I am usually great about making freezer meals – however the majority of them are for dinner. But this year I have been trying to save money by making ahead lunches for my husband to take to lunch. And at home I do enjoy them as well by the way. A quick grab from the freezer, then a quick reheat makes a delicious healthy lunch. And I don’t have to cook or think about it. It’s great!
My kids get make ahead cold lunches but my husband likes warm food most of the time. Sometimes he takes leftovers, which is great but we don’t always have leftovers on hand. For his lunch I wanted one dish meals that can easily be reheated in the microwave at his office. Healthy options that I can make ahead and freeze as well. So I wanted to share some of the best ideas out there that I have found. Most of these are things I can spend a morning cooking up in advance and he can then take them out everyday to pack in his lunch.
Please share what you or your husband takes for lunches to save money!
10 Tasty Make Ahead and Freeze Lunches for your Husband
1. Homemade Freezer Chicken Taquitos with Cream Cheese & Cilantro (my recipe). I will bake these up so they are fully cooked, then just reheat them at lunch time.
2. Make Ahead Chicken Enchiladas from Everyday Family. Make up a pan of these enchiladas, then add to a lunch container/ziplock container. Freeze and take one each day.
3. Ham and Cheese Sliders from Thriving Home. Oh man are these delicious. Bake up a bunch then freeze each individually to reheat at work.
4. Individual Chicken Pot Pies from Tastebook. This is one my absolute favorite choices. It’s warm, they are small and so hearty.
5. Freezer Friendly Bean and Cheese Burritos from New Leaf Wellness. Make up a ton of homemade burritos and individually freeze.
6. Lasagna Roll-Ups from My Joy-Filled Life. Bake up a pan of these, then freeze in individual containers to take to lunch.
7. Skinny Chicken Poblano Soup from Once a Month Meals. Freeze soup in individual containers. YUM.
8. Freezer Pizza Bombs from The Benson Street. This recipe really is the bomb. So tasty.
9. Healthy Homemade Hot Pockets (my recipe) This one takes a bit more time to make but it is so worth it. Bake up a bunch and freeze for you or him to eat at lunch time.
10. Homemade Chicken Salsa Pockets from Money Saving Mom. Don’t these look so good. I haven’t made them yet, but they looked too good not to share.
–> See all of my freezer meal recipes here.
Hope you enjoyed this round up of freezer meal lunch ideas. Please share any other recipes or make ahead lunch ideas you make too!
Jennifer says
April 16, 2019 at 12:57 pmThis list is exactly what I was looking for! These are perfect for a stay at home mom during the weekdays and will be handy to have for easy weekend lunches with my husband, too! Thanks!!
Michelle says
November 27, 2018 at 12:44 pmTheses sound really good & I’m going to go through your blog for more. It’s just me & my husband now and these will be perfect. Especially when it’s 9 pm & we’re in the middle of binge watching Netflix. Just throw ’em in the oven. 🙂
You know, I was just telling my grand-daughter the other day that the reason people bully is because they feel so badly about themselves.
Laura says
July 13, 2018 at 11:06 amLove these recipes! I am not creative when it comes to lunches, so this will help my husband avoid eating out on his lunch break. It really can add up!
Mia says
July 9, 2018 at 4:27 pmHey, if you’re not pushing any stereotypes as you mentioned, you should totally make a “dinners for your wife after she comes home from work”. I’ll wait for it.
Karrie says
July 12, 2018 at 2:51 pmlol! Yes!!
Penny says
June 5, 2018 at 8:11 amThank you for these suggestions. I was looking for something that I could cook and freeze for my husband to take with him in his truck–he is a long haul trucker. It is very expensive to eat on the road and many times he can’t stop where there is food available–he can’t just go through the local drive up window. He has a microwave in his truck, so I found exactly what i was looking for. He can grab a few of these to add variety to the packaged meals that he usually has with him.
Thank you!
Elise says
November 8, 2017 at 4:04 amThese ideas are awesome!! I also clicked on it because seeing “husband” gave me hope that it had heartier ideas! I’m happy to pack a salad or a pb&j but my husband prefers these lunches! Thanks so much for putting this list together and the suggestions for alternative baking dishes for the pot pie!
Kelli says
November 1, 2017 at 5:30 pmThank you so much for this post! My husband works in the oil and gas industry and stays in a camper on location far from home for 2 weeks at a time. It’s hard not seeing him for that long but I enjoy making these recipes and packing them up for him when he heads off. It makes him feel so comforted when he’s able to eat these home cooked meals away from home and I’m happy to give him one less thing to worry about while he’s off providing for his family. Thanks again!
Karrie says
November 6, 2017 at 11:28 amYou bet!!
Lindsay says
October 16, 2017 at 9:45 amThank you for this post! I originally pinned it like a year ago and keep revisiting it for ideas!
As for all the negative comments I am seeing, I wonder why people bothered to comment if it was SO OFFENSIVE. My husband was working third shift for 3 years and developed a sleep disorder in the process. Making lunch for him was a way I could make sure that he at least ate healthy while dealing with the stresses of a weird shift and severe sleep issues. Feminism is NOT about being down with men or putting down women who make a CHOICE to do something nice. My husband cooks, I cook, he cleans, I clean. It’s a team. So go elsewhere if the title bothers you so much that you can’t just enjoy the delicious recipes.
Iliana says
June 5, 2017 at 1:29 pmThank you, very helpful!!
Amanda says
February 3, 2017 at 10:08 amLove these recipes…great ideas. Just what I was looking for. I’ll add a shout out to all the MEN out there making lunches for THEIR husbands!
XVII says
January 30, 2017 at 9:26 amGreat recipes! Can’t wait to get married so I can make these!