Food and Recipes Dinner 22 Easy Freezer Meals To Store For Later Stock the freezer with these recipes, and you'll never be unprepared for dinner. By Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon Wells Mary Shannon is an Associate Digital Editor and has been on the Southern Living team since 2017. She helps run the brand's social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok, where she's happily behind the scenes. When she's not ruffling feathers with an etiquette poll via Instagram Stories, she's writing content for the website and assisting in various print projects like gift guides and home stories. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on November 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele After a busy weekday, the last thing you want to do is cook a time-consuming meal. Don't waste time and money going out to eat because we've rounded up a month of freezer-friendly meals to make your dinnertime stress-free and delicious. These meal ideas don't skimp on flavor and taste and are just as yummy when re-heated. Slow-cooker recipes are some of the easiest meals to freeze, and we've got the most delicious slow-cooker dinners, like barbecue sandwiches, corn chowder, and pork tacos. Soups like hearty beef and baked potato are ideal for chilly fall nights. Your family will love these easy freezer meals, and you'll love the time they save you. Stock the freezer with these freezable recipes, and you'll never be unprepared for dinner. 01 of 22 Easy Chicken and Dumplings Beth Dreiling Hontzas This favorite Southern comfort food is always welcome at our dinner table. Start with deli-roasted chicken and combine it with cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Use canned biscuits to make this dinner even more straightforward. 02 of 22 Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya Greg DuPree This creole dinner will spice up your weeknight. Make this dish in about one hour with classic jambalaya ingredients like chicken thighs, smoked sausage, rice, and vegetables. Your proteins might vary depending on your preferences and can include ham, turkey, oysters, or shrimp. 03 of 22 Hearty Beef and Freezer Veggie Soup Greg DuPree Vegetables from the frozen food section help speed up the prep time for this warm, comforting soup. It's perfect for chilly nights. With 40 minutes of active, hands-on time, you can have soup to feed a crowd. 04 of 22 Eggplant Rollups Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele This low-carb Italian dish will satisfy your lasagna cravings. Slice salted eggplant into strips to remove all the excess moisture. This vegetable-based lasagna will be your favorite new Italian dinner. 05 of 22 Southern Pimiento Mac and Cheese Hector Sanchez Any Southerner will tell you: Pimiento cheese tastes good with just about anything, including mac and cheese. Wait until you are ready to serve to top this dish with breadcrumbs. Use bacon, fresh chives, and hot sauce to flavor it to your preference. 06 of 22 Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake Iain Bagwell This pasta bake will be your kids' favorite way to eat their veggies. With just a bit of sautéing and stirring, you'll be ready to enjoy this cheesy pasta dish. Try topping with chopped pecans for some extra texture. 07 of 22 Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall This delicious slow-cooker chowder makes use of fresh summer corn. Wait until ready to serve to the top with a mixture of corn kernels, bacon, red onion, chives, and lime juice. Placing these toppings on last helps preserve the herb's freshness. 08 of 22 Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-Up Hector Sanchez Have this hearty, cheesy take on tamale pie ready in the freezer for fiesta night at your house. With only one pan, you can prepare to feed a crowd. Combine ground beef, cornmeal, tomato sauce, and corn with layers of cheese. 09 of 22 Tomato, Cheddar, and Bacon Pie Hector Sanchez Classic Southern tomato pie gets an upgrade with a bacon-filled crust. A tip from the test kitchen: Pat the tomato slices down to remove any excess moisture, sprinkle them with salt, and then let them sit on the counter for around 30 minutes. This step helps to draw out the excess liquid that would make your crust soggy. 10 of 22 Slow-Cooker Barbecue Beef Sandwiches Southern Living These sandwiches and a classic barbecue side dish are perfect for those busy weekday dinners. You can freeze the meat for up to one month. You should be able to shred the meat with two forks after hours in the slow cooker. 11 of 22 Baked Potato Soup Jennifer Davick Have fun creating a personalized toppings bar to accompany this baked potato soup. Keep this soup ready for a chilly winter evening, and pop some fresh rolls in the oven for a warm and comforting dinner. To make things easier, cook the potatoes in the microwave first to help soften them. 12 of 22 Hamburger Steak With Sweet Onion-Mushroom Gravy Beth Dreiling Hontzas This hamburger steak is hearty and delicious, especially over mashed potatoes. A tip from the test kitchen: To make ahead, proceed with Step 1 as directed. Wrap each patty individually in plastic wrap, and place it in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months—Thaw frozen patties in the refrigerator for eight hours. Proceed with Steps 2 and 3. 13 of 22 Heavenly Chicken Lasagna Lee Harrelson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro This chicken lasagna is the best indulgent dish for nights when you need layers of goodness. Layers of sauce, spinach, cheese, and chicken add to one delicious dish. Layer your ingredients in advance, cover, and chill overnight if you want to make dinner the day before. 14 of 22 Old-Fashioned Meatloaf Southern Living The ketchup-based glaze on this Southern dish includes Worcestershire sauce for extra flavoring. Meatloaf is a classic dish. Substitute celery for carrots or bell peppers if you want some variety. 15 of 22 Bacon-and-Cheddar Grits Quiche Alison Miksch Breakfast for dinner is easy with make-ahead and frozen casseroles like this one. Start with a "crust" of cheesy grits and add thick slices of bacon. To prevent the custard from spilling out while baking, spread cheese over the edges of the warm grits "crust." 16 of 22 Slow-Cooker Pork Tacos with Fresh Tomato Salsa Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Cook the pork ahead and make the fresh tomato salsa before serving. We recommend pairing it with a homemade margarita, especially after a long day. Before cooking the meat, trim off any excess fat because it is not required. 17 of 22 New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Southern Living Sliced Andouille sausage and creole seasoning spice up this red beans and rice recipe. This versatile recipe simmers the beans all day and pairs well when poured over fluffy rice. Sliced green onions are perfect for garnishes. 18 of 22 Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin Beth Dreiling Hontzas Prepare the pork tenderloin with spices (we used McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning), wrap it with bacon, and freeze. Thaw and prepare according to the recipe when you're ready to cook. With 25 minutes of cook time, you'll have a delicious slice of bacon-wrapped pork. 19 of 22 Chicken Enchilada Casserole Hector Sanchez This creamy enchilada casserole, made with layers of Tex-Mex goodness, is filled with shredded chicken. You can substitute smoky shredded BBQ brisket or pulled pork instead of chicken. The two types of cheese blend seamlessly with the tortilla and filling mixture. 20 of 22 Turkey Pot Pie with Cranberry-Pecan Crusts Tina Cornett This turkey pot pie with cranberry-pecan crusts will have you ready for the flavors of Thanksgiving. You can even make this casserole with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. A tip from the Test Kitchen: If making ahead, store crusts separately and place them on the pies before serving so they stay firm. 21 of 22 Spinach-and-Herb Pastatta Melina Hammer You read that correctly—this dish is a cross between baked pasta and a frittata. Yes, it is absolutely delicious. This comforting, hearty dish combines spinach, penne pasta, and Asiago cheese. 22 of 22 Greek Baked Ziti Greg Dupree This easy dish is perfect for preparing and freezing to cook on busy weeknights. Follow the recipe to Step 5, then freeze until you are ready to serve. Let it stand for half an hour before cooking. Want a dessert to pair with that frozen dinner? Here are some delicious make-ahead, freezer-friendly desserts perfect for the holiday season. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit