Healthy Freezer Meals

Healthy freezer meals are the result of strategic batch cooking! Truly, freezer meals are a super-effective way to set yourself up for success by planning and preparing meals ahead. After all, getting into the habit of cooking more than you need equips you with convenient, delicious foods that are ready to be enjoyed WITHOUT PREP later. What’s better than that? Simply heat and get ready to enjoy. Without a doubt, the habit of batch cooking freezer meals will ensure convenient (and tasty) options you can rely on. Today’s blog will highlight my dietitian-approved freezer meals, scrumptious recipes along with batch cooking tips and tricks.

This post was sponsored by the Egg Farmers of Ontario, as always, all opinions are genuine.

I am super excited to write this freezer meals blog not only as a foodie dietitian but also as a momma-to-be! I am currently in my final trimester of pregnancy, which means my “nesting” (or hyper-vigilant preparing) has set in. Therefore, thinking about meals and what I can prep ahead is exactly up my alley! Needless to say, I know that freezer meals will come in handy when I inevitably won’t feel like cooking. Let’s get the brainstorming train going so you know what I will be preparing for our little one on-the-way. These freezer meal recipes are also items I’d recommend to our Dietetic Directions clients or blog readers who want to start batch cooking or meal prepping.

Whether you’re a busy working professional, an over-extended parent, or a mom-to-be (like me), healthy freezer meals help.

My Family History with Freezer Meals

Firstly, I have to admit, batch cooking freezer meals is in my blood. Growing up in an Italian-Canadian household, I was involved in the preparation of mammoth quantities of frozen tomatoes for sauce, sealed bags of BBQ’d peppers and an overabundance of fresh, homemade pasta. We stored all of these items were stored in smaller, meal-sized portions, labeled and stocked up in our freezer. My family showed me that when you prioritize cooking, you can spend time up front to reap the benefits of prepared foods later. If you want to read more about my Nonno and his lessons as a food role model, check out this blog.

Here’s Andrea’s Nonno and Nonna making homemade pasta (with extras for freezer meals!)

Additionally, I spent time living with my Canadian grandma who would cook for herself and prepare freezer extras for later. That way, she didn’t have to cook every night and had an assortment of options frozen to choose from. I continue to recommend this batch cooking for freezer meals strategy and (of course) utilize it as well. Here’s my Veggie & Cheese Egg Casserole leftovers for freezer meals.

Want to avoid cooking every night? Try batch cooking and store meal-sized portions in the fridge or freezer for later use.

5 Ways to Optimize Healthy Freezer Meals:

1. Choose the Right Freezer Meal Recipe:

Let’s be honest, not all foods freeze well. Therefore, ensure you choose recipes that have properties that allow them to be (re)heated (in the microwave or oven) without losing texture, flavour or taste. For example, fresh or cooked meats freeze well, you can cut and freeze fresh vegetables or you can blanch or roast them before freezing. Many already know that recipes like soups, chili, tomato sauces or stews freeze nicely. However, there are foods that people do not know freeze well, like eggs (more on this below). Above all, look for delicious recipes that mention freezing or do a little experimenting to see what you like.

Chili keeps well in the freezer. Use pre-portioned containers for a speedy future lunch or dinner! Add fresh toppings later.

2. Store Foods Properly & Always Label!

Use quality, air-tight containers or high-quality freezer-bags. Foil dishes can be used for freezer meals as well, which saves dishwashing time later. Use a sharpie and masking tape to clearly label food with the date made and any thawing or re-heating instructions. I also like to put time estimates on when to use by. For example, if making a Breakfast Egg Bagel, keep it in the freezer for up to 60 days.

Keep your fridge organized to ensure all foods are used up before they spoil!

3. Do your Freezer Inventory!

A freezer inventory helps you know what you have to use up! Be sure to use our step-by-step guide to categorize your foods and tick off when they’re used up. Additionally, write down new items that get added. Before my baby arrives, I NEED to ensure I update my freezer inventory so I can use what I have and cut down on food waste. If anything has been in your freezer over a year, this is FOR SURE garbage. With a Freezer Inventory completed, you can use up your convenient frozen meals or stored foods when you’re Meal Planning. With a little extra planning, you can simply pull batches of soups/chilis for easy dinner options when you know your busy schedule in advance.

Here’s how I keep track of what I have in the freezer. Check out my Freezer Inventory Blog for the template!

4. Take Action When Motivated

Importantly, when batch cooking freezer meals, take advantage of times you may feel extra motivation. I find motivation gets higher when time is allocated with minimal distractions. This could be a weekend after breakfast/lunch so that you’re energized and not hungry while batch cooking. If you find your motivation is lacking, call in a friend for support and helping hand. Then, you can split the freezer meals – buddy prepping is a win-win.

Check out this FREE comprehensive, Meal Plan like a Pro! E-book. Order paper copies or PDF English or French versions.

#Dietitian Tip: Freezer Meals are a convenient way to enjoy flavourful, healthy options when too busy to cook. Click To Tweet

5. Make it Fun!

How do we expect to ever make a healthy habit stick if it’s an arduous process? Instead, make batch cooking freezer meals fun. Therefore, choose recipes you LOVE and ones for which you have all the necessary ingredients and storage containers so it’s a low stress process. Additionally, you can play your favourite dancing or sing-along music while preparing foods, listen to an intriguing podcast, or perhaps put on your favourite movie that you’ve seen a million times. Do something to reward yourself while being productive. You will then be more likely to repeat this freezer meal prepping habit.

Playing your favourite tracks while preparing freezer meals is a great way to reward yourself while being productive!

Now that you’re ready with my batch cooking tips and tricks, let’s share some of my dietitian-approved, favourite healthy freezer meals!

Healthy Freezer Meals:

Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast

Fall is just around the corner! Get festive with this Pumpkin Cinnamon French Toast recipe.

How to Freeze French Toast?

French Toast is a healthy freezer meal for the entire family and can easily be batch cooked. For best results, place a sheet of wax paper between each slice of French Toast and wrap the stack tightly in a freezer bag. Use your frozen French Toast within 1 to 2 months for best quality. I find re-heating French toast in the toaster or oven gives the best results, versus the microwave, which can cause some sogginess.

Eggs have a great fridge shelf-life of3 to 5 weeks.However, in my house, a carton of eggs never lasts that long.

Batch of Freezer Muffins

Freezer muffins are a must-have stocked in advance for up to 3 months in the freezer.

How to Freeze Muffins?

My mom got me onto freezing muffins. Pulling them out for a quick snack or part of a meal as a carbohydrate source is just so convenient. For best results, be sure to cool your muffins before freezing. Label and store in an air-tight container or freezer bag. Use frozen muffins up within 3 months for best results.

Batch freeze muffins for easy Bento box addition with your prepped Hard-Cooked eggs for extra nutrients & complete protein.

Freezer Breakfast Sandwich

Have you tried Egg and Cheese Breakfast sandwiches in the freezer before?

How to Freeze Breakfast Sandwiches?

Did you know you can freeze breakfast sandwiches? I make mine with eggs for a source of high-quality, complete protein along with 14 essential nutrients like choline and lutein. Interestingly, Ontario eggs go from farm to grocery store within four to seven days. Nevertheless, frozen Breakfast Sandwiches come in handy as a grab-and-go when too busy to cook. Additionally, they’re apparently uber-convenient for a one-handed meal while breastfeeding. You can customize your freezer Egg Sandwich with your choice of bread type, cheese variety or add-on’s like herbs, ham, sausage or prosciutto.

How Long Do Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches Last?

For best quality, frozen breakfast sandwiches last for about two months. Additionally, you can warm them up in microwave for one minute (remove plastic wrap first) or you can set them to defrost or 50% power mode. You can also pull your frozen sandwich the night before and heat in microwave for 40 to 60 seconds. If desiring warmer, flip the sandwich and microwave for 30 seconds on the other side until warmed through. These turned out well reheated! However, if you have a little extra time, use a toaster oven for crispier bread versus the microwave. Thus, reheat in the toaster oven or your large oven at 350F for 10 to 15 minutes, turning halfway through.

These Egg Breakfast Sandwiches are ready for a speedy break fasts when we need them!

DYK: Eggs contain 14 essential nutrients, likecholine, which is good for the brain andlutein, which is important for eye health. Additionally, eggs are aneconomical protein sourcecosting about $0.25 an egg.

Freezer Pancakes

Lemon highlights the flavours of the Spinach Ricotta Pancakes. Have you tried freezing batches before?

Batch making pancakes is another great option for equipping yourself with freezer meals. Be sure to cook your pancakes through and allow them to cool before putting them into freezer bags. Alternatively, you could put them on a cookie sheet after cooled and pop them in the freezer for about 30 minutes before stashing them into your freezer bag (labeled and separated with parchment paper).

How Long do Pancakes Last in Freezer?

Pancakes can last in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can then reheat them in the toaster oven (which I love for crisp option) or microwave for about 20 seconds for one pancake. You can also warm them in the oven as well, but I don’t use this method because it takes longer.

Mini Egg Muffins

Use up your leftover veggies and cheese in these Mini Egg Muffins! Ideal for freezer meals.

Make-ahead breakfasts are where it’s at! Do you agree? For example, these mini egg muffins hit the mark for a breakfast that can be prepared on a weekend and kept in fridge for 4 days or frozen for up to three months. They’re also an excellent way to boost protein intake, which many don’t get enough of at breakfast. You can turn this versatile meal into a ‘fridge-cleaner’ to use your leftover veggies and cheese. Personally, I love a spinach, tomato and cheddar combination or caramelized onion, mushroom, goat cheese and bacon. Check out our Egg Muffin recipe.

DYK: Mini Egg muffins last in the freezer for up to three months?

An ideal make-ahead breaky!

Freezer Stuffed Peppers

These Quinoa, Lentil & Sausage Stuffed Peppers can be a complete and nutritionally balanced meal!

Stuffed peppers are a MUST batch cook freezer meal! They are simply delicious reheated! You get all those delicious flavours of the roasted peppers, and the quinoa lentil, sausage filling. I bake mine before freezing but you can also freeze them with the filling in the pepper and roast them later. However, I would recommend getting the work done ahead to save time for speedy reheat options. Generally, stuffed peppers last in the freezer for about three months but can last longer.

Here’s my batch of Quinoa, Lentil & Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Frozen Breakfast Burrito

Frozen Burritos are a great option to meal prep.

I’ve been wanting to make a batch of freezer breakfast burritos for a long time! Burritos are just so satisfying with that melted cheese, pillowy egg, meats/beans and warmed veggies. Additionally, breakfast burritos warm up conveniently and you get the ‘fancy’ breakfast you love ready in minutes. Choose your fillings with endless possibilities, such as: rice, egg, cilantro, tomato, peppers, cheddar cheese, beans or sausage.

How to Freeze Breakfast Burritos:

Firstly, ensure you’re using room temperature ingredients to avoid any sogginess. Cover each burrito tightly with plastic wrapper aluminum foil. Freeze up to 1 month. To reheat, you can microwave for 4 to 6 minutes, turning halfway. Or, you can bake at 400 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until completely cooked through.

Freezer Pumpkin Chili

Batch Cook this Pumpkin Chili; it lasts in the freezer for 4 to 6 months.

A classic freezer meal is chilli. It reheats exceptionally well and it’s easy to batch prepare for freezer portions. I love freezing in individual serving containers that are glass and can be heated in microwave. Be sure to try our Savoury Pumpkin Chili or Vegetarian Chili – I also use leftovers to transform into Summer Chili Bowlsby adding fresh ingredients on top such as avocado, plain yogurt, fresh herbs and tomatoes.

Frozen Stuffed Pasta Shells or Lasagna

Stuffed Pasta Shells freeze well for about 3 months!

This Italian dietitian LOVES making Stuffed Pasta Shells and/or lasagna and storing in the freezer for another day. Taking extra preparation time in the first place always makes such delicious leftovers. Both these options can be prepared in large amounts and freeze well for about three months, but certainly taste fine longer as well.

Here’s myLasagnaI posted on the Dietetic Directions Instagram. I portioned into individual freezer meals.

Freezer Broccoli Cheddar Quiche

This Broccoli Cheddar Quiche freezes well for individual slices for about two to three months.

I love baking quiche and storing cooled slices in glass containers to reheat later. The cheese gets melty and the crust is soft and flavourful. Plus, you can add so many delicious ingredients to those eggs, which freeze remarkably well. Cooked quiche as a freezer meal lasts for about two to three months. Be sure to label your dishes with the date made and when it’s best before.

Sweet Potato Pumpkin Curry Soup {Instant Pot}

This Sweet Potato Pumpkin Soup recipe freezes well and it’s perfect for fall.

Yes, batches of soup are perfect freezer meals. Choose your favourite options and be sure to allow them to cool before freezing. You also want to ensure they are not filled to the top to allow air space for expansion. When thawing soups, I recommend giving them a couple of days to thaw in the fridge before warming them in the microwave or stovetop. Be sure to check out our robust recipe database for soup inspiration.

Frozen Meatballs

Reinvent dinner into a new meal! Try a Meatball Sandwich for lunch.

Batch freezing easy proteins is a must-do. This allows you to add them to meals that are quicker to assemble like making a Meatball Sub or adding a hearty protein side dish to your Pesto pasta. You can store freezer meatballs in an air-tight glass container or cooled in a heavy duty freezer bag. Then, you simply use meatballs when ready. Similarly, you can freeze vegetarian Lentil balls using this recipe from Minimalist Baker. I aim to use meatballs in the freezer within six months.

Freezer meatballs are best used within six months.

Freezer Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Many don’t think of freezing individual portions of PB Sandwiches! They’re convenient grab-and-go options!

Freezing peanut butter sandwiches sound soverly simplistic,but it works! You can make an assembly line style and fire off a bunch of sandwiches to store individually in freezer bags or separated by parchment paper. This way, when you are busy you have a quick and easy option. Weekend day trips or hikes can be made easy with this batch prep option turned into a freezer meal.

Frozen Pasta Sauce or Beefy Rotini

Be sure to prep extra tomato sauce for the freezer! It stores well for up to six months.

I loved this Beefy Rotini as freezer meal leftovers!

I love pasta sauce or pasta dishes as freezer meals! In fact, just yesterday I had leftover Spinach Pesto pasta for lunch from my freezer. Delicious! The key is to undercook your pasta a tad (al dente) so that when you reheat it, it does not go too soft. The pasta sauces must be cooled before freezing. Tomato sauce lasts for up to six months in the freezer. Generally I use pasta dishes within 4 to six months.

BBQ, Slow Cooker or Grilled Meats

Be sure to remove marinated, cooked meats from the skewer before freezing.

Finally, for another freezer meal idea, I freeze batches of cooked meats in smaller, meal-sized portions. This includes extra souvlaki, or fajita-seasoned chicken buddha bowl. My husband and I also freeze pulled pork into smaller bags to be thawed for a quick dinner option. As a general rule, use cooked meats within six months of freezing.

Can you Freeze Eggs?

This is a common question. Yes, you can absolutely freeze cooked eggs. As you can tell from the recipes above, eggs make awesome freezer meals. Not only are eggs a nutrition powerhouse, but they also have a long fridge shelf-life of 3 to 5 weeks. However, you may choose not to freeze eggs since they’re super-quick to cook if making scrambled or a fried egg sandwich. However, for breakfast burritos or quiches, I like to freeze extras for easy meals later.

You can store cooked eggs in the freezer! However, avoid freezing hard cooked eggs.

Some tips for freezing eggs include salting your eggs, which counters the egg yolks’ gelatinous property that will thicken when frozen. For best results, use cooked egg dishes within three to six months of freezing date. Avoid freezing hard cooked eggs. Instead, use them for Avocado Egg Toast or our Egg Plate. Interestingly, keep in mind that hard cooked eggs last for a week in the fridge – so using them up is not difficult! In fact, they’re great batch, meal prep options. For more information on freezing eggs see this resource.

Bottom Line:

Freezer meals can be a life-saver when you are too busy to cook fresh meals. As an expectant mom-to-be, I will definitely be stocking up with freezer meals and accept them as welcomed gifts as well! Above all, be sure to keep an updated freezer inventory to ensure each item is used in time for best quality.

Keep mealtimes stress-free by planning and prepping ahead with freezer meals!

Now it’s your turn! Have you tried batch cooking freezer meals? What are your go-to options? Let us know in the comments below. And if you make one of our recipes be sure to tag us on social media so we can share your creations!