5 Easy 5-Ingredient Freezer Meals
Tired of spending hours in the kitchen after a long day? This freezer meal plan for easy 5-ingredient freezer meals is here to save the day!
Have you been wanting to start learning about making healthy freezer meals but not sure where to begin? Well, lucky you! This freezer meal plan for making easy 5-ingredient freezer meals is here to save the day!
With just a handful of ingredients, you can create delicious, wholesome, healthy meals that will leave your family asking for seconds!
I’ve got five of my most favorite “easy recipes” for chicken freezer meals to get you started on the path to freezer meal success.
The best part? Even if you’ve never done freezer meals before in your life, you can put together 10 of these 5-ingredient freezer meals (2 of each of 5 recipes) in UNDER ONE HOUR!!!
Dump-Style Crock Pot Freezer Meals
Easy dump-style freezer meals for your slow cooker or crock pot are a busy cook’s best friend.
The easy crock pot freezer meals I’m including in this plan are among my most favorite freezer meals to make – they are super easy and SUPER fast!
And having slow cooker freezer meals on hand is my favorite way to save time in the kitchen on busy days. Or lazy days. Or, okay, on ANY day!
Dump-style meals, as they are called, involve assembling all the raw ingredients for a recipe in a large freezer bag or container, then freezing it until you’re ready to cook.
There is no cooking required up front.
Just dump everything in the bag and into the freezer it goes! It’s now a ready-made meal just waiting for the chance to shine!
With minimal food prep and minimal time in the kitchen, these slow cooker meals leave you with more time elsewhere for other things.
Then, when it is time to use your meal, you can simply “dump” the contents of the meal bag into your slow cooker and voila – a delicious, home-cooked meal with minimal effort!
Freezer Meals are Perfect for Busy Schedules and New Moms
Having healthy freezer meals all ready to go is the perfect way to deal with those hectic days when you barely have time to think about dinner, let alone cook it.
And it can be a game changer for anyone looking to simplify their meal prep routine without sacrificing flavor or nutrition.
If you’re a new mom or have young children, freezer cooking is an excellent way to save time and reduce stress.
The Magic of 5-Ingredient Freezer Meals
Why limit the recipes to ones using five ingredients or less?
Because simplicity is the key!
With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a variety of flavorful dishes that will impress your family and save you time in the kitchen.
Plus, less ingredients means a more budget-friendly meal!
These easy recipes are great ways to get dinner on the table without breaking the bank. Or your back.
10 Easy Dinners in Less Than An Hour!
One of the hardest parts (maybe THE hardest part) of doing homemade freezer meals is knowing what to make and finding reliable recipes.
I’ve already done that hard work for you with this meal plan!
In this plan, I’m including five slow cooker recipes. You will make 2 of each recipe, for a total of 10 easy weeknight dinners.
These are all family favorite meals that we eat regularly.
One rule I have on my site: If my family won’t eat it, then I won’t post it.
So rest assured, these are tried and true recipes. I’ve personally made each and every one multiple times.
And most of these meals can be served in multiple ways or used for multiple meals.
So you can choose what works best for your family’s tastes and preferences.
Tips for Successful 5-Ingredient Freezer Meals
To ensure that your freezer meal prep goes off without a hitch, I’ve got some insider tips to share:
- When assembling your meals, be mindful of portion sizes and ensure that you’re using a freezer-safe container or bag. Most of these meals will easily feed 4-6 (or more). If you have a smaller household, you can opt to split the recipe in half, so instead of making 2 of each meal, you’ll end up making 4 of each, just with smaller portions.
- Properly label your freezer bags with the name of the recipe, the date it was prepared and put in the freezer, and the cooking instructions to avoid any confusion later on.
- While most of these freezer meals use your standard crockpot cooking times, you may need to adjust cook time for your specific make and model. I have one slow cooker that runs extra hot, so even on LOW most of my chicken recipes are done within 3 hours.
- When storing your meals in the freezer, stack them neatly to maximize space and make it easy to find what you need. Even the yummiest freezer meals do no one any good if they are lost in the back of the freezer, never to be seen or heard from again…not like I know from personal experience or anything…
- If you’re using freezer-safe ziptop bags, consider laying them flat to freeze for the first 24 hours. Then once they are fully frozen, you can stack them upright like books on a shelf. This will save space and make thawing more efficient.
Creating Your Grocery Shopping List
Before you start prepping your freezer meals, you’ll want to create a grocery list and make sure you have gathered all the items you’ll need for each meal.
Luckily, I’ve already done that part for you! All you need to do is print out a copy of the included shopping list.
Take stock of any ingredients you might already have on hand and mark them off the list.
Then, with grocery list in hand, head to the grocery store and gather what you need. You may want to do this the day before you plan to prepare the meals.
Assembling Your 5-Ingredient Freezer Meals
Once you’ve got your ingredients, it’s time to assemble your easy freezer meals.
Follow the recipe instructions carefully, although there really isn’t much prep involved. I tried to pick the easiest (but still best-tasting) recipes I could find!
Once all the ingredients are in the bag, remove as much air as possible and seal the bag tightly. This is important for helping to prevent freezer burn.
Labeling and Storing Your Meals
Proper labeling and storage are key to keeping your freezer meals organized and easy to use.
Clearly label each bag with the name of the recipe, date of preparation, and any cooking instructions or any additional ingredients needed.
This will save you time and confusion when you go to make the meal.
Because while you may remember what you made today, it will look totally different a week from now once it is frozen. Trust me.
And it is no fun to get your mind set on having a particular meal only to find out you thawed a completely different meal that you weren’t expecting!
Thawing and Cooking Instructions
When it comes time to make your meal, proper thawing and cooking are essential for best results.
To thaw your meal, transfer it from the freezer to your refrigerator the night before you plan to cook it.
This gradual thawing will ensure that the ingredients defrost evenly and safely.
If you’re short on time, you can use the defrost setting on your microwave. But be sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for safe thawing.
Once your meal is thawed, simply dump the contents of the bag into your slow cooker, follow any additional cooking instructions, and let the magic happen.
Before you know it, your home will be filled with the irresistible aroma of a home-cooked meal.
Depending on how your crock pot or slow cooker cooks, you may need to adjust cook time. You may need to do a little experimenting to find out what works best with your particular make and model.
Final Thoughts
That’s really all there is to it folks.
Once you’ve enjoyed your delicious meal, be sure to celebrate your success!
With each successful batch of freezer recipes made, you’ll gain confidence and inspiration to continue exploring this new world of make-ahead meals.
Whether you’re ready to move on to new recipes or need to perfect your freezer meal prep technique, I’m here to support you every step of the way!
When you’re ready for more options, here are a few similar recipes that I whole-heartedly recommend:
Or you can find a full list of ALL of my crock pot freezer meal recipes on my site.
And if you enjoy this freezer meal plan, I have additional freezer meal plans available!
