Who’s ready to cook all day long for a month’s worth of freezer meals?
When you tell your family you’re having frozen dinner do they run the other way and only the dog looks happy? Maybe it’s time to introduce them and yourself to homemade Freezer meals. Cooking a month of meals for the freezer all in one day makes for a stress-free and often quick meal time for busy families.
Once upon a time, long, long ago, I used to make a few month’s worth of freezer meals all in one day. Not having to cook for a month was heavenly and I didn’t miss working every day in the kitchen. It has been a few years since those cooking adventures, and I was itching to do it again. Having four children all in after-school dance and sports programs, life is very busy. There are some nights that we don’t get home to eat dinner together until around 7 or 8pm. Last week when I looked around the dinner table and saw everyone eating Cheerios for dinner I decided it was time to do some freezer cooking. 🙂
I know the idea of cooking a month of meals in one day seems impossible or crazy but it can be done. For those of you who don’t want to spend the whole day cooking here is a helpful hint: For Freezer cooking you can try to just double or triple your recipes all the time, eating the one you made for dinner and freezing the others for later. This way you are constantly building your meals.
The other option is you can put on the apron, roll up your sleeves, kiss the kids goodbye, and do freezer cooking all in one day like I did. To take the load off some people even create freezer meal groups with friends, making meals and meeting to swap freezer meals so everyone comes home with a variety of meals. This would be really fun , however I have never done it myself (hint to all my friends out there).
Having a stockpile of Freezer meals is invaluable especially when you get sick for a few days or weeks, have a baby, or just have a hard day and don’t feel like cooking.
The key to Freezer cooking is preparation. If you are prepared it can make all the difference in your busy day.
Cooking Freezer Meals in a Day Process
Step #1 – Go through what you already have. Time to use up some of the food you have on hand to save yourself money. Then you can go through all the sales ads for the week and find things that are on sale or seasonal. After taking those things into consideration make your list of meals you want to make. List them all out! On another sheet of paper list each ingredient you need for each of those meals x how many items.
Step #2 – Go shopping, get all your supplies. Here is my HUGE list of freezer cooking essentials.
Step #3 – Clean your kitchen, prepare your freezer (make room), make sure you have enough dishes & pots. I like having a couple sets of measuring spoons and cups on hand.
Step #4 – Decide on paper the order in which you will cook your meals. This will help you stay focused when you are doing a ton of things at the same time.
Step #5 – Clear your schedule for a day – then cook all day long!
Step #6 – Clean your kitchen – it will be a huge mess, so be prepared….(or better yet, make your spouse do it – it’s only fair…)
I have a regular freezer and a deep freezer. This smaller freezer only held about 30 meals and the other 20 are in my deep freezer.
Here are the FREEZER FRIENDLY meals I made and quantities:
- Honey Lime Chicken (3)
- Homemade Pot Pie (3)
- Fried Rice (5)
- Slow Cooker Broccoli Chicken Alfredo (3)
- Twice Baked Potatoes (3)
- Sweet & Sour Chicken (2)
- Honey Glazed Pork Chops (2)
- Chicken Parmesan Pesto Shells (3)
- Beef Barley Stew (3) – it’s all uncooked ingredients so I can toss into crock pot and cook all day.
- Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos (2)
- Cafe Rio Pulled Pork for Cafe Rio Salads (3) – recipe is in my cookbook!
- Homemade Hamburger Patties (3) – just mixed bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic, and onion powder + 1 egg in large batch hamburger. Shaped into patties, layered between freezer paper.
- French Dip Sandwiches (2)
- Stirfry Meat, Veggies + Sauce (3) – I had a bag of stir fry veggies already. To a second bag added raw chicken in slices and a stirfry sauce.
- Chicken Enchiladas (3)
- Lasanga (3) – my own recipe!
- Pulled BBQ Pork for buns (2) – slow cooked pork roast, shred and add bottle of BBQ sauce
- Chimichangas (2) – shredded chicken, spanish rice and cheese added to large burrito, and folded. These are bagged up so they can be fried.
Grand Total = 50 Meals all cooked in one day
I also made homemade breakfast burritos – using hash browns, bacon, eggs and cheese. Those will be perfect for some quick breakfast meals.
Making a ton of freezer meals all in one day can be extremely rewarding and save you a lot of time.
P.S. I have tons of beginner information on getting started and even tips for advanced freezer meal cooking in my new cookbook called Seriously Good Freezer Meals. Please head on over and order yourself a copy! Inside there are menu plans and 150 of the BEST ever tasting freezer meals I’ve ever created. For reals.
And if you love freezer meals consider joining my private facebook group called THE FREEZER MEAL CLUB. I’d love to have you join us!
—> See MORE of my Freezer Meals recipes here.
And if you do happen to do your 50 freezer meals in a day cooking marathon, take some pictures and share them on instagram with me! Use hashtag #50freezermealsinaday and tag me @happymoneysaver. I absolutely LOVE to see you do your freezer meal cooking!
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
Liz says
Thank you SOOOO much for these freezer recipes! You are a life saver.
Karrie says
You are very welcome. So glad you like them!
Katie says
Awesome recipes. I like to do a bake-a-thon with my bread maker and make a few loaves of bread in one day… Then jellies another day. Most breads and jellies freeze awesome. In fact, I just took out Zucchini bread that I made with some Zucchini’s we got from a friend at the end of the season last year. Shredded zucchini itself doesn’t freeze well but the bread does and muffins too!! We also bake extra cupcakes occasionally to put in the freezer, those thaw out super quick in the microwave or on the counter. We have 6 kids and run a business so fast meals are a must most days. I can’t wait to try some of these recipes–getting together a grocery list for next week!
Jeni says
Karrie,
Posting to say thank you!
One of my closest girlfriends just had a baby. I flew in for the weekend and filled her freezer with your menu (plus omelettes, pancakes, french toast casserole, and other breakfast goodies).
Thank you *SO* much for taking the time to organize this list. We taste-tested everything before sealing the food fresh bags, and everything was awesome. Such a variety!
We spent $80 on meat and were able to make everything else from ingredients she already had in her kitchen. My friend says her life has been changed regarding her ability to plan dinners, and I thank you for helping me to help her!
Karrie says
How awesome!! I am sure your friend will totally enjoy having all those freezer meals – and will allow her to enjoy more time with her baby. Thanks so much for your comment, it is so nice to hear you liked my menu!
Katie Rentschler says
This look amazing! I can’t wait to start this. One question if you could. For these recipes about how much did you spend?
Katie Hignight says
Thanks for posting all this, you’ve got me really excited!! We’re gearing up to have our 5th baby and I’m getting some good freezer recipes together to make life easier after she’s born. Looks like I won’t have to look much further than your site! =)
Ashlea says
Hi,
Can I fix any recipe and freeze it this way and it be safe to eat at the end of the month? Or are there only certain meals that are good for freezing this long? Thank you in advance!
Karrie says
Most meals you can freeze, yes! I avoid some dairy/cream soups, lettuce and other fresh vegetables like cucumbers ect.
Bridget says
I’m confused…the chicken pot pie and the Alfredo have creams or dairy. Are these exceptions???
On a separate note, I have recently found out i have numerous food allergies and am having to go on a liquid elimination diet. I am so excited to prepare freezer meals so that I don’t have to spend an hour or 2 cooking for the family and have to drink bone broth or a protein shakes myself!! LOL! Plus the temptation at the grocery store!! This will be a life saver if I can master it. Additionally, I have elderly in-laws that need the additional help. They live 3 hrs away so this will be great for heat/eat!!
Karrie says
Hello Bridget, yes there are some exceptions to the rules. For example if you make your own cream of soup or purchase it usually it will hold up well in a sauce-type of food like in the pot pie. Jarred alfredo sauces are so processed that they do freeze well. However if you were to use say butter and fresh cream for alfredo, it would not do well (it would separate).
Happy.MoneySaver says
Great! Glad this can help!
Both of these recipes happen to freeze really well. I think trying new foods to see how they freeze and bake up are the best solutions!
Christina says
How many servings does each meal serve? I am very interested in giving this a try, you described my life:-) I just need an idea of servings/serving size so I know what to do… THANK YOU for sharing…plan to get started soon as I hear from ya!
Karrie says
Hi Christina,
Most of the recipes in my menu I make sure are enough for my family (2 adults, 2 teens, 2 younger kids). I usually do a double batch of the honey lime chicken per freezer meal, because my kids really eat a ton of it with rice. But the Barley soup recipe is just the right amount for one dinner for my family. My family used to eat just one small pot pie, but with the older kids getting bigger appetites I will start making on 9×13 size pot pie. I think it just depends on how big your family is and how they eat. If the freezer meal you make ends up leaving you leftovers, then just take it for lunch the next day or have it again for dinner. The first time you make freezer meals will be a learning experience for you..and after your first time you will have a better idea of how much of each meal your family will eat up. Good luck – let me know how it goes!
Vicki says
My kids are grown and I live alone, but I still go freezer cooking every couple of months. I get the 3pack of aluminum pans with paper/foil tops at the Dollar Tree. I package my meals in these, writing the contents and date prepared on top before putting in freezer. This way I have nutritious meals available for myself – or ready made meals to take to a sick friend, elderly parents, etc.
Lasagna, or lasagna rolls work great this way. I also do Tater Tot Casserole, chicken and rice casserole, baked spaghetti, pot pie…. So many choices. After packaging I do wrap in additional foil or put in ziploc bags just to stave off freezer burn.
Good luck to those trying freezer meals for first time – it is fun and a great way to insure your family is getting good meals even with busy schedules!
bri says
This is awesome. I just had a baby less than 2 weeks ago and even though she sleeps a lot I still dont have time to focus on cooking multiple times a day for meals. Since its just my husband and I, one of your recipies will make 2 meals for us:)
Jason says
I made home made frozen pizzas using sauce bought on sale, shredded a cheese blend, a chunk of pepperoni cut into dices and put it all on onion buns. Made 16 frozen pizzas in no time and they taste great…the onion buns work perfect!
Karrie says
I would LOVE your pizza crust recipe!! That would be so frugal and easy to add into my freezer meals. Please share Jason!
Melissa D says
Just discovered this site, and am loving it!
My stepmom died in October, leaving my dad alone. I thought I could use some of these ideas to make meals ahead and then put some into containers for him to eat whenever he wants.
One question: I saw in the comments above that for the crockpot meals you usually freeze the prepped ingredients so you can put them in the crockpot whenever you want. Have you tried freezing the meals after they have cooked? Just wondering how well some of these things would reheat.
Karrie says
My rule of thumb is only freeze stuff once. I find that it is never as delish if its frozen twice. So you can make it at home without freezing it and then freeze it into smaller portions for his dinners, I used to do this for my grandmother too sometimes.
Amy says
I would be interested in a shopping list as well 🙂
Lisa says
Do you have a shopping list?
Dawn says
For your Chimichangas do you freeze them in the buritto or add the mix to a fresh buritto when you are ready to eat it? I love your menu- I have been looking for a good month menu and I found it! THANKS!
Karrie says
Hi Dawn, yes, I freeze them in the burrito. And so glad you love my menu!! I am getting down to my last week of freezer meals in my freezer..time to do another big day of cooking!
christina says
Wow, thanks for something different. I went and bought all the food came home got started and realized, I am making 3 bathes of a recipe I’ve never tried before, LOL I did lots of taste testing along the way and everything seems amazing. I am 18 weeks pregnant, just took a role as an executive member of the board at my daughters preschool and I woke up from a nap and the kids were eating dad’s new meal of rice a roni suprise….rice a roni with cut up hot dog ummm gross and unhealthy ! I got through 30 meals, it took four days (and my daughter got puke sick during one of course) I feel so much more relaxed knowing there is food and I can rest if I need to! Thanks!
Karrie says
That is SO Awesome Christina! The first time you make freezer meals it can take longer, but is so worth it. I can’t believe you did the freezer cooking even with a sick child, that is hard to do (you superwoman you!) I know what you mean about the quick meals, and that totally made me laugh (the rice a roni with hot dog surprise…sounds like something I have made..lol). Enjoy those freezer meals!!!
Sara says
On the sweet and sour chicken do you cook the chicken and sauce first them freeze in a 9×13 pan or put it in freezer bags?
Karrie says
I fry up the chicken, then freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. The sauce I cook up and put into a baggie and freeze. Then when its time to cook, I thaw them both, pour the sauce on top and just bake it.
Karrie says
Creamy soups are hard, because they can separate when thawed. Especially items with dairy like cream and milk. Feel free to try it once on your paticular recipe to see if it works though – and if it mixes back up as you reheat then it’s a winner. As for the dishes/containers usually I just either use ziploc bags (which aren’t too expensive) or the 9×13 foil pans, which I can find 3/$1.00 at the dollar store. But if you don’t want to buy the 9×13 foil pans (I do it so I don’t have to wash dishes afterwards..) you can totally use your own 9×13 glass or metal pans. Just make sure to thaw before you put into the oven. Usually I spend around $10 extra for all these freezer bags/foil pans, and I am more than happy to pay it to save me time. If I didn’t have freezer meals with my busy schedule I would turn to quick dinners (like cereal or fast food) which are not as healthy. So in the long run the $10 pays me back in the better health of myself & kiddos. Hope that makes sense. Good luck on your freezer meals cooking day – you can do it!!
Marilyn Nelson says
I freeze dinnners for my husband, who works in the oil fields and can be gone up to
two weeks to a month. Am always looking for good freezer meals!
Katie Perry says
I am going to try doing all 50 meals next weekend. The number after the name of the recipe: is that how many meals you got out of if or how many times you made the recipe. Example honey lime chix (3). 3 meals or do I need to triple the recipe to get three meals?
Karrie says
Hello Katie – The number after the recipe is how many meals I made – so if there is a (3) after a recipe I tripled the batch so I could get 3 meals out of it. Good luck!
Eva Davies says
Thanks so much for this help Karrie. I am in the UK and am so interested to see the differences of what you cook and freeze over The Pond as opposed to us Brits!
I am doing a major freezer cook for the busy Christmas period, especially as my lovely son is home from University and I don’t want to be glued to the stove. Also I am an online retailer so Christmas is sooo busy.
One quick question – what I would really like to know is what foods can be cooked from frozen? – you know for those days when your planning goes awry and you end up with nothing ready to eat in the fridge when you get home so need to depend on the freezer or – dare I say it – a take away!
Any help would be much appreciated as I am a little worried about food poisoning if I cook the wrong thing from frozen!
In the UK we have a cheap frozen food retailer called Iceland who is on the TV advertising roasted meat joints that you can cook from frozen. I am not sure how they do this and if any joint can be cooked this way – I always wonder if they are coating/adding some chemical or procedure to their foods to allow this to be done safely.
Cheers
Eva from cold North London, UK!
Diane says
Eva
If you page up, you will find a list of how long to keep things in the freezer before quality begins to degrade. You can keep things longer, but they might have a bit of freezer burn.
As to what you can freeze — walk into any Tesco or Sainsbury and look in at the frozen food. In general, if they can do it, so can you.
There is a site called Recipezaar (well, actually it is now food.com) that has many frozen food recipes. Search for OAMC and you’ll come up with 653 recipes (as of today). Some are simply prepared, then frozen so you must defrost then bake or simmer. Others are fully cooked and you simply pop the food into the microwave.
No worries about food poisoning due to cooking from frozen — that’s not how food poisoning happens. Unless you are cooking already-poisoned food, of course. If the food is raw, you must generally defrost and then cook it or it will not cook all the way through. But go to food.com and look through their recipes.
Also do a “google” search for OAMC Plans, Freezer Cooking Plans, Investment Cooking Plans, Once A Month Cooking Plans. You will find a large variety of plans rather than individual recipes. Makes shopping and planning easier, but then you have to translate from American into British.
Diane