If you’ve been around this blog long enough, you know I am a big fan of freezer meals. I shared on my Insta Stories a few of the recipes I made this month and thought I would share it here, too - with a little updated info and the links!
If you’ve never done freezer meals before, get started by reading this post (4 years old, but still the way I do it!) which contains a ton of information on how I do freezer meals:
Some updates since this post:
Our grocery bill has gone up about $150 per month with the addition of a new child and the fact that they all eat more these days. I still grab some fresh produce and a few essentials every week and try to stay in the $30-40 range.
Costs for the freezer meals per month are about the same ~ $300.
I have stopped trying to bake anything while making freezer meals. It gets too complicated and makes more dishes to clean. Plus I will inevitably burn something.
I WAAAYYYYY prefer “dump” meals - meaning ones I can dump in a gallon freezer bag, freeze, and then dump out into my crock pot or instant pot when it’s time to cook. Most of the recipes I use are dump meals.
Most of the meals I make really just consist of the main protein for the meal. I will also stock up on frozen veggies, bread, and rolls in the deep freezer so I can bust those out as sides.
I typically sub ground turkey for any ground beef for the heart health benefits and lower cost. So, in all of these recipes, I actually use ground turkey.
I also started browning all my turkey in the oven using a roasting pan. HERE is exactly how I do it. I do this first thing so that it is cooking while I chop and combine the rest of the ingredients. It saves me a ton of time when it’s time to actually eat the meal - I just thaw and reheat!
Make your list, and ORDER YOUR GROCERIES. Seriously. Instacart for the win, you guys! Ordering your groceries and having them delivered TO YOUR DOOR is 100% worth it, especially when doing freezer meals because the shopping portion can get very tiring. If you haven’t tried Instacart yet, here is a coupon for $10 off your first order!
Now for what I made this month! All of these are “dump” meals and can be frozen in gallon ziploc bags.
Click on the meal title to be taken to the recipe.
BBQ Chicken (x4)
Sides: Hawaiian rolls or baked potatoes, frozen veggies
Sweet and Tangy Meatballs (x4)
Sides: rice or noodles, frozen veggies
French Chicken (x4)
Sides: rolls or baked potato, frozen veggies, Brussels sprouts or asparagus
Asian Lettuce Wraps (x4)
Sides: Romaine lettuce, frozen dumplings and/or rice
Taco Soup (x 4)
Toppings: Tortilla chips, avocado slices, sour cream, cheese, sliced olives
This recipe was created by a family friend and has always been a favorite. This recipe makes a LOT so if you are cooking for two, you’ll definitely want to split this into two meals. I have tweaked the recipe a bit, so here is my version:
INGREDIENTS
1.5 lbs. ground beef or turkey
1 red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes (crushed is fine, too)
1 16 oz. can Ranch Style Beans
1 16 oz. can hominy (if you’ve never tried hominy before, it is delicious in this recipe so don’t skip it!)
1 16 oz. can black beans
1 16 oz. can whole kernel corn
1 packet ranch seasoning
1 packet taco seasoning
DIRECTIONS:
Brown beef and combine all ingredients (no need to drain canned goods). You may need to add 1 can of water (16 oz) to thin the mixture. Heat until onions are clear and soup is bubbly. Top it and eat!
FOR FREEZING:
If making freezer meals, cook beef in bulk and portion evenly into 4 Ziploc gallon bags. Then, empty the rest of the ingredients into the bag and freeze. When it’s time to cook, let thaw and heat until onions are clear and the soup is bubbly.
I hope this was helpful for your fall meal planning! I also have a Pinterest board dedicated to our favorite freezer meals.
