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Freezer Meals 101

Less time cooking, more time living

Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies

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The Instant Pot is slowly growing on me, although I have to admit that I still think of using the crock pot more often out of habit. My friend Michelle had to walk me through how to use it because I’m still new at this. It is more complicated than just plopping the food in and touching a button, but I can see how convenient it is and how much faster it makes cooking. This Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies is a great one pot meal that includes everything. Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies - this is such an easy one pot freezer meal for the Instant Pot #freezermeals101 #freezermeals #instantpot #easyrecipes #familydinner #chickenrecipes

Since this recipe includes the chicken and the vegetables, it really takes the thinking out of making dinner. This is quick and easy but manages to taste good as well.

My husband was impressed by how juicy the chicken was in this recipe. The vegetables hold their texture really well in this dish. You can also change up the flavours by using different varieties of frozen mixed vegetables.

Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies recipe:

  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 475 mL bottle of zesty Italian dressing
  • 1 tsp dried red pepper flakes
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 12 oz. frozen Italian veggies

When putting this together as a freezer meal, place the chicken and all the other ingredients together in a large resealable bag. Squish to combine everything and seal after removing the excess air. Freeze. 

On the day of cooking, take the bag out of the freezer and thaw. Place the bag contents into your Instant Pot. Lock the cover and seal the steam nozzle.

Cook on manual high for 10 minutes. Allow it to natural release for 7 minutes before doing a quick release. This is what it will look like when you remove the lid: Italian Chicken and Veggies in the Instant Pot

If you’re looking for a starch for this meal, you can serve it with rice or potatoes.

This Italian Chicken and Veggies recipe is included in our Instant Pot Freezer Meal Menu Plan along with other delicious and easy recipes, prep lists, shopping lists, and printable labels. Check out some of our other Instant Pot freezer meal recipes:

Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe Make-ahead Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

Beefy Rice Slow Cooker Casserole

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This Beefy Rice Slow Cooker Casserole includes everything needed for a balanced meal. This dish doesn’t have very strong flavours, so it’s a good family friendly freezer meal. Beefy Rice Casserole, a freezer to crock pot easy family meal #freezermeals101 #freezermeals #slowcooker #familyfriendly #makeaheadmeals

Beefy Rice Slow Cooker Casserole Recipe:

  • 1 1⁄2 lbs. cooked ground beef
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1⁄4 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1 cup uncooked long grain converted rice
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. chili powder

Before putting together this freezer meal, brown the ground beef and chop the onion and green pepper. Place the uncooked rice in a medium sized resealable bag and seal.

Next, add the browned ground beef, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and seasonings to a large resealable bag. Squish everything in that bag together. 

Remove the excess air from the bag and seal. Staple the medium bag of uncooked rice to the large bag above the seal.

On the day of cooking, take the meal out of the freezer. Thaw. Remove the staples. Add the contents of both bags to the slow cooker. Add 1 cup of water. Stir. 

Cook in the crock pot on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours until the rice is the right consistency.

This family friendly freezer meal is included in our Slow Cooker Freezer Meal Plan which has recipes, shopping lists, and printable labels. 

Check out these other family friendly crock pot freezer meals:

Beef Stroganoff Freezer Meal 

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Stew 

Lemon Garlic Chicken Dump Recipe

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Supper doesn’t get easier than this Lemon Garlic Chicken Dump recipe. It’s a quick make ahead meal that can be cooked in the slow cooker. Lemon Garlic Chicken Dump Slow Cooker Freezer Meal #freezermeals101 #freezermeals #crockpot #5ingredient

Dump recipes are probably my favourite type of freezer meal to make. You can easily make ten meals in half an hour to an hour using the dump recipe method.

The dump recipe method is basically using only one protein or main ingredient, setting up all of your resealable bags on the counter, filling them with that main ingredients and then dumping the other ingredients called for in the recipes into each bag.

Lemon Garlic Chicken Dump Recipe:

  • 3-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
  • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper

Since this is a dump recipe, it is just as easy to make lots of these as it is to make one. Begin by opening a large resealable bag (or as many bags as the amount of meals you are going to make) and adding the chicken. 

Dump the other ingredients into the bag. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, lay flat, and freeze.

On the day of cooking, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45-55 minutes or in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.

If desired, you can sprinkle some parsley on top. Serve with rice or potatoes and your choice of veggies. This meal is one of the many simple, yet delicious recipes included in my Chicken Dump Recipes cookbook. 

Check out these other Dump Meal Recipes:

BBQ Shredded Chicken in the Crock Pot 

Freezer to Crock Pot Beef Stew

Print
Lemon Garlic Chicken Dump Recipe
The dump recipe method is basically using only one protein or main ingredient, setting up all of your resealable bags on the counter, filling them with that main ingredients and then dumping the other ingredients called for in the recipes into each bag.
Ingredients
  • 3-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 8-10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
  • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions

  1. Begin by opening a large resealable bag and adding the chicken.

  2. Dump the other ingredients into the bag.

  3. Remove the excess air from the bag, seal, lay flat, and freeze.

  4. On the day of cooking, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.

  5. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 45-55 minutes or in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.

  6. Serve with rice or potatoes and your choice of veggies.

Butternut Squash Freezer Meal Side Dish

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One of the things I get asked about a lot is side dishes to go along with some of our other freezer meal recipes. Many of our freezer meal recipes include everything needed for a meal, but some of them such as the meat and marinade types need to be served with a side dish. Something I have started doing more and more lately is making side dishes that freeze such as this butternut squash recipe. Make Ahead Butternut Squash Side Dish #freezermeals101 #sidedish #makeahead #freezercooking

Having side dishes in the freezer as well allows me to pull out a main and a side dish together and have supper completely done ahead.

Butternut Squash Freezer Side Dish Recipe:

  • 3 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup sweet or purple onion, finely minced
  • 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper

I have a little trick for making butternut squash easier to peel and cube. I put the entire squash including the skin into the microwave for a minute or two. This softens it just enough to make peeling and cubing simpler.

Place the chunks of butternut squash into a medium sized resealable freezer bag. There are two options for assembling this side dish. If you want the Parmesan and breadcrumbs as a topping, you can place the other ingredients into a separate medium sized freezer bag and staple the bags together. Otherwise, you can place all the ingredients into one bag. Remove the excess air from the bag(s), seal and freeze. Butternut squash freezer meal side dish

On the day of cooking, thaw. If you made it all in one bag, place the bag contents into a small, greased oven safe cooking dish and mix. Bake, covered at 350° for one hour.

If it is in two bags, place the butternut squash in a small, greased baking dish and top with the topping from the other bag. Cover and bake at 350° for one hour. Butternut Squash Side DishI was so relieved to have several of these side dishes in the freezer at Thanksgiving. There is so much to do that day and so many things to cook. Having something to pull out that’s ready to cook made it so much easier.

Of course, I pulled out several bags so that there would be enough to feed our family and some extended family gathering together that day. This side dish would be great for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any other group meal.

The Mega List of Breakfast Freezer Meal Recipes

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Breakfast is often called the most important meal of the day, but if you’re a mom trying to get kids out the door to school or activities, you know how hard it can be to make it healthy in the time you have. Enter the hero of our story, breakfast freezer meal recipes!

If you're a mom, you know how hard it can be to make breakfast healthy in the time you have. Enter the hero of our story, breakfast freezer meal recipes! #freezermeals101 #makeaheadbreakfast #breakfastrecipes #momrecipes

By taking some time on the weekend or an evening, you can make breakfasts ahead of time. This takes the rush out of those busy weekday mornings and still allows you to get in the nutrition you can feel good about.

Breakfast Freezer Meals:

Make Ahead Cinnamon Freezer French Toast from here on Freezer Meals 101

Freezer Pancake Mini Muffins from here on Freezer Meals 101

Freezer Smoothie Bags from here on Freezer Meals 101

Sausage and Cheese Biscuits from Cleverly Simple

Cheesy Slow Cooker Hash Brown Casserole from The Chaos and The Clutter

Easy Make Ahead Egg Muffins with Sausage and Veggies from Make Ahead Meal Mom

Vanilla Orange Custard Freezer French Toast from Happy Money Saver

No Bake Energy Bites with Flaxseed and Hemp Hearts from The Chaos and The Clutter

Check out our Breakfast Freezer Meal Plan for everything you need to save your weekday mornings! It includes recipes, shopping lists and printable labels so that you can easily fill your freezer with breakfasts for those busy days. 

Apple Harvest Baked Oatmeal Recipe from Large Family Table

Savory Breakfast Quiche from Deliciously Plated

Breakfast Bowl Recipe from Happy Money Saver

Spinach and White Bean Breakfast Quesadillas from Well Plated

More Breakfast Freezer Meals:

Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes from Happy Money Saver

Ham, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Bagel Sandwiches at Large Family Table

Freezer Friendly Mini Breakfast Pizzas from The Girl on Bloor

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Breakfast Burritos from The Hungry Waitress

Freezer Granola from The Chaos and The Clutter

Easy Breakfast Pastries from Make Ahead Meal Mom

Make Ahead Breakfast Bakes from Sugar Dish Me

Freezer Croissant Breakfast Sandwiches from Damn Delicious

Ham, Egg and Cheese Freezer Pockets from Dashing Dish

Breakfast Taquitos from My Recipe Magic

Veggie Packed Freezer Ready Breakfast Sandwiches from Budget Bytes

Freezer Breakfast Vegetable Burritos at Kristine’s Kitchen

Healthier Peanut Butter Pancakes on The Country Chic Cottage

Freezer Friendly Homemade Sausage Patties from Happy Money Saver

Vegetarian Bacon, Sausage and Egg Patties on The Baking Fairy (I know it says bacon and sausage, but they call for a vegetarian version of those so they truly are. If you are a die-hard meat fan, I’m sure you could substitute the real thing.)

Make Ahead Breakfasts that can be Frozen:

Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Hash Browns from Savory Tooth

Gluten Free Coconut Flour Pancakes at Low Carb Yum

Paleo Breakfast Egg Muffins from Wholesome Yum

Easy Cheesy Breakfast Casserole from Love to be in the Kitchen

All in One Breakfast Casserole from The Chaos and The Clutter

Having breakfasts ready to go in the freezer is a game changer for busy mornings. It has saved me many a time, particularly if we have an early morning appointment to get to. I hope these breakfast freezer meal recipes give you a head start on your days!