12 Easy Freezer Meals in 2 Hours
Check out this list of 12 easy freezer meals that you can make in under two hours. Also, be sure to download your free printable shopping and recipe lists to get started.
How to Make 12 Easy Freezer Meals in Two Hours:
I finally jumped on the freezer cooking bandwagon. I’ve done freezer cooking before, but not this many meals at once.
I tried to keep things as simple and frugal (I spent around $50) as possible. I feel so accomplished knowing I have a freezer full of meals to use over the next few weeks and I know you’re going to love these recipes. So here are the recipes for the 12 easy freezer meals that I made in 2 hours:
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup (make recipe x 4)
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken (make recipe x 2)
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken & Veggies (make recipe x 1 and split into two bags)
Creamy Baked Pasta (make recipe x 2)
Chili Mac Casserole (make recipe x 2)
I’m pretty picky when it comes to slow cooker and freezer meals. Normally, it seems like they’re all centered around expensive meats that you still have to add side dishes to make a meal, so I picked two meatless casseroles and for the rest I used frozen chicken breasts (do not thaw!).
Here’s a picture of everything before I got started. As you can probably tell I bought almost everything from Aldi and used some things (potatoes, peppers and corn) from my garden.
*I just want to add that everyone has access to a different set of resources so do the best you can with what you have. Also, I was able to do this in 2 hours because I’m used to making most of these recipes, but if they’re new to you then it may take a bit longer the first time.
The only pre-cooking required for the recipes that I chose was boiling the noodles. So I put the water on while I was gathering all of my ingredients and labeling my freezer bags. Once I got everything together, I chopped my onions and put the Chicken Taco Soup and Teriyaki Chicken bags together.
Then, I chopped the veggies for the BBQ Chicken & Veggies and made those bags. Then I drained the noodles and put the Creamy Baked Pasta and Chili Mac Casseroles together. PHEW. Here are the recipes that I used:
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken and Veggies (this recipe makes 2 meals)
2 green peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
3 onions chopped
6 red potatoes, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 frozen chicken breasts
1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 bottle of BBQ sauce
(Split ingredients into two bags and freeze)
Cook in slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours
Teriyaki Chicken (you will make this recipe x 2)
3 frozen chicken breasts
1 cup Teriyaki sauce
1 cup water
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 cloves of garlic
Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Serve over rice.
*This recipe ended up being pretty runny because I reduced the amount of chicken from the original recipe. So I added cooked rice and veggies after it was done to make it a complete one bowl meal. These extra ingredients are not on the shopping list below.
Chicken Taco Soup (you will make this recipe x 4)
2 Frozen Chicken Breasts
1 Can Black Beans
1 Can Corn
1 Can Rotel
1 Onion, chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet ranch dip mix
Cook in slow cooker on low 8 hours.
Creamy Baked Pasta (you will make this recipe x 2)
16 oz pasta, cooked and drained
1 jar pasta sauce
8 oz tub sour cream
1/4 c parm. cheese
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Saute Onions
Mix all ingredients in pot over medium heat until all ingredients are combined.
Pour in casserole dish. Sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake @ 350 for 30 min (45 min – 1 hr if frozen)
Chili Mac Casserole (you will make recipe x 2)
16 oz pasta, cooked and drained
1 can chili beans
1 packet chili seasoning
1 onion, chopped
1 can Rotel or stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar
Mix all ingredients in casserole dish.
Sprinkle cheese on top.
Bake @ 350 for 30 min (45-1 hr if frozen)
It was quite a bit of work, especially since I chose to do it alone with a toddler and baby in the house, but it was definitely worth it! I will probably do this again sometime soon.
NOTE: For safety reasons all meat should be fully thawed before placing in the slow cooker.
Click to Download Shopping List
I haven’t even made the recipes yet, but I plan to very soon as we prepare for our first child. I just wanted to say thank you!! This is hands down the easiest article, shopping list and recipe guide I have found for freezer meals. I was ready to give up because it’s been so hard to find a complete list and easy to follow guide, but then I found your site on Pinterest. So, again, thank you so much!
Why was blog removed?
It’s not my site, so I don’t know. I’ll have to remove the link from my post.
I’m new to freezer meals. So, you put all the raw ingredients in the bags and freeze them, then when you want to use a meal you thaw, then cook? Is that right?
Yes.
For the taco soup….does it need any liquid to make it a soup?
Thanks
Hayley
Yes, you can add tomato juice or broth to make it more liquidy.
How much broth would you add to the taco soup?
When you say “you will make recipe x 2) does that mean it makes 2 meals or you need to double the ingredients listed to make 2 meals?
You will need to double the recipe.
The shopping list calls for 11 onions but when I count it up using the recipes it comes out to 14 onions. Am I reading the recipe wrong perhaps?
The bbq chicken recipe isn’t x2 it makes 2 meals as is
Thank you for the download able recipes and grocery list.
Anxious to try these.
So I just made these meals, and they are sitting in my freezer as we speak! I do have one question: what are the typical serving sizes for each meal? Just wondered, so I picked up some extras just in case! They look delicious and my boys are excited too!
I’m pregnant and looking for ideas for after the baby is born.
How do you go about thawing the mixture of things for meals before cooking them? How long are they good for after putting them in the freezer? Do you put everything in the bag together for each recipe?
You need to put the meal in the fridge a day or two before you want to cook it. They will last in the freezer up to three months. Yes, you put everything together in the bag.
Great!
I would love some freezer meal ideas. As a single mom working full time homeschooling and attending school myself.. I need all the help I can get!
Okay
Might be a silly question – but for the chicken taco soup …. No liquid added?