When you’re feeling particularly motivated, make big batches of recipes that freeze well, and stow away leftovers for lazier nights. Soups, stews, lasagna, empanadas, and pie dough are some of our favorites to freeze—check out more ideas below.
What cooked food freezes well?
Leftover or batch-cooked dishes, especially anything sloppy, like soup, stews or baby food and fruit purees are perfect for freezing, because they are less likely to dry out when reheated. Assembled recipes, like pizza, pies, crumble, or lasagna are best frozen raw to avoid overcooking when you reheat them.
What cooked foods do not freeze well?
Foods That Do Not Freeze Well
| Foods | Usual Use |
|---|---|
| Cooked macaroni, spaghetti or rice | When frozen alone for later use |
| Egg whites, cooked | In salads, creamed foods,sandwiches, sauces, gravy or desserts |
| Meringue | In desserts |
| Icings made from egg whites | Cakes, cookies |
What healthy meals can I cook and freeze?
50 Meals You Can Make Ahead & Freeze for Later
- Chicken Sausage Lasagna.
- Copycat Cracker Barrel Meatloaf.
- Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers.
- Frozen Oatmeal Cups.
- Classic Italian Meatballs.
- Copycat Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli.
- Classic Butternut Squash Soup.
- Mac and Cheese.
What dinners can you freeze?
Freezable recipes
- Chicken tikka masala. A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
- Slow cooker meatballs. A star rating of 4 out of 5.
- Moroccan sausage stew.
- Cepelinai (meat & potato dumplings)
- For-the-freezer ratatouille.
- Wild mushroom mac ‘n’ cheese.
- Chicken & broccoli potato-topped pie.
- Bake-from-the-freezer pizzas.
Can I freeze mashed potatoes?
So, can you freeze mashed potatoes? The answer is yes—and it’s easier than you might think to do it. Just whip up your favorite mashed potatoes, let them cool completely, then store them in a freezer bag, freezer-safe storage container, or a tightly covered, freezer-safe casserole dish and pop it in the freezer.
Does pasta freeze well?
You can definitely freeze spaghetti. Aim to cook your pasta al dente. If the noodles are too soft or mushy, they might not survive reheating. We recommend adding a little bit of olive oil to your long noodles while they’re hot, so they don’t clump together.
Can you freeze fried rice?
Absolutely! Fried rice freezes really well in the freezer and can be stored in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Do potatoes freeze well in stew?
Potatoes are generally a staple in beef stew, but they do not freeze well, and lose their texture and become soggy or gritty. Adding potatoes after you thaw the frozen stew takes little time and ensures potatoes retain their firm texture.
Can I freeze cooked rice?
A: Yes, you can safely freeze any leftover cooked rice so that you can eat it at another time.
What dinners can be made ahead and frozen?
More Meals to Freeze
- Best Cottage Pie Recipe (Skillet)
- Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas.
- Mozzarella Stuffed Meatloaf (Italian Meatloaf)
- Chicken and Sweet Potato Enchiladas.
- Cozy Bacon Cheeseburger Pot Pie.
- Shredded Beef Enchiladas Supreme (Best Beef Enchilada Recipe)
- Baked Caesar Chicken Recipe (4 Ingredients)
Can you lose weight with freezer meals?
“Low-calorie frozen meals provide convenience, structure, and calorie control, which leads to better adherence and weight loss.” Bartfield offers five reasons why going frozen can help you lose weight and improve nutritional content of what you eat.
Can you freeze cooked chicken?
You can freeze cooked chicken and turkey, too
Put cooked chicken/turkey in an airtight container or wrap the food well in freezer bags, freezer wrap or cling film before freezing. Label it so that you remember what it is and when you froze it, then place in the freezer.
Can you freeze baked potatoes?
Make the potatoes according to your recipe, then let cool completely, wrap individually in foil or plastic wrap, place in an airtight freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can thaw twice-baked potatoes in the refrigerator or reheat them from frozen in the oven or microwave.
Can you freeze cooked potatoes?
Yes! You absolutely can freeze potatoes, and you should if you have an excess of spuds. But there’s one important thing to remember: You should really only freeze cooked or partially cooked potatoes, as raw potatoes contain a lot of water. This water freezes and, when thawed, makes the potatoes mushy and grainy.
Can you freeze and reheat rice?
Frozen rice lasts up to a month in the freezer. When you’re ready to take it out, reheat your rice in the microwave. Just make sure it’s completely heated through and piping hot before you tuck in. Avoid reheating rice more than once.
Can macaroni and cheese be frozen?
Macaroni and cheese freezes very well. I ought to know; I worked on a big mac and cheese project last year and was eating the research materials for months afterwards. You don’t need to do anything special when preparing whichever recipe you choose; just make sure that when you cook your pasta, you keep it al dente.
Can you freeze onions?
If you like cooking with fresh onions, but frequently toss an unused portion, try freezing them! Use frozen onions in cooked products, such as soups and stews, ground meat mixtures, casseroles, etc. For most dishes, frozen onions may be used with little or no thawing.
Can you freeze cheese?
To freeze cheese, portion, wrap, and pack it in an airtight container before rapidly freezing it. Use it within 6–9 months. Frozen cheese should be thawed in the refrigerator and is best used in cooked dishes.
Can you freeze spaghetti noodles and sauce together?
If you’ve already combined your pasta leftovers with sauce, feel free to freeze them together, ideally in an oven- or microwave-safe dish for easy heating later on. If you haven’t combined them, freeze the pasta and sauce separately.
Can I freeze baked spaghetti?
Baked spaghetti makes a great freezer food after it’s been baked. It’s best to wrap portion sizes in foil and place them in a labeled freezer bag. To reheat from a frozen state, leave it in the foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or more, depending on the serving size.
Can I freeze spaghetti and meatballs?
Freezing Spaghetti and Meatballs
The simple answer is, yes, you can freeze your spaghetti and meatballs. In fact, you can freeze the dinner for up to six months! Pretty much all components to this dish freeze very well. In fact, real Italian tomato sauce is a classic freezer option.
Can you freeze butter chicken and rice?
You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. How can I reheat butter chicken? You can reheat butter chicken easily on a frying pan or in the microwave.
Can I freeze chicken and rice?
Thankfully, yes, you can certainly freeze chicken and rice.
We love making a big batch of our favorite rice meals like Crock Pot Chicken and Rice made with chicken breasts and frozen vegetables or Instant Pot Chicken and Rice and freezing portions for an easy dinner on busy weeknights.
Can you freeze lasagna?
For the best results, freeze lasagna after it has been assembled but before it’s been baked. Freezing food this way will help maintain the lasagna’s cheese and noodle texture and prevent it from getting soggy. If you’ve already baked your lasagna, don’t worry; it can still be frozen!
Do carrots in a stew freeze well?
Yes, you can freeze cooked carrots for up to 9 months. They will retain their flavor and nutritional value, but lose their firmness and texture. It is best to blanch carrots before freezing, but you can also freeze carrots that are roasted, mashed, or mixed with other vegetables as well as carrot soup.
Can you freeze cooked carrots and potatoes?
Sweet, nutritious carrots are easy to grow in the home garden, and they freeze well either partially cooked (blanched) or fully cooked.
Can you freeze steak?
Wrap each steak individually with plastic wrap, not butcher paper or aluminum foil, and seal it as tightly as possible. Place the wrapped steaks in a resealable freezer bag and set the freezer as close to 0°F as it will go. The colder, the better. Steaks packaged this way will keep very well for about 3 months.
Can you freeze milk?
You can safely store frozen milk in your freezer for up to 6 months, but it’s best if you can use it within 1 month of freezing. Milk should be defrosted in the fridge as opposed to at room temperature to decrease the risk of bacterial growth.
Can you freeze noodles?
You can freeze just about any cooked pasta, but how you cook the noodles can make a big difference when you’re ready to thaw. (There’s really no need to freeze uncooked pasta, because it typically has a shelf life of one to two years. It likely won’t grow any mold or bacteria in your pantry.)
Can you freeze cooked broccoli?
Once your broccoli is cooked and dry, it can be packaged for freezing. Lay the broccoli in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray or plate. Place in the freezer until completely solid, 1 to 2 hours. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic container or resealable freezer bag.
Can you freeze beef stew?
Store stew in heavy plastic, airtight containers, leaving ¼- to ½- inch of space to allow for expansion in the freezer. Stew can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Stews thickened with flour or cornstarch may separate after freezing. If you plan to freeze a stew, wait to thicken it until you reheat it.
Does Meatloaf freeze well?
Freezing Meatloaf
Mix the ingredients and form the loaf, then wrap it very well with plastic wrap and place it in an airtight freezer bag. Raw meatloaf should last up to six months in the freezer. You do need to consider if the meat was frozen before you made it into the meatloaf.
What can you make ahead and freeze?
15 EASY FREEZER MEALS
- BEEF AND BROCCOLI TERIYAKI. no cook-prep, gluten-free, dairy free, skillet meal, easy freezer meals.
- SESAME HONEY CHICKEN LETTUCE CUPS.
- PESTO TORTELLINI BAKE.
- EASY RAVIOLI LASAGNA.
- THAI PEANUT CHICKEN SATAY.
- CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN.
- CUBE STEAKS WITH GRAVY.
- CHICKEN FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES.
How can I lose my stomach fat?
Trimming the fat
- Eat a healthy diet. Focus on plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and choose lean sources of protein and low-fat dairy products.
- Replace sugary beverages.
- Keep portion sizes in check.
- Include physical activity in your daily routine.
What’s the healthiest frozen food?
10 Healthy and Affordable Frozen Foods
- 1. Fruits and vegetables. Frozen vegetables and fruits are common go-tos for stocking the freezer — and for good reason.
- Falafel.
- Edamame.
- Turkey meatballs.
- Chicken or fish patties.
- Cauliflower rice.
- Brown rice.
- Veggie pizza crust.
Is Lean Cuisine better than Healthy Choice?
Lean Cuisine meals contain between 340 mg and 700 mg of sodium. The Lean Cuisine website allows you to search for lower sodium options. Although Healthy Choice does not allow you the convenience of searching for lower sodium meals, the frozen options top out at 600 mg of sodium.
Can you freeze cooked hamburger?
Freezing Cooked Hamburger
It should be good for up to four months in the freezer. You can also freeze cooked food that contains fully cooked hamburger, such as in a casserole, so long as it was refrigerated within two hours of cooking.
Is 2 year old frozen chicken still good?
If kept frozen continuously, chicken will be safe indefinitely, so after freezing, it’s not important if any package dates expire. For best quality, taste and texture, keep whole raw chicken in the freezer up to one year; parts, 9 months; and giblets or ground chicken, 3 to 4 months.
Can I freeze leftover rotisserie chicken?
To freeze cooked rotisserie chicken:
Shred the chicken into smaller pieces and remove the bones, if shredding. Place shredded chicken in ziploc bags or airtight containers and store in freezer. If freezing a whole chicken, simply place the chicken in an airtight container once cooled and store in freezer.
Can you freeze tomatoes?
To successfully freeze fresh raw tomatoes, you can: Slice tomatoes into at least 1/2-inch slices. Put slices on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Remove slices and put them into freezer bags or containers.
Can you freeze apples?
The short answer is yes, apples may be frozen whole and with virtually no effort. Washed and wrapped in plastic or sealed in Ziploc bags to freeze, there is no quicker route from orchard to freezer. It may be easy, but bear in mind the end result is an apple that is inconvenient when it comes time to use it.
Can I freeze carrots?
Freezing carrots is such a great way to avoid waste. It will also make cooking them a little quicker from frozen. Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture, taste, colour and nutritional value of carrots deteriorates. Make sure you blanch the veg to preserve these elements.
Can you freeze butter?
Yes, you can freeze butter – in fact, unsalted butter can last up to five months; salted butter up to nine with proper storage. To keep it tasting as fresh as possible, keep the frozen butter in its original wrapping. You can also wrap it in foil or plastic and put it in an air-tight container.
What vegetables can you freeze?
You can freeze almost anything.
The best vegetables to consider are corn, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, squash and winter greens such as spinach, kale, chard and collards. Onions, peppers, celery and herbs can also be frozen.
Can you freeze fried potatoes and onions?
Storing potatoes and onions together in the freezer is ideal. After cooking, let them cool in the fridge before transferring them to the freezer to allow them to retain more of their flavor. Use these within four weeks of freezing.
Why you should not reheat rice?
It is possible to reheat rice, but people must take precautions to ensure it is safe to eat. Rice is more problematic than some other leftover foods as it may contain bacteria called Bacillus cereus, which survive some cooking processes . This bacterium is often the cause of food poisoning from reheated or cooked rice.
Can you freeze black beans?
Which Beans Can You Freeze? Thankfully all kinds of beans can be frozen, from baked beans to black beans, canned to cooked!
Do eggs freeze well?
Eggs can be frozen for up to a year, although it is recommended to use them within 4 months for freshness. Many people find themselves being left with spare egg whites or yolks after a recipe requiring just one or the other, or even throwing out unused eggs when the box hits its expiry date.
Can you freeze baked beans after cooking?
You can freeze homemade baked beans the same way you freeze canned baked beans. You let the leftovers cool, then portion them into airtight containers and freeze. They can sit in the freezer for at least 3 to 6 months without major quality loss.
Can potato salad be frozen?
Yes: You can freeze potato salad. Keep in mind that it won’t have the same texture when it thaws, though. A number of ingredients can be affected. Mayonnaise is an emulsion, so it doesn’t hold in the freezer.
Can you freeze cornbread?
Yes is the quick answer to this question. The good news is that cornbread freezes very well. It is one of the foods that can be frozen.
Can you freeze chopped tomatoes?
Did you know that you can freeze raw tomatoes with and without their skins? Tomatoes may be frozen raw or cooked, whole, sliced, chopped, or puréed. Tomatoes do not need to be blanched before freezing.
Can you freeze lettuce?
Can you freeze lettuce? Not if you want to make tossed salad with the thawed out product. But for cooking and flavoring uses, yes, you can freeze lettuce. The reason you won’t be able to use the frozen lettuce to make salads is because the freezing process causes ice crystals to form in plant cells.
Can you freeze sweet potatoes?
Freezing sweet potatoes is a great way to enjoy them all year-round while cutting down the cook time. Sweet potatoes can be frozen raw, boiled, baked, or mashed.
Can you freeze bacon?
Their recommendation is that unopened bacon only be frozen up to one month. To freeze unopened bacon, overwrap the store package with heavy duty foil or other freezer wrapping, being sure to push all the air out of the package and tightly close the wrapping around the inside package.
Can you freeze sour cream?
If you have extra fresh sour cream and don’t want to waste it, you can freeze it. While freezing it will result in undesirable changes to its texture, you can add frozen or frozen and thawed sour cream to a number of recipes, such as baked goods and soups.
Does freezing butter ruin it?
Properly stored butter can be frozen for up to four months if frozen prior to the USE BY date on the package. Butter may begin to lose its fresh butter taste and pick up flavors and odors from the freezer if stored for longer than four months. Once the butter is removed from the freezer, use it within 30 days.
Can you freeze mashed potatoes?
While most chefs advocate for making them fresh, mashed potatoes can be made ahead and frozen until ready to use.
Can you freeze cream?
No, cream does not freeze. Freezing destabilises cream. When thawing you risk the cream separating (with water on one side and fat on the other). However, there is no reason why you cannot freeze dishes containing cream.
Can you freeze plain cooked macaroni?
While it won’t be as good as it was freshly made, you can freeze cooked pasta. As explained by the Kitchn, cooked pasta that’s not yet tossed in sauce will generally freeze better than already-sauced pasta, maintaining its texture more nicely once thawed.
Can I freeze pasta dish?
If you’re using it soon, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To freeze homemade pasta, let it dry for at least an hour. Then, place it in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 8 months.
Can you freeze pasta casseroles?
Pot pies, enchiladas, lasagnas, and pasta casseroles are particularly freezer-friendly dishes. Soups and stews are too, but you don’t need to freeze them in any particular shape or dish.
Why do you put eggs in baked spaghetti?
Baked Spaghetti has all the ingredients of regular spaghetti (meat, noodles, sauce, cheese) with a few additions like ricotta and egg to bind it all together when it bakes.
Can you freeze cooked rice?
A: Yes, you can safely freeze any leftover cooked rice so that you can eat it at another time.
Can you freeze cooked pasta with cream sauce?
First, cream-based pasta sauces don’t do well in the freezer. Sauces with a small amount of cheese like pesto, however, are fine, although some people prefer to add the cheese after defrosting. If the sauce requires a little cream, just add it as you’re reheating the sauce.
Can I freeze pasta salad?
We thought it would be fun to bring you some great tasting pasta salads that you could serve up to holiday guests. Or for picnics the rest of the summer. And in MOST cases you can make pasta salads ahead. And yes, you can even freeze them.