Freezer Meals for Busy Families

This beef stew cooks low and slow, making it juicy and tender. The best part about this recipe is that it's a meal in one pot.

The sweet and sour sauce for these meatballs will appeal to everyone in the family. And they freeze well. Serve with rice.

Prepare this recipe just up to the baking part. Wrap tightly, then freeze. When ready to cook, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake according to the directions. You may need to add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.

If you're making this recipe a day or two in advance, just cook it and store it in the fridge. If you want this to be a freezer meal, wrap it tightly (a disposable foil pan works well) and store in the freezer just before cooking. Thaw completely in the refrigerator, then cook according to the directions.

This mildly-spiced chili is always a hit with the kids. All you need to complete the meal is some cornbread and coleslaw.

This baked spaghetti gets an extra punch of nutrition and sweetness from pureed butternut squash added to the sauce. Use baby food butternut squash for ease of preparation.

This quiche is one of those recipes you can serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And quiche is ideal for making in advance and freezing. Serve with broccoli raisin salad.

 

If you like to do once-a-month cooking, this recipe is a great one to use, because it only has five ingredients (four if you want to use one kind of cheese). If you want to eat it the next day, follow the recipe's instructions. To freeze it, follow the instructions through baking. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze. Thaw in the fridge and reheat. Yum!

This classic meatloaf recipe can be cooked, then frozen (after cooling completely). Or frozen just after shaping into a meatloaf. Be sure to thaw completely in the refrigerator, then cook according to the directions.

Serve this meatloaf with green beans with browned butter and garlic mashed potatoes.

The secret that makes this beef brisket melt-in-your-mouth good is the long, slow cooking process. The good news is it doesn't require a lot of active prep time. To freeze, cook the brisket completely, let cool, slice, and wrap tightly before freezing. Freeze the gravy separately.