is melted.
To enjoy, just pull the sandwiches apart out of the tray and serve them to your guests.

Can You Make Sandwiches Ahead of Time?

Sandwiches can easily be made ahead of time to help cut down on your prep work. It’s especially helpful to make sandwiches in advance if you’re preparing them for an event or party. There are two different ways you can store your pre-made sandwiches depending on how soon you plan on eating them. You can store your sandwiches or sliders in the:

Refrigerator. If you will be eating your sandwiches within the next day or two, storing them in the refrigerator is a good option. Sandwiches can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two days. Make sure to cover your sandwiches and keep them chilled until you’re ready to eat them. And if your sandwich will have condiments or fresh vegetables on them, it’s a good idea to leave those elements off until you’re ready to serve them to keep the bread and veggies from getting soggy in the fridge.
Freezer. For long-term storage, freezing your sandwiches is a good option. Frozen sandwiches can last up to six months. Like sandwiches stored in the refrigerator, it’s not a good idea to freeze fresh vegetables on your sandwich. But you can add sauce and condiments to your frozen sliders, if you want. Before reheating your sandwiches, make sure to allow them to thaw completely for even cooking.

What Cheese Goes Best with Ham?

There are a variety of delicious cheese options you can choose from when you’re preparing your own sliders at home. Swiss cheese seems to be a popular choice when pairing with ham, but there are a few other cheese varieties that work well on these mini sandwiches, including:

Mozzarella
Cheddar Jack
Colby Jack
Cheddar
Monterey Jack
Pepper Jack
American
Provolone

What Kind of Bread do You Use for Sliders?

While any type of mini bun works well for sliders, this recipe works best if you have a batch of buns that are connected inside the package. There are a few different options to choose from, depending on your flavour preferences, but the most popular option for making these ham and cheese sliders are:

Hawaiian rolls. These sweet rolls come in a pack of 12 mini rolls, which are all connected in one sheet. You can easily build and bake your sandwiches by simply slicing the entire loaf in half at once.
Dinner rolls. You can also find dinner rolls in the same type of package as Hawaiian rolls. If you don’t like the sweetness of traditional Hawaiian bread, dinner rolls are a great alternative for your sliders.
Slider buns. While traditional slider buns won’t have the same pull-apart effect that rolls have, they’re another option for making these sandwiches. To use slider buns, you’ll need to prepare each individual sandwich and place it in the tray. After that, you can spread the sauce over the top and prepare as stated in the recipe.

Can You Freeze Hawaiian roll sliders?

You can easily freeze sliders made with Hawaiian rolls and reheat them when you’re ready to enjoy them. Simply follow the instructions for freezing these delicious sandwiches. Make sure to give your sandwiches plenty of time to thaw in the refrigerator before you bake them. It usually takes several hours for the sliders to completely thaw.

Once the sandwiches are thawed, preheat your oven to 350° and bake until the buns are toasty and the cheese is melted.

Ham and Cheese Sliders

Course: Sandwich

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sandwich

Servings: 12 buns

Ingredients

12 buns
12 slices deli ham
6 cheese slices Swiss, cheddar, or marble
1/2 cup butter melted
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 Tbsp. dried onion

Instructions

Assembly Instructions:

Place the buns on a flat surface and slice the buns all together.
Put the bottom part of the buns in a 9x13 aluminum baking tray.
Layer ham and cheese on top of the buns, then place the top layer of buns over the cheese.
Mix the dressing by combining the melted butter, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, honey, and dried onion in a small bowl.
Spread the dressing mixture over the top of the buns.
Cover the tray with two layers of aluminum foil and store in the freezer.

Serving Instructions:

Thaw.
Preheat the oven to 350° and place the covered baking dish directly in the oven.
Bake for 20 minutes, until the buns are toasted and the cheese is melted.
Pull the sandwiches apart out of the tray or slice and serve.

Check out these other meals that are great for making ahead to take camping or to potlucks: