Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas
Sheet Pan Chicken Pitas that are salty-briney-crunchy in all the right ways! Marinated chicken, roasted peppers, fresh cucumber, kalamata olives, feta cheese, and an easy homemade tzatziki.
chicken, garlic, lemon juice, curry powder, peppers, tzatziki
serves 6 // vegetarian, gluten free
TOSS TOGETHER:
- 12 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon each: cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- black pepper to taste
FREEZE: Spread into a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid transfer to a bag or container to store in the freezer.
BAKE: From frozen, bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
FINAL STEP: Serve with pitas, tzatziki, hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives, red onion skys the limit!
for the original recipe where you can find thesefreezer meal instructions in the recipe card notes.
Bread And Butter Pudding
Serves: 6 | Total time: 45 mins | Freeze for: 6 months
If you’ve got a stale loaf sitting in the bread bin, rustle up a tasty bread and butter pudding to avoid food waste and, if you dont want to use it straight away, no bother freeze it, and then itll save you a job on dessert prep the next time you have a big Sunday lunch. Win-win all round.
Traditionally winter fayre, it can be summer-fied with some ice cream in place of custard, and you can also make a chocolate bread and butter pudding , should the fancy take you.
How to freeze: Make your bread and butter pudding according to the recipe and freeze. It can be frozen baked or unbaked, this is entirely up to you.
If you want to freeze the whole thing, make sure the dish you cook it in is oven and freezer safe. Buy large ziplock or vacuum pack bags when freezing in bulk this will save you from having to portion your bulk foods.
How to defrost: If it’s frozen from being baked, it won’t take as long to cook after it’s been defrosted. Place your bread and butter pudding into the fridge to defrost this could take somewhere between 8-12 hrs if you’ve frozen your pudding in a large dish. Warm up or cook in the oven until piping hot.
Get the recipe: Bread and butter pudding
Crumble freezes perfectly, and can be the pudding to follow a future Sunday roast
Butternut Squash And Red Onion Soup
This is very easy, and really delicious. My DC have never liked soup before, but seconds for everyone today with this. I used frozen ready-cut and peeled squash even easier
Average user rating: 5/5 stars
When and how to freeze: Wait till the soup has cooled, and then freeze. You can use freezer bags but bear in mind that the soup will expand, so do leave enough space.
How long will it last?: Up to three months
How do I cook it?: Either put it in the fridge overnight to defrost, then cook as normal, or cook straight from the freezer just make sure it is heated through. Once defrosted, you can re-blend if you have time
Don’t Miss: Grilled Zucchini And Squash Recipe
Melting Middle Lamb Burgers
Serves: 2 | Total time: 20 mins | Freeze for: 6 months
Bringing us summer holiday vibes, these lamb burgers with an oozy, cheesy center, are a Godsend in the freezer when it comes to prepping for a BBQ or just for an easy dinner, perfect served with a side of watercress and a tzatziki potato salad .
How to freeze: Burgers are one of the best things to freeze because you only have to use what you need. Separate the patties in sandwich bags or in cling-film and place into the freezer.
How to defrost: When you want to cook one of your burgers, simply take it out of the freezer and let it defrost in the fridge.
Get the recipe: Melting middle lamb burgers
Individual chicken pot pies are easy to freeze and make a comforting dinner dish
Here Are Some Of The Benefits We Regularly Point Out:
Also Check: Blueberry Lavender Skinny Syrup Recipe
Creamy Carrot And Parsnip Soup
Serves: 4 | Total time: 40 mins | Freeze for: 6 months
Soup is the perfect thing to make in bulk and freeze for a rainy day lunch galore out there to try). This soup is just the ticket to using up the leftover veggies from your Sunday roast, and we do rather love the addition of ginger and orange zest to pep this dish up a treat. Serve with a large chunk of crusty bread.
How to freeze: It’s important to store your soup in separate portions as, once you’ve defrosted it, it cannot be frozen again. Store your portioned soup in individual airtight freezer bags or in small Tupperware boxes. Make sure you label each portion with the type of soup and the date it was made.
How to defrost: Leave your soup in the fridge overnight and stir every now and then to make sure it’s defrosting thoroughly, then reheat in the microwave or on the hob.
Cream-based soups tend to separate once frozen so it’s best not to use the microwave to heat them up. If youre short on time, non-cream-based soups can be defrosted in the microwave.
Get the recipe: Creamy carrot and parsnip soup
The Queen of the kitchen’s riff on a traditional lasagne is packed with veggies
What Is Considered A Healthy Freezer Meal
We arent about diets, eating low-fat foods, or cutting out food groups.
We are about cooking tasty, homemade food and eating all things in moderation. Were also about cooking with as many unprocessed, organic and/or local ingredients as possible, including a variety of:
Read Also: Best Boneless Pork Chop Recipe
S To Start Batch Cooking
Alright, so now were ready to get started with batch cooking! Heres a quick step-by-step plan to get you going. Remember, batch cooking is all about convenience and consolidation, so rely on convenience where you can. For example, if your recipe calls for rice, use the steam-in-a-bag rice to save even more time. Or if a recipe calls for diced bell peppers, buy the pre-chopped ones from the grocery store.
What Containers Are Good To Use For Easy Freezer Meals
Gallon or quart-sized plastic or re-usable freezer safe bags. Just make sure and get out as much air as possible by squishing the food around and flattening the bag as much as possible. Seal it tightly to avoid any spills or freezer burn as well. I have heard of people using reusable gallon sized bags as well to save even more money. Ziploc freezer meal recipes are my most used freezer meals for a month.
Aluminum foil pans or your own baking dishes. Look for these at the dollar stores where you can often get a 3 pack for a dollar. For my big family of 6, I use the 9×13 sized containers for our meals. However, if you are freezer meal cooking for two you can buy the smaller sized ones. Also check your local restaurant supply stores for multiple containers as well. You could also use your own metal pans, but you want to make sure you have enough of them before you get started.
Don’t Miss: Vitamix Recipes For Weight Loss
Whats The Best Way To Store Frozen Meals
There are several different ways to safely and effectively store meals in your freezer. Some work better than others depending on the type of food you are freezing or even the space you have in your freezer.
The best way to store and save a freezer meal is in any method that will prevent air from getting to the food. It really depends on the recipe!
Top Tips For Batch Cooking Freezer Meals
What’s the best way to freeze bulk meals?
When it comes to freezer storage, Kate Hall from The Full Freeze, has plenty of tips. If you’re concerned about how you’re going to fit all of this food in, try freezing any soft foods flat in a freezer bag. This is a great space-saving hack, and your food will defrost much faster.
For solid items like pastry parcels, it’s a good idea to freeze them open on a lined tray for a few hours, then wrap them individually with cling film or foil before moving to a freezer bag or air-tight tub.
And, if you are freezing finished dishes such as cottage pie, invest in freezer-to-oven safe dishes with plastic lids. Just remember to freeze in portions you can eat in one sitting, as your meal shouldn’t be reheated more than once.
She also suggests using what she terms dump bags. You can batch prep dump bag recipes, where you place all the chopped-up ingredients into a resealable freezer bag. When you want to cook your meal, just defrost it in the fridge overnight or in a dish of cold water.
How long can you freeze bulk meals for?
Kate recommends eating your frozen meals within six months. Technically food will last indefinitely in the freezer as long as it’s -18C or colder, but batch-cooked meals are best eaten within 3-6 months to enjoy them at their best quality, she says.
Don’t Miss: Recipes For Cancer Patients To Gain Weight
Apple And Blackberry Crumble
Great easy recipe, but you need to double the amount of crumble!
Average user rating:5/5 stars
When and how to freeze: Before or after baking is fine just cover with a tight layer of clingfilm before freezing
How long will it last?: Up to six months.
How do I cook it?: Cook straight from the freezer, adding 30-45 minutes to the cooking time
Freezer Meal Meat Recipes
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
INSTANT POT: From frozen, 12-15 minutes on high pressure + 10 minutes natural release.
SLOW COOKER: From thawed, 4 hours on high.
FINAL STEP: Serve as tacos, or on a salad, or in a rice bowl, or in enchiladas. limitless possibilities!
for the original recipe where you can find these freezer meal instructions in the recipe card notes.
Also Check: How To Make A Hot Toddy Recipe
Cauliflower Olive & Lentil Tagine
Packed with veg, this provides an amazing 4 of your 5-a-day. If you’re not a fan of bulgur, swap it for brown rice or a wholewheat version of couscous
Turn a barbecue favourite into a nutritious meal without compromising on taste with our easy healthy burgers
Keep this biryani bake in the freezer for an easy midweek health kick
These freezer-friendly meatloaves are packed full of iron and are low-fat to boot
This help-yourself veggie supper is full of fresh flavours and low-fat too
Vegetarian Chili Verde From Naturally Ella
Why We Love It: Hearty and flavorful, this chili is perfect for a rainy evening, or just whenever you want chili . If youre hiding veggies from your kids like me, chop them small so theyre harder to detect.
Hero Ingredient: Im personally a fan of adding the garbanzo beans in this recipe. Its an ideal replacement for meat and gives the dish a little extra substance.
You May Like: Migraine Relief Essential Oil Blend Recipe
Whole Roasted Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Why We Love It: One of Camilles favorites! I love it because you really can mix and match ingredients to suit your preferences. Ideal for any meal of the day, these sweet potatoes store easily in the freezer and are a great substitute for toast in the morning if you need a break from bread. Look for smaller sweet potatoes to make the roasting process quicker.
Hero Ingredient: The toppings change the game here. I love avocado with lemon and sea salt for breakfast. You could adapt them to be a pizza base, load them with veg, serve them Mexi-style, or opt for traditional bacon bits and sour cream.
Healthy Batch Cooking 101
Academy of Culinary Nutrition Health How To
During a busy day, it can be challenging to cook three nutritious meals plus snacks from scratch. Employing kitchen hacks to get dinner on the table quickly can be helpful, but if youre looking to plan for an entire weeks worth of eating then healthy batch cooking is the way to go. When you pre-make food in large quantities, you and your family can enjoy meals and snacks throughout the week without a lot of fuss.
You May Like: Clear Slime Recipe With Contact Solution
Mary Berrys Butternut Squash Lasagne
Serves: 6 | Total time: 1 hr 15 mins | Freeze for: 6 months
You may be a classic lasagne person, but regardless, youll love this veggie twist, especially as its all the work of cookings grand dame. Lasagne can be a time-consuming affair to put together so all the more reason to have a big kitchen session and freeze the rest for another day when it will feel like a special treat of a dinner with none of the graft.
This dish helps on your five-a-day mission too, as it also includes red peppers, mushrooms, and spinach. Serving with a light salad of watercress or rocket will work as a treat.
How to freeze: Cook the lasagne before freezing and leave to cool for about an hour on the kitchen side preferably covered in a kitchen towel. Once completely cooled, pop into the freezer.
If you’re going to freeze your lasagne in the dish that you cook it in, make sure the dish is freezer and oven safe. Otherwise, portion your lasagne and freeze it in individual freezer bags or Tupperware boxes.
How to defrost: Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven on low heat until piping hot. Cover in tin foil to keep the lasagne moist. If reheating in portions, the microwave is the best option, though you might want to stick it under the grill briefly to crisp up the top.
Get the recipe:
Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas From Minimalist Baker
Why We Love It: This is the perfect comfort food recipe. While it does take a bit of TLC to wrap up each enchilada in your baking dish, the flavors and hidden veggies are so worth it. These are great to batch cook and freeze in a baking dish.
Hero Ingredient: I love that this recipe sneaks in some kale to the filling for that extra dash of nutrients.
Recommended Reading: Thanksgiving Recipes For Keto Diet
Saucy Meaty Freezer Meals
Have you tried cooking with green jackfruit? With its mild flavor and meaty texture, its a great plant-based substitute for pulled or shredded meat. I love to use it to make saucy BBQ sandwiches and spicy vegan tacos, and both fillings freeze perfectly. Transfer them to the fridge to thaw overnight and reheat them on the stove, or defrost them in the microwave. And dont forget hamburger buns and tortillas freeze well too. Keep some on hand, and youll be able to assemble these recipes in no time!
Love sweet and spicy flavors together? You HAVE to try this recipe! The easy mango salsa offers a refreshing contrast to the flavorful jerk-spiced taco meat.
Easy Tuscan Bean Soup
The key to freezing this soup after you’ve doubled the recipe is to make sure that the greens are totally submerged in the liquid before it goes into the freezer. Other than that, this hearty soup couldn’t be easier to double, freeze, defrost and have for dinner up to 3 months after you first made it.
You May Like: Hershey’s Cocoa Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe
Cauliflower Walnut Taco Meat
This vegetarian taco meat is made with cauliflower, walnuts, and chipotle peppers. Its so easy: just mix, bake, and eat or freeze. Meatless miracle!
cauliflower, walnuts, chipotles, chili powder, cumin
serves 6 // vegan, gluten free, dairy free, whole30
PULSE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR:
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- black pepper to taste
BAKE: From frozen, bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
You can also bake them before freezing so that you can keep them in the freezer fully cooked and ready to reheat.
FINAL STEP: Serve with literally anything personal fave includes some kind of pasta, red sauce, and a salad.
for the original recipe where you can find thesefreezer meal instructions in the recipe card notes.
Healthy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Ground black pepper, to taste
INGREDIENTS TO FINISH & SERVE:
- Small bunch parsley, finely chopped
- BEFORE COOKING: Add 9 cups water or low sodium chicken broth.
- INSTANT POT: Cook from frozen on High pressure for 35 minutes. Quick Release.
- SLOW COOKER: Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking. Cook on Low for 10 hours or on High for 6 hours.
- AFTER COOKING: Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Blend a bit with an immersion blender until desired consistency. Add chicken and parsley. Stir and serve hot.
CONTAINER LABEL
Instant Pot 35 mins, QR OR Slow Cooker Thaw 24 hrs. Low 10 hrs, High 6 hrs. Before 9 cups water/broth. After shred chicken, puree soup, 1 small bunch parsley.
I also have Instant Pot chicken wild rice soup you can freeze.
Also Check: Healthy Supper Recipes For Weight Loss