Recipes and Cooking Quick and Easy Recipes Make-Ahead Recipes & Meal Ideas 28 Make-Ahead Recipes to Stock Your Freezer With Right Now By Sheena Chihak, RD Sheena Chihak, RD Instagram Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 15 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on June 26, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Blaine Moats Take the hassle out of figuring out what's for dinner and allow your freezer to assist. With a little pre-planning (and prep time), you can stock your freezer with family-friendly weeknight dinners, easy sauces, sides, quick dessert toppings, and breakfast options. Your next meal is just a quick thaw and reheat away. 01 of 28 Pad Thai Chicken Burritos View Recipe Karla Conrad Freeze: Up to 4 months Get your Thai and Mexican cravings cured with this portable meal combining both cuisines. Fresh veggies, noodles, and Thai-spiced chicken wrapped in a tortilla make an easy lunch or dinner. Served with our coconut curry sauce, all the flavors really pop. 02 of 28 Nutty Chocolate Chip Pancakes View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 2 months Don't have time to stir up a batch of pancakes in the morning? No problem! When you freeze these stacks ahead of time, you can enjoy warm, chocolatey pancake goodness in minutes, even on your busiest mornings. 03 of 28 Orange-Rosemary Shrimp View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 1 month This easy seafood dinner is frozen in an orange-rosemary marinade, so the shrimp and veggies are loaded with that zesty flavor right out of your freezer. Once thawed (move it in the fridge the night before you want to enjoy), it only takes eight minutes to get this meal on the table. 04 of 28 Sausage and Peppers Soup View Recipe Jacob Fox Freeze: Up to 3 months A low-stress way to end the day is by enjoying this easy soup. It only takes 25 minutes to prep the veggies and sausage. All you have to do you to serve is add the broth, heat it up, and enjoy. Our Best Vegetarian Soup Recipes 05 of 28 Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Bake View Recipe Blaine Moats Freeze: Up to 3 months This make-ahead freezer meal has juicy chicken as the main dish and your rice side all in the same pan. When it's dinner time, just bake and serve with a fresh green salad to balance your meal. 06 of 28 Make-Ahead Smoked Turkey and Grilled Onion Panini View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 3 months To make lunchtime even quicker, prepare your usual sandwich ahead of time! These yummy paninis are filled with smoked turkey, tangy red onions, and gooey provolone cheese. 07 of 28 Freezer Confetti Corn View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 6 months Preserve the summer sweetness of fresh corn in individual freezer bags with red peppers and onions. The DIY veggie mix gets an added flavor boost from homemade parsley-chive butter. 08 of 28 Slow-Toasted Granola View Recipe Andy Lyons Freeze: Up to 2 months A creamy peanut butter coating mixed with honey and applesauce are added to your slow cooker with a rolled oat mixture to meld the granola flavors together over low heat. This fiber-loaded homemade cereal will add the perfect crunch to your morning yogurt. 09 of 28 French Garden Soup View Recipe Blaine Moats Freeze: Up to 1 month Preserve fresh-from-the-garden veggies and herbs in this no-fuss freezer soup recipe. Serve the vegetarian dish with crisp croutons and Halloumi cheese. 10 of 28 Chicken and Green Chile Tamales View Recipe Jacob Fox Freeze: Up to 1 month Fill authentic homemade masa harina dough with tender chicken thighs, green salsa, and fresh veggies, then roll in boiled cornhusks. The recipe yields 16 tamales, so you can steam them all at once for a crowd or just grab a couple for an easy dinner for two. 11 of 28 Chocolate-Peanut Butter Granola Bars View Recipe Jacob Fox Freeze: Up to 3 months Stash these homemade snacks in your freezer to have something nutritious at the ready when hunger strikes. Peanut butter, pretzel sticks, rice cereal, chia seeds, and miniature chocolate pieces pack the low-calorie granola bars. 12 of 28 Peach Chutney View Recipe Blaine Moats Freeze: Up to 6 months Chutneys are one of India's most popular condiments, and this flavorful mixture of fresh peaches, red wine vinegar, sugar, and spices is one to remember. Smear the fruit-studded spread onto grilled poultry, toasty tartines, or roasted sweet potatoes. 21 Condiments, Sauces, and Snacks You Can Make Better at Home 13 of 28 Olive Tapenade View Recipe Blaine Moats Freeze: Up to 3 months Spice up your favorite recipes with do-it-yourself condiments. Our olive tapenade features authentic ingredients like anchovies, capers, and fresh herbs. Make this flavorful topping a regular addition to your hot dogs, charcuterie boards, or as a dipper for fresh veggies. 14 of 28 Very-Berry Rhubarb Jam View Recipe Andy Lyons Freeze: Up to 1 year Add a shmear of this vibrant rhubarb jam to your biscuits for a sweet start to your day. It requires just five ingredients and 30 minutes of prep thanks to its use of blueberry pie filling. 15 Sweet-Tart Rhubarb Dessert Ideas You Need to Try 15 of 28 Caramel Apple Butter View Recipe Karla Conrad Freeze: Up to 10 months Smooth and silky, this apple butter is made possible by the low and slow cooking of fresh apples with apple cider, sugar, and lemon juice. Serve this with your breakfast toast or oatmeal. 16 of 28 Pillow Rolls View Recipe Andy Lyons Freeze: Up to 2 months Make use of your leftover mashed potatoes by adding them to this easy bread recipe. These soft and fluffy rolls (hence pillow in the name) will warm up quickly to go along with tonight's pot roast or spaghetti dinner. 17 of 28 Gluten Free Make-Ahead Sausage, Mushroom, and Polenta Bake View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 2 months This gluten-free casserole recipe will make anyone sitting at the table want second helpings, whether they eat gluten or not. It has all the same herb-filled Italian flavors as lasagna, but we've switched out the noodles with filling cornmeal polenta. 15 Creative, Alternative Lasagna Recipes with Layers of Flavor 18 of 28 Pickled Beet and Sage Conserve View Recipe Blaine Moats Freeze: Up to 3 months With thick, luscious texture, conserves take jam a step further with herbs, spices, and dried fruit. This freezer recipe features vibrant pickled beets, fresh pears, and chopped nuts with a sweet lemon-sage sauce. 19 of 28 Roasted Vegetable Lasagna View Recipe Andy Lyons Freeze: Up to 1 month Keep everyone happy with a healthy take on a classic Italian recipe. Brimming with zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and sweet peppers, this freezer lasagna guarantees a hearty bite of veggies in every forkful. Test Kitchen Tip: Before adding them to the lasagna, roast the veggies to coax out their sweet flavors. 20 of 28 Fresh Tomato-Pancetta Meat Sauce View Recipe Andy Lyons Freeze: Up to 3 months Stuffed with lean ground beef, Italian bacon, and fresh roma tomatoes, the freezer-friendly meat sauce can turn any night into pasta night. Serve over homemade pasta noodles for an extra special touch. Ground Beef Recipes Your Family Will Request Again and Again 21 of 28 Good Morning Cereal Blend View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 3 months Take your bowl of cereal beyond the box. This homemade blend of three fiber-filled cereals, granola, and dried fruits can be made ahead and frozen in just 10 minutes for long-term healthy snacking. 22 of 28 Freezer Berry Pie Filling View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 3 months This fresh freezer pie filling puts canned fruit to shame. A combination of fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries will create a pie ready to fill your dessert cravings any time of the year. Make sure to keep ice cream in the freezer too; you'll want to serve this pie à la mode. Our Favorite Berry Pie Recipes 23 of 28 Lemon Curd View Recipe Andy Lyons Freeze: Up to 2 months Lemon curd is the perfect tea-time accompaniment for your biscuits and scones. This velvety dessert spread can also be modified to fit the taste of orange-lovers. Host a Mother's Day Tea Party 24 of 28 Make-Ahead Southern Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Green Grape Relish View Recipe Blaine Moats Freeze: Up to 3 months Bulk-up your freezer with this pulled chicken recipe that will serve a crowd. (It makes 24 sandwiches total!) Let your slow cooker do the work and you'll have this finger-licking' good freezer chicken recipe ready to go whenever you need a good Southern meal. 25 of 28 Twixy Shortbread Bars View Recipe Blaine Moats Freeze: Up to 3 months It's a good thing these dessert bars are freezer friendly (you might eat them all at once otherwise). Reminiscent of the store-bought favorite, the cookie crust, creamy filling, and chocolate topping make this a perfect recipe for gifting or storing for a rainy day. Make-and-Freeze Cookies That Will Save Your Holiday 26 of 28 Strawberry Freezer Jam View Recipe Andy Lyons Freeze: Up to 1 year Skip the canning process and freeze this homemade strawberry jam for up to a year. Not a berry fan? Substitute the fruit for apricots, tangerines, oranges, or peaches. 27 of 28 Make-It-Mine Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce View Recipe Jacob Fox Freeze: Up to 4 months Flavor a piping bowl of noodles with our rich and flavorful homemade marinara sauce. Plus, we've got six variations for the base recipe so you can use what's on hand or on sale. Choose the flavors that most intrigue you. Yes, You Can Make Four Different Pastas From One Recipe 28 of 28 Pressure Cooker Ham and Mixed Bean Soup View Recipe Jason Donnelly Freeze: Up to 2 months Meal prepping with your pressure cooker is definitely the way to score more weeknight dinner wins at home. The smoky ham deepens the broth's flavor of this soup filled with beans, celery, and carrots. Kale goes in when you're ready to cook and serve on a chilly night. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit