Freezer Meals 101

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Ham and Potato Casserole (freezer meal)

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Looking for a way to use up a 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" #freezermeals101 #freezermealcasserole #hamandpotato 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.

close up of freezer bag with ham and potato casserole 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.

collage of ham and potato casserole in a freezer bag and in bowlsMost 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 it with breading or adding your favorite seasonings.close up of ham and potato casserole with a drizzle of ketchup

Print
Ham and Potato Casserole
Course: Main Course
Keyword: casserole, ham, potato
Servings: 4
Calories: 391 kcal
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 Hashclose up of a spoon scooping out some easy beef hash with cheese melted on top

Chicken Asparagus Bakeclose up of chicken asparagus bake with rice

Cheesy Tater Tot Chicken Casseroleclose up of a scoop of tater tot chicken casserole with strings of cheese

Ham and Cream Cheese Roll-Ups (make-ahead lunch)

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For years, I homeschooled all my kids so I didn’t fully realize the struggle of school lunches. Now that most of my kids are in school, trying to pack lunches is a pain. Especially for a certain child who refuses to take sandwiches! Thus the need for these ham and cream cheese roll-ups. clear bag with 18 rolls. Text reads "freeze ahead Ham & Cheese Roll Ups" #freezermeals101 #hamandcheeserollups #freezersandwichesOut of complete desperation, I’ve come up with some recipes over the years that can be made ahead and frozen. That way, they can pack their own lunches by pulling things out of the freezer. I keep it stocked with Beef and Bean Burritos, Corn Dog Mini Muffins, English Muffin Pizzas, Granola Bars, and these ham and cream cheese roll-ups. freezer bag with ham and cream cheese roll up sandwiches

Ham and Cream Cheese Roll-Ups Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • flour tortillas (burrito size)
  • 8 oz. package of cream cheese
  • slices of deli ham (2 or 3 per tortilla)

looking into a freezer bag with ham and cream cheese roll up sandwichesAssembly instructions:

  1. Spread a layer of cream cheese on each flour tortilla.
  2. Place two or three pieces of deli ham on top.
  3. Roll the tortilla up tightly.
  4. Slice in thirds.
  5. Place in a resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
  6. Take out as many as needed and reseal the bag again to keep the others frozen. Thaw before eating cold.

collage of steps to making ham and cream cheese roll upsVariations:

You can use deli turkey slices in place of the ham. If adding turkey instead of ham, you can also mix some dried cranberries with cream cheese.

Use white flour tortillas or change things up by making these on whole wheat, spinach, multi-grain, sundried tomato, cheese, pesto, or rye tortillas. We have found that rice flour and corn tortillas do not roll nicely enough to make these.freezer bag of ham and cream cheese roll ups

Print
Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups
Course: Snack
Keyword: ham, lunch, snack
Servings: 6
Calories: 302 kcal
Ingredients
  • 8-12 flour tortillas burrito size
  • 8 oz. package cream cheese
  • slices deli ham 2 or 3 per tortilla
Instructions

  1. Spread a layer of cream cheese on each flour tortilla.

  2. Place two or three pieces of deli ham on top.
  3. Roll the tortilla up tightly.
  4. Slice in thirds.

  5. Place in a resealable freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.

  6. Take out as many as needed and reseal the bag again to keep the others frozen. Thaw before eating cold.

You may also be interested in some of these other make-ahead snacks:

Corn Dog Mini Muffinsa clear plastic bag is filled with small yellow corn muffins with a chunk of hot dog visible in the middle. The text reads "perfect for school lunches! Corn Dog Mini Muffins"

Homemade Granola Barsbars of homemade granola with chocolate chips on top

Scrambled Egg Bitescollage of scrambled egg bites in the pan before cooking, one being held with a bite out of it and in the pan all cooked

 

Make Ahead Hot Roast Beef or Ham Sandwiches

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These hot roast beef or ham sandwiches are perfect for taking camping or serving at a teen birthday party. The handheld sandwiches are great for a large group. Make Ahead Hot Beef or Ham Sandwiches #campingfood #freezermeals101 #freezercooking #makeaheadmealsWe made these leading up to summer, so we quadrupled this recipe. The kids helped us assemble and wrap a lot of sandwiches! It was a fun project to do together. We set up an assembly line so that one person would spread the sauce, another would place the meat and cheese, and the last would wrap the sandwich. people making and wrapping roast beef or ham sandwiches

Hot Roast Beef or Ham Sandwiches:

    • 12 hamburger buns
    • 1 lb. thinly shaved roast beef or ham
    • 12 cheese slices (provolone, Swiss, or mozzarella)
    • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
    • 3 Tbsp. grated onion
    • 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
    • 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
    • dash of Worcestershire
    • 1 Tbsp. horseradish
    • tin foil

collage of people making and eating roasted beef or ham sandwichesAssembly instructions:

  1. Mix together the mayonnaise, grated onion, poppy seeds, spicy mustard, Worcestershire, and horseradish in a medium bowl.
  2. Spread some of the sauce on both sides of the bun.
  3. Add a few slices of either beef or ham.
  4. Top with a slice of cheese.
  5. Wrap each sandwich in tin foil.
  6. Place the wrapped sandwiches into two large resealable freezer bags. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Remove the sandwiches from the bags, but keep them wrapped in the foil.
  2. Cook them in a 350° oven right in the foil for 20-30 minutes (20 minutes if the sandwich is thawed and 30 minutes if cooking from frozen). You want the cheese to be melted.

You can also use turkey in place of the ham or roast beef if you prefer.

close up of someone holding a roasted ham sandwich

Print
Hot Roast Beef or Ham Sandwiches
Course: Sandwich
Keyword: ham, roast beef, sandwich
Servings: 12
Calories: 275 kcal
Ingredients
  • 12 hamburger buns
  • 1 lb. thinly shaved roast beef or ham
  • 12 cheese slices provolone, Swiss, or mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 Tbsp. grated onion
  • 1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. spicy mustard
  • dash Worcestershire
  • 1 Tbsp. horseradish
  • tin foil
Instructions
Assembly instructions:

  1. Mix together the mayonnaise, grated onion, poppy seeds, spicy mustard, Worcestershire, and horseradish in a medium bowl.

  2. Spread some of the sauce on both sides of the bun.

  3. Add a few slices of either beef or ham.

  4. Top with a slice of cheese.
  5. Wrap each sandwich in tin foil.

  6. Place the wrapped sandwiches into two large resealable freezer bags. Freeze.

Cooking instructions:

  1. Remove the sandwiches from the bags, but keep them wrapped in the foil.

  2. Cook them in a 350° oven right in the foil for 20-30 minutes (20 minutes if the sandwich is thawed and 30 minutes if cooking from frozen).

Check out these other easy make ahead meals:

Keto KFC Chicken close up of someone holding keto KFC style chickenBeef Dip close up of a roasted beef sandwich and beef dipMake-Ahead Breakfast Sausage Hand Pies roas