As our summers get super busy with kids, camping, sports, and other activities, I always make sure to do a big freezer meal prep. I prepare all these meals in gallon-sized ziplock bags, label them, and freeze them flat in our chest freezer. The night before, I pull one out and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Each meal cooks in the crockpot, making it simple and keeping the house cool since I don’t need to be in the kitchen for long. Although the initial grocery cost is high, breaking it down per meal makes it quite reasonable for a large family. The amount I prep usually lasts us 6-7 weeks, with dinner leftovers used for lunches or the next night’s meal. I've perfected a list that our family enjoys and that is cost-effective with minimal ingredients. I hope this helps others looking to budget in the kitchen!
Sloppy Joes:
1 lb. ground turkey or beef
1 diced onion
1 diced green pepper
1 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 packet Sloppy Joe seasoning
Add all ingredients to a freezer bag, seal, and mix to incorporate. Cook in the slow cooker on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Serve on buns or rolls.
Sausage and Lentil Soup:
2 packages sausage or kielbasa, sliced
2 cups brown lentils
1 bag baby carrots
3-4 diced celery stalks
1 diced onion
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 15oz. can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on HIGH for 4-5 hours. Serve with bread or rolls.
Hawaiian Meatballs:
2 lbs. frozen meatballs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 jar sweet and sour sauce
1 diced red pepper
1 diced green pepper
1 diced onion
1 can pineapple chunks with juice
Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.
Cilantro Lime Chicken:
3-4 chicken breasts or thighs
Juice from 2-3 limes
1 small bunch chopped cilantro
1 bag frozen corn
1 chopped onion
1 can black beans
Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and serve over rice or in burritos.
Broccoli Chicken Alfredo:
3-4 chicken breasts or thighs, cut into chunks or strips
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 bag frozen broccoli or fresh chopped broccoli
Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve over fettuccine noodles.
Pepperoncini Pork Roast:
2-3 lb boneless pork or beef roast
1 jar sliced pepperoncinis with juice
Add to freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Shred meat and serve over rice or potatoes. Leftover meat is great in breakfast burritos!
Chicken Fajitas:
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1-2 sliced green peppers
1-2 sliced red peppers
1 sliced onion
1 packet fajita seasoning
Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or in tortillas for fajitas.
Chicken Cacciatore:
3-4 chicken breasts or thighs
1 jar chunky veggie-style spaghetti sauce
1 chopped zucchini
1 diced green pepper
1 diced onion
Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.
Teriyaki Chicken:
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 sliced onion
2 cans diced pineapple with juice
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 cup teriyaki sauce
Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.
Sausage and Peppers:
2 packages sausage or kielbasa, sliced
2 sliced green peppers
1 sliced red pepper
1 diced onion
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 15oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag. Drizzle with olive oil and cook in the crockpot on LOW for 6-8 hours. Serve over noodles.
Each recipe is for a single bag. Double the amounts if you want 20 meals. I had no idea this would be so popular! I apologize for not being able to respond to all 3,000+ comments and messages, but thank you! I simply do what works for our large family and budget. I thaw these overnight in the fridge before cooking in the crockpot, which is perfectly safe as long as they reach the appropriate cooking temp. I’ve never had an issue and have been doing freezer meals for many years. Each bag serves approximately 4-6 people. I do not pre-cook any of the meat or ingredients. Press all the air from the bags before sealing to help avoid freezer burn. I hope this answers some questions!