Freezing meals is just smart mummy behaviour. Maybe you’re going away and want to feed the troops while you’re gone. Perhaps you’re renovating your kitchen and will only have a microwave for the next two weeks. Maybe you’re about to have a baby and know that you’ll barely have time to scratch yourself for the next two years six weeks. Or maybe you just want something on hand for those days that are just … one of those days. Whatever the reason, we’ve got the recipe. In fact, we’ve got 20 of ‘em.
Slow cooker standbys
Slow cookers are a great way to get ahead if you need to stockpile meals for whatever reason. Quickly throw the ingredients together in the morning, arrive home to a finished meal, then you can still make another meal that evening! You Wonderwoman, you!
1. Creamy chicken casserole
A delicious dish full of tasty button mushrooms and a rich creamy sauce that is even more magical at its second coming.
- See here for the Creamy chicken casserole recipe.
2. Slow cooker Irish stew
Oh, those Irish know their stews. Thick chunky pieces of meat and veggies make this a hearty winter meal, the flavours of which only intensify after being frozen and reheated.
- See here for the Slow cooker Irish stew recipe.
3. Slow-cooked beef
Don’t let the simple title fool ya – complete with bacon, mushies, taties and a good glug of red wine, this is tasty with a capital T.
- See here for the Slow-cooked beef recipe.
4. Slow-cooked chicken drumsticks in BBQ sauce
It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t love a chicken drumstick. And when they’re lovingly slow-cooked in a delicious Texan-style BBQ sauce? Well, won’t you be popular?
- See here for the Slow-cooked chicken drumsticks in BBQ sauce recipe.
5. Beef, red wine and mushroom slow cooker casserole
Tender beef and mouth-watering chunks of red wine-flavoured mushrooms. Bubble away for hours until perfection is achieved. Freeze then reheat to improve on perfection.
- See here for the Beef, red wine and mushroom slow-cooker casserole recipe.
Curried up
Life is that little bit rosier when you’re secure in the knowledge that there’s a curry nestling in your freezer, just waiting for the call. Curry in a hurry? You’d better believe it!
6. Yummy curried sausages
You know you’re onto a winner when you cook a recipe with ‘yummy’ in the title. These curried snags live up to the hype, my friends.
- See here for the Yummy curried sausages recipe.
7. Massaman curry
Now that you’re a sensible, organised creature who freezes all your meals in advance, you need never call out for Thai takeaway again, because you can reheat this little baby much faster.
- See here for the Massaman curry recipe.
8. Easy lamb curry
A simple and versatile dish using your favourite curry paste and whatever veggies you have on hand. Too easy! (Hence the name …)
- See here for the Easy lamb curry recipe.
9. Beef and pumpkin curry
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of using the same old veggies every time you make curry. Delicious pumpkin makes a welcome change.
See here for the Beef and pumpkin curry recipe.
10. Thai green chicken curry
A flavour-bursting chicken curry with a creamy coconut milk base.
- See here for the Thai green chicken curry recipe.
Pasta bake-aheads
A pasta bake manages to elevate a simple pasta dish into a family celebration. And better yet, a family celebration that you’ve prepared earlier? Now that’s genius …
11. Cheesy three veg pasta bake
Cheesy = yum. Three veg = healthy. Pasta bake = kids will scoff it down. Winning!
- See here for the Cheesy three veg pasta bake recipe.
12. Chicken and cheese pasta bake
The use of a barbecue chook means this is a snap to make and the cheesy tomato sauce will be a hit with the young’uns.
- See here for the Chicken and cheese pasta bake recipe.
13. Bacon and tomato pasta bake
Not only is this a yummy, hearty meal that will please even the fussiest eater, it’s one of the most economical dishes around.
- See here for the Bacon and tomato pasta bake recipe.
14. Creamy zucchini pasta bake
Plenty of penne, heaps of zucchini, bangin’ bake that is perfect for a Meat-free Monday!
- See here for the Creamy zucchini pasta bake recipe.
15. Leftover sausage bake
These are the ingredients that you’re more than likely to have on hand and they will provide you with this quick, easy, el cheapo family meal that’s perfect for freezing.
See here for the Leftover sausage bake recipe.
Freezer filler family favourites
They’re those tried and true favourite recipes that you crank out at regular intervals because you know they’ll always get a rousing reception. So keep a stash in the freezer for those nights when you just don’t want to have to think about a single solitary thing.
16. Simple beef stroganoff
Stroganoff. It’s Russian for ‘yummy hearty family meal that freezes up a treat’, ya?
- See here for the Simple beef stroganoff recipe.
17. Chilli con carne
Whether you pronounce it chilli con ‘carn’, ‘carnée’ or ‘carnay’, one thing’s for sure, making your chilli chilly in the freezer sure carn improve the taste. Sorry, that was bad, wasn’t it?
- See here for the Chilli con carne recipe.
18. Lasagne
Ahh, lasagne. Divine to eat but daunting to take on after a full day’s work. But you, clever one, froze ahead and now just need to bung it in the oven …
- See here for the Lasagne recipe.
19. Chicken cacciatore
Cacciatore is an everyday Italian favourite and soon it will be yours too.
- See here for the Chicken cacciatore recipe.
20. Spaghetti bolognese
Let’s face it, you can never have enough spaghetti bolognese in your house. Your only challenge is getting it into the freezer before somebody (or several bodies) wolf down the lot.
- See here for the Spaghetti bolognese recipe.
I tend to cycle through 6 or so meal ideas all the time. This list is going to be magic for my family. Can’t wait to pick something and wow them!
wow so many yummy, quick and wholesome ideas. and all freezer friendly which is always a bonus. I deff need to invest in a slow cooker i never realized how versatile they were until i joined a Facebook slow cooker group recently and man you make just about anything in them.
i like how these recipes are family and kid friendly too so dont need to substitute any ingredients and most things either you have already in cupboard or a staple on the shopping list.
Slow cookers are the best!! I love getting the meal ready early and not having to stress about it in the evening. All of these recipes sound fantastic, and now I am super hungry, thanks… I am going to do the freezer thing, its such a great idea!!
Yum I love freezing leftovers but it’s great to have a stockpile of tried and tested available recipes on hand to give a go! We are expecting our third child in January so I will be thinking ahead pretty soon to start cooking meals. Last time we have a baby, my first, noone made us any meals 🙁
Fantastic looking meals above. I haven’t really done many freezer meals before, but to know that these recipes above freeze ok, I think I will try some of them. AND even if I don’t freeze them, the recipes sound so good and enticing that I might just make them one night anyway 🙂
Yummy these all sound so yummy I’m always after meals to cook especially in the slow cooker when I don’t get home till 530-6pm and the kids are hungry it’s great to have food ready to eat ASAP. I’m definitely going to try some of these different recipes in our busy lifestyle.
Great idea! Love freezing meals! Although our freezer isn’t very big and we desperately need some more containers (on my list!!). We pretty much buy all our fruit and veges at the Farmers Market on a Sat and live off those for the week. We do separate meat etc and freeze a lot though including bacon as it’s always good for a Sat morning brekky!!