Healthy Freezer Dump Meals: Recipes and Tips for Easy Weeknight Dinners

In today's fast-paced world, finding time to prepare healthy and delicious meals can be a challenge. That's where freezer dump meals come in! These convenient, make-ahead meals are perfect for busy individuals and families who want to enjoy home-cooked dinners without spending hours in the kitchen. This article will explore the world of healthy freezer dump meals, providing recipes, tips, and tricks to help you create a freezer full of delicious and nutritious options.

What are Freezer Dump Meals?

Freezer dump meals are pre-assembled meals that are stored in the freezer until you're ready to cook them. The beauty of these meals lies in their simplicity: you literally "dump" all the ingredients into a freezer bag or container, freeze, and then "dump" the contents into a slow cooker, Instant Pot, or oven when you're ready to cook. This eliminates the need for daily meal prep and reduces the stress of last-minute dinner decisions.

Benefits of Freezer Dump Meals

• Convenience: Freezer dump meals save time and effort by allowing you to prep meals in advance.
• Healthy Eating: By preparing your own freezer meals, you have control over the ingredients, ensuring that you and your family are eating healthy, home-cooked food.
• Cost-Effective: Buying ingredients in bulk and preparing multiple meals at once can save money compared to eating out or buying pre-made meals.
• Reduced Food Waste: Freezer meals help reduce food waste by allowing you to use up ingredients before they spoil.

Essential Tips for Freezer Dump Meal Success

• Choose the Right Recipes: Select recipes that freeze well and maintain their flavor and texture after thawing and cooking.
• Use Fresh, High-Quality Ingredients: Start with fresh, high-quality ingredients for the best flavor and nutritional value.
• Prepare Ingredients Properly: Chop vegetables, trim meat, and measure out seasonings before assembling your freezer meals.
• Use Appropriate Storage Containers: Opt for freezer-safe bags or containers that are easy to fill, stack, and label.
• Remove Excess Air: Press out as much air as possible from freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
• Label Everything: Clearly label each freezer meal with the recipe name, date, and cooking instructions.
• Freeze Flat: Lay freezer bags flat in the freezer for faster freezing and easier stacking.
• Thaw Safely: Thaw freezer meals in the refrigerator overnight or use the defrost setting on your microwave.
• Cook Thoroughly: Ensure that all ingredients are cooked to a safe internal temperature before serving.

Storage Solutions for Freezer Dump Meals

Freezer Bags

• Pros: Convenient and cheap.
• Cons: Not environmentally friendly and take up a little more space in the freezer.
• Considerations: Many recipes will require leaving the liquids out in order to fit.

Reusable Containers (Pyrex, etc.)

• Pros: Fits perfectly inside the Instant Pot or slow cooker and pretty to look at. No plastic waste! No awkward square-shaped frozen blocks of food! Wash and use for leftovers! Freezer, oven, and dishwasher safe and happy for the environment!
• Cons: More expensive and not huge.
• Considerations: The food expands a little bit as it freezes, so you want to leave a little space at the top. To loosen the frozen food before cooking, I just run the containers under hot water for a minute until loosened, and then dump them into the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Unlike freezer bags, the food will be frozen in a round shape so they fit straight into the Instant Pot like a dream!

Aluminum Pans

• Pros: Happy for the environment!
• Cons: Not huge.

Small Batch Leftover Containers

• Pros: Happy for the environment! Can use for other small-batch leftovers (perfect for energy bites or smoothies, for example).

How Long Can You Keep Freezer Meals?

It all depends on how well they’re stored, but if you are able to get most of the air out (to avoid freezer burn), these should keep for at least 6 months in the freezer.

Thawing and Cooking

Do you have to thaw your freezer meals before cooking?

I am so happy to say that you do NOT need to thaw them first! I don’t thaw my freezer recipes before cooking! evil laugh I just take them straight out of the freezer and put them in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or oven.

The one exception is the category of meats in the slow cooker. Those should always be thawed first. It’s a food safety thing - it takes longer amount of time for the meat to heat up in the slow cooker, leaving the frozen meat in the danger zone for a potentially unsafe amount of time.

Read also: Easy Weeknight Dinners

How long does it take to thaw frozen meats before cooking?

If you’re making meat in the slow cooker, I recommend thawing them in the fridge for 24 hours first.

If you’re using the Instant Pot / pressure cooker, you don’t need to thaw the meat first.

What about thawing and refreezing meat?

For food safety, I always use freshly purchased, unfrozen meat to assemble the freezer meals.

Once a recipe has been frozen, I don’t thaw it out and re-freeze it (remember: I just pull them right out of my freezer and cook them from frozen).

And once a recipe has been cooked, I don’t freeze it again. Most of these recipes make 6 servings so we just keep it in the fridge and eat it up over the next 2-3 days.

Read also: Healthy food access with Highmark Wholecare explained.

Can you put something straight from the freezer into the oven?

When using my Pyrex bakeware, I put them straight from freezer to oven several times (wiping off the extra water or frost on the outside of the container first). It was fine. Nothing shattered.

That being said, I know shattering does happen. I had a pan shatter on me a few years ago, completely unrelated to freezing, and it was slightly traumatic. I would feel really sad to get comments with reports of your shattering glass dishes, so you’ll have to decide for yourself what you feel comfortable with.

Here’s what the internet says:

• From Pyrex (a little unclear)
• From America’s Test Kitchen (they say yes, it’s fine)
• From Cooks Illustrated (they say no, don’t do it)
• From the people of the internet (most say yes, it’s fine)

If you want to be 100% safe, here are a few alternative things you can do:

• Thaw your oven-bound recipes in advance.
• Use aluminum pans which will not shatter.
• Line your frozen glass containers with parchment so you can pull your lasagnas out and transfer them into a room-temperature pan for baking.

How do you avoid freezer burn on your freezer meals?

Get all the air out of your storage containers before freezing.

Read also: Healthy Eating on the Run

I had some mild freezer burn on a few of my recipes because it’s hard to press out all the air when using a reusable container like a Pyrex bowl with a lid. To be honest, I didn’t think it was all that big of a deal. My belief on this is that the point when freezer burn really starts to become a bad-tasting problem is when it’s built up on stuff that’s been hanging out in your freezer for, like, months upon months. I wouldn’t worry too much about a little layer of frost on top of your soups in your Pyrex containers.

If it’s gonna bug you, plastic bags might be a better choice so you can really squeeze the air out.

Should you freeze the liquids with your freezer meals?

Either way will work!

I generally DO NOT include the liquids (broth, water, tomato sauce, etc.) because I find it’s harder for them to fit in the freezer and then in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. I just add them right before cooking.

That being said, if you do include the liquids in your freezer containers, the nice thing is they’ll be COMPLETELY ready to go when you pull them out.

Healthy Freezer Dump Meal Recipes

Here are a few healthy freezer dump meal recipes to get you started:

Crockpot Chicken Taco Bowls

This recipe is easy to throw together and freeze. You can literally take the recipe and dump everything into a freezer bag.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. chicken breasts
• 2 15 oz. cans of Rotel
• 1 15 oz. can of corn, drained
• 1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp. taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp. gluten free soy sauce

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
2. When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight.
3. Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add in cans of Rotel, corn, and black beans on top of the chicken. Sprinkle in taco seasoning.Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Serve in rice bowls, taco shells, burrito shells, or tortilla chips.

Crockpot Chicken and Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts
• 1 20 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 5 oz. fresh spinach
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
• Your favorite pasta (such as penne)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag except for salt, pepper, spinach, pasta, and mushrooms. Freeze for up to 3 months.
2. When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight.
3. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the spinach and mushrooms.Cover with lid, cook on low for 6-7 hours.
4. Add in the spinach and mushrooms and cook for 5-10 minutes more.
5. Serve over your favorite pasta (I like to use penne).

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken## Ingredients:* 2 lbs. chicken tenderloins

• 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple (along with the juice)
• 1 tbsp. gluten free soy sauce
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. ketchup

Instructions:1. Place all ingredients, except for the brown sugar, into a freezer bag, squeeze out all air. Place in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

2. Place chicken tenderloins in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add in the crushed pineapple (along with the juice), brown sugar, soy sauce, and ketchup on top.
3. Cover with the lid, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Shred chicken with a fork in crockpot, stir to combine. Serve over rice.

Crockpot American Goulash## Ingredients:* 1 lb. ground beef

• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 8 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked
• 1/3 c. sour cream, optional
• Fresh mushrooms, optional

Instructions:1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add to crockpot. Cover with remaining ingredients.

2. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag except for fresh mushrooms and egg noodles, and omit 1/3 c sour cream. Freeze for up to 3 months.
3. When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight. Dump ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Crockpot Potato Soup## Ingredients:* 1 lb. ground beef

• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. dried onion
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 15 oz. chicken broth
• 1/3 c. milk
• 1/3 c. sour cream
• 8 slices bacon

Instructions:1. In a large pan, cook ground beef. Drain any extra fat. Place ground beef in crockpot.Add dried parsley, onion, potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, milk, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and sour cream to the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours.

2. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag except for liquids, potatoes, and bacon. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight.
3. 5 minutes before serving, cook bacon strips. Crumble cooked bacon. Add half to your soup, stir to combine. Reserve the rest for garnishing soup bowls.

More Freezer-Friendly Recipes

The possibilities for freezer-friendly meals are endless. Here are some additional ideas to inspire your freezer meal adventures:

• Soups: Lentil soup, wild rice soup, beef stew, cozy carrot ginger soup, creamy black bean soup, chicken tortilla soup, hearty minestrone soup.
• Meat Dishes: Slow cooker beef ragu, chicken tinga tacos, garlic and ginger beef, slow cooker carnitas, pulled pork lettuce wraps, slow cooker chicken marinara, slow cooker ranch chicken tacos, beef and broccoli.
• Vegetarian Dishes: Vegetarian taco meat (made with cauliflower, walnuts, and chipotle peppers), quinoa black bean crockpot stuffed peppers, veggie burgers.
• Other: Creamy tomato lasagna Florentine, baked chicken meatballs, sheet pan chicken pitas, Salisbury steak meatballs, freezer-friendly Greek chicken rice bowls.

Streamlining the Freezer Meal Process

• Buy pre-chopped fresh or frozen veggies: Use pre-chopped garlic and onions. This is a huge time-saver. Downside is that it generates more plastic waste and can be slightly more expensive, but it is EXTREMELY efficient!
• Honestly, skip the measuring cups and spoons: Just eyeball it. I rarely measure for my freezer meals. These recipes are all pretty forgiving.
• Don’t do too many at a time: I find that 4-6 per prep session takes me about an hour and a half, which is usually my limit for time and energy.

The Instant Pot Advantage

If you love the convenience of freezer meals and are not always great at planning ahead (thawing, long cook times, etc.), then YES! I think you would really, really love an Instant Pot for your freezer meals.

Here’s why I ADORE the Instant Pot for freezer meal recipes:

I decide what we’re having for dinner at 4pm, pop it out of the freezer and into the Instant Pot, and in have it done before 6pm! That’s with no advance thawing and minimal stress. You can’t do that with the slow cooker and you can rarely do it with the oven. I highly recommend an Instant Pot if you want to take full advantage of the convenience of your freezer meals!

Are these freezer meals healthy?

Yes. I consider these freezer meals healthy because they are made with real food. Real food = food that is minimally processed, or single ingredient foods. Vegetables, meats, legumes, and whole grains are examples of real food.

Healthy means something different to everyone. For some people, the plant-based recipes will be healthy. For some people, the low calorie recipes will be healthy. For some people, the high protein recipes will be healthy. So the thing I keep coming back to when determining whether or not they are healthy is the inclusion of as many real, whole foods as possible.

A few of these recipes use prepared sauces - for example, a jar of marinara sauce. I normally prefer homemade sauces, but when prepping freezer meals, convenience and efficiency are top priorities which is why I think this is a perfect time to use the store-bought pasta or enchilada sauces. I recommend looking for clean versions of these sauces - avoiding added dyes, added sugars, etc. when possible!

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