February 2019

As an avid cook, I can’t tell you how many times I have been stuck in a jam or caught up in life and resorted to fast-food or pick-up. And while I love the occasional splurges on Thai food or Five Guys in an effort to get dinner on the table faster, it can really add up if you are trying to budget. So what is the solution if you don’t have the time to play cook at night?

Freezer meals!Make-ahead dinners, freezer meals, dump recipes…whatever you prefer to call them have been a lifesaver during the week and honestly I don’t think I will ever go back. Its pretty simple – get the items you need, carve out an hour of your week to prepare your meals, throw into a freezer bag or casserole dish and you’re done. The best part is prepping for these meals can be done in as little as 45 minutes (and this weeks menu only cost me $67 from Publix). When you are ready to make your recipe, just thaw, throw in the crock pot and it’ll be ready by the time you get home!

We’ve received some feedback that our readers would enjoy some easy family recipes, so this will be the first of a series of make-ahead freezer meals from our kitchen to yours. Let’s get started.

Before you begin, make sure you have the following supplies:

• Gallon-sized freezer bags
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Can opener
• Sharpie/label – for writing instructions on bag
• Disposable foil baking pan or casserole dish

Here are some of our favorite make-ahead freezer meals that you can make this week – along with a handy grocery shopping list!

1. Taco Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 package ground beef, cooked
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 1 15.25oz can corn, drained
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 2 14oz cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• Monterey jack cheese, chopped green onions, cilantro and Fritos, for garnishing

Directions:

• Cook beef and set aside to cool
• Combine all ingredients in freezer bag
• Place all thawed ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour
• Continue to took on low for 4-6 hours
• Serve with shredded cheese, cilantro, green onions and Fritos

2. White Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 3 chicken breasts
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 white onion, minced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix
• 2 15.8oz can Great Northern beans
• 2 4.5oz cans green chilis
• 1 cup corn, drained
• Sour cream, lime juice and cilantro, for garnishing

Directions:

• Combine chicken brother, onion, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, dry ranch mix and chicken breasts into freezer bag
• Place thawed items from freezer bag in slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours
• Remove chicken and shred. Return to slow cooker and add beans, green chilis and corn. Cover for another 30 minutes
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice and cilantro

3. Shephards Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 package ground beef
• 1 packet Idahoan Baby Red Mashed Potatoes
• 1 14.75oz can creamed corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350. Cook the ground beef, salt and pepper and add in frozen peas at the end. Add ground beef and peas to casserole dish as the first layer
• Make mashed potatoes according to directions on package. Layer on top of ground beef
• Spread creamed corn over mashed potatoes as third layer. Keep frozen until ready to make
• When ready, thaw in refrigerator and cook in oven for 30 minutes

4. Sausage with Onions and Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 16oz sausage, sliced
• 1 white onion, sliced
• 3 bell peppers, (red, yellow and green)
• 2 14oz cans diced tomatoes, fire roasted, not drained
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp cajun seasoning

Directions:

• For meal prep – combine all ingredients into freezer bag.
• Place thawed contents in slow cooker on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3 hours
• Serve over rice

5. New England Chicken Chowder

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of uncooked bacon, chopped
• 2 chicken breasts
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 15.25 cans corn, drained
• 1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 garlic
• 1 packet Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing and recipe mix
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese and thyme, for garnishing

Directions:

• Combine bacon, chicken, chicken broth, carrots, onions, celery, half the corn and potatoes in freezer bag
• Place thawed ingredients from freezer bag in slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours
• Uncover and shred chicken
• In blender, smooth corn and milk. Add to soup with salt and pepper, paprika, Italian seasoning packet
• Cover and cook 10-15 minutes. Garnish with parmesan cheese and thyme

Use this grocery shopping list for the 5 make-ahead freezer meals

To make things even easier during the week, I highly recommend trying out Instacart., where you can shop online and schedule your grocery deliveries from local stores! I plan our dinner schedule in advance and place my order with Instacart on Fridays to be delivered on Saturdays, then begin prepping the meals right away. Feel free to use this link to receive $10 off your first order.

For more family recipes we enjoy, be sure to follow our board on Pinterest.

If  you have tried these recipes OR if you would like us to share more make-ahead freezer meal recipes in the future, let us know in the comments below!

Bon apetit,