31 Healthy Freezer Meals to Cook for the Whole Month

We could all do with making our lives a little easier right?

Of course! We’re busy moms who are making the added effort of trying to eat healthy. That’s why I’ve created this list of healthy freezer meals for a month!

That way you have a go-to list of recipes so you can have a healthy meal on the table each night without the extra hassle of always having to cook.

This is especially helpful when you’re trying to eat healthy but your family isn’t and you have no desire to cook two separate dinners every night. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Whether you decided to prepare all these freezers ahead of time for the whole month, or you just pick and choose the ones you want to use for those crazy busy days, you’ll still be making your life (and your dieting!) a whole lot easier.

Ready to start cooking? Let’s get to it!

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Contents

When to Use Freezer Meals

These healthy freezer meals are perfect for anyone with a busy schedule or someone who doesn’t have the time to cook dinner every night. They are great for times such as:

Right after you have a baby
Right after surgery or during a recovery period
When you will be out of town and the husband and kids are fending for themselves

You have unexpected guests come over
You have a friend or family member going through any of the above situations and you want to help out

Why I Love Freezer Meals for Healthy Eating

Making healthy freezer meals ahead of time is one of my go-to hacks to help me stay on top of my diet and my budget! Here are some of my favorite benefits of having a few healthy meals stashed in the freezer at all times:

Saves time and energy on cooking. It takes no extra time to make a double recipe. You can easily cook one of the recipes below for dinner, make a double batch and freeze half of it. With no extra effort, you have an extra meal ready for you when you need it.
Saves money on groceries. When you cook freezer meals you can save money by stocking up on ingredients when they are on sale. For example, when chicken is on sale, you can buy extra, cook several of the recipes below and freeze the extra meals for when you need them.
Makes it easier to focus on a healthy diet. Having healthy meals ready to go ahead of time makes it way easier to stick to your diet. You won’t have to worry about cooking or figuring out what’s for dinner after a long busy day.

Healthy Freezer Meals for a Month

Healthy Chicken Freezer Meals

1.) Chicken Cacciatore from One Hundred Dollars a Month. Looking for a quick and easy meal you can put together in a flash and pop in the freezer and forget about it until you need to pull it out for a busy weeknight? This is the one! Serve this over rice, or alongside noodles, or by itself.

2.) Italian BBQ Chicken from Mom Saves Money. A super simple recipe for barbecue chicken with a little bit of a twist!

3.) Cilantro Lime Chicken from One Hundred Dollars a Month. Simple to make and can be prepped in just minutes. Plus, it’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you need something quick and easy to cook.

4.) Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas from Haute & Healthy Living. These Healthy Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are easy, delicious, and versatile! Make this recipe in advance for meal prep or serve it up on those busy weeknights. Either way, this recipe is sure to be a hit with the whole family! {Gluten-free & paleo}

5.) Weight Watchers Salsa Chicken from Mess for Less. If you are short on time in the evenings and are following the Weight Watchers plan, you will love this Weight Watchers Salsa Chicken Make-Ahead Freezer Meal. It is zero points on the Freestyle program without the cheese. If you add cheese, adjust points accordingly.

6.) Easy Make-Ahead Orange Chicken Freezer Meal from Happy Money Saver. This Orange Chicken Freezer Meal is yummy and easy to make ahead. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice.

7.) One-Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl Recipe from No. 2 Pencil. Tender chunks of chicken, homemade Mexican rice, and seasoned black beans loaded with your favorite burrito bowl toppings.

8.) Chicken Fried Rice from Cooking Classy. Chicken Fried Rice is one of the best weeknight dinners around! It’s a homemade version of my favorite take-out classic. We all had that ham fried rice growing up but move over ham because the chicken variation is 100 times better! The whole family will love this protein-packed, hearty chicken and brown rice combo.

9.) Chicken Broccoli & Rice Casserole from Fabulously Frugal. Save yourself some time and money. Make this chicken broccoli and rice casserole freezer meal!

10.) Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry from Super Healthy Kids. Prep a tasty and healthy chicken and veggie stir-fry, freeze it and have it ready for your next busy weeknight. This tasty freezer meal recipe uses a special but simple technique to ensure that your veggies stay bright and fresh-tasting.

11.) Pesto Chicken Ranch from Make-Ahead Meal Mom. This slow cooker Pesto Ranch Chicken freezer meal is packed with flavor, even though there are only 4 ingredients. The combination of chicken thighs with pesto and ranch seasoning just cannot be beaten for a punch of vibrant flavor!

Healthy Soup Freezer Meals

12.) Taco Soup from I Heart Naptime The world’s best taco soup recipe that’s fast and easy to make in one pot with staple ingredients! This taco soup is by far the most requested meal at my house.

13.) Easy Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod. Easy Chicken and Rice Soup-this easy chicken and rice soup is perfect for a cold day and makes a great weeknight meal.

14.) Chili from Spaceships and Laser Beams. This old-fashioned chili recipe will make you think of meals at grandma’s when you were little. It’s hearty and filling. The flavors are perfect!

15.) Beef Stew Recipe from Spend With Pennies. This Beef Stew Recipe is perfect for the colder weather! Tender beef is simmered in beef broth with potatoes, onions, celery, peas, and carrots until melt in your mouth tender. It’s comfort food heaven!

16.) Healthy White Chicken Chili Crockpot Recipe from My Natural Family. This is the best gluten-free white chicken chili recipe I’ve ever eaten. It’s also a nice change from regular chili. So delicious and everyone you serve will be asking for more!

35+ Yummy & Healthy Crockpot Meals for Kids

17.) Beef, Black Bean, & Butternut Squash Chili from I Heart Recipes. What’s better than a warm bowl of chili in the winter? This hearty chili is packed with veggies and can easily be made ahead of time for quick dinners.

18.) Keto Tomato Soup from Foodborne Wellness. I love a robust tomato soup. This Keto Tomato Soup is just that. It is incredibly bright and creamy, not to mention super easy! We use a jar of tomato sauce as a shortcut to well-developed flavor for this low-carb and gluten-free recipe.

19.) Sopa De Tortilla Receta ~ Sopa Azteca (Tortilla Soup Recipe) from Sugar Spice N’ Everything Nice. This authentic tortilla soup recipe or Sopa de Tortilla Receta is made with tomatoes, and chicken or vegetable broth along with spicy flavors from pasilla peppers (pasilla chile or chile pasilla ). This traditional soup recipe is delicious and a great option for a comforting weeknight dinner.

20.) Stuffed Pepper Soup from Chef Savvy. Stuffed Pepper Soup loaded with spicy sausage, bell peppers, and rice! This soup is loaded with so much flavor and is a reader favorite! Everything you love about a stuffed pepper but in soup form!

21.) Tuscan White Bean Soup from Eat With Clarity. This Tuscan white bean soup is made in one pot, ready in 30 minutes, and perfect for meal prep! It’s vegan, gluten-free, full of protein, and perfect with some rustic (gluten-free!) bread for dipping.

Healthy Beef Freezer Meals

22.) Teriyaki Beef and Broccoli from Happy Money Saver. Smothered in homemade teriyaki sauce, this dish is sure to replace your favorite Japanese restaurant.

23.) Freezer Taco Rice Casserole from My Life and Kids. This easy, healthy recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, AND perfect for the freezer.

24.) Easy Freezer Meatballs from One Hundred Dollars a Month. This recipe is simple, tasty, and easy to freeze. And then you can do a million different things with the meatballs. Serve over veggie noodles for a delicious and healthy dinner.

25.) Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef from Fabulously Frugal. An easy, delicious Mongolian beef recipe that you can throw in the slow cooker or the freezer!

26.) Spinach Mozzarella Meatloaf from Simplify Live Love. This recipe comes together quickly and freezes well. And best of all, it’s a delicious way to sneak in some healthy spinach.

27.) Szechuan Steak Stir Fry from Thriving Home. This very quick and easy meal rivals any Asian take-out stir-fry. Serve over brown rice for some added fiber.

28.) Instant Pot Shredded Beef Fajitas from Happy Money Saver. All the delicate fiery flavor of fajitas in a freezer-friendly Instant Pot meal.

29.) Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers from Family Freezer. Cook fresh or freeze and cook later. Serve with rice and parmesan cheese.

30.) Crockpot Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps from Family Freezer. Delicious and easy meal to cook in the crockpot for the whole family.

31.) Slow Cooker Meatball Vegetable Soup from Family Freezer. A healthy and delicious recipe that your whole family will love.

Tips for Making Freezer Meals

Let’s talk about how to prepare all these healthy freezer meals for a month. There are a few different methods for making freezer meals.

Option 1: Fully cook the meal and then freeze it.

If you use this method, all you have to do is thaw it out, heat it, and dinner is served.

Option 2: Cook your meal up until the last few steps and freeze it.

If you use this method, you thaw it out and then finish cooking. For example, you could prepare a casserole up until the final step of cooking in the oven and then freeze it.

Thaw it out the night before and then pop it in the oven and finish cooking it for dinner. Your food will taste just like you slaved away all evening, but it takes a fraction of the time.

Option 3: Dump all your ingredients into a bag, mix it up, and then freeze.

This method works well for meals like soups, crockpot meals, or Instant Pot meals. They’re also called dump meals.

You thaw the meal, dump it in a cooking pot, and then cook. Pretty much one of the easiest ways to have dinner ready to go.

Let your food fully cool before freezing

If you’re doing any cooking before you freeze your meals, make sure you let them fully cool before you put them in the freezer.

Freezing food while it’s still hot can decrease the quality and lifespan of your food and lead to possible bacteria growth. To avoid that, make sure to give your food plenty of time to cool off.

Store your freezer meals properly

One of the best ways to make sure your freezer meals stay fresh as long as possible is to store them properly.

You can use freezer bags or reusable containers like these. I use a combination of both, depending on the meal and how much room it takes up in my freezer.

Get out as much air as possible

Make sure you get as much air out of your bag or container as possible before sealing it to help cut down on any freezer burn that may happen over time. If using a freezer bag, you can use a straw or the water displacement method to get out the air.

Thaw safely

When you’re ready to eat your healthy freezer meal, make sure to thaw it out safely.

You can thaw food in the fridge overnight or in cold water for a few hours. I don’t recommend microwaving frozen food as it often results in uneven cooking and can decrease the quality of your food.

How to reheat freezer meals

Each freezer meal will have different instructions for reheating, so make sure to read the recipe carefully.

Most meals can be heated in the oven, on the stovetop, or in the microwave. If you’re not sure how to heat something up, google it or check the recipe.

I find it super helpful to write the reheating instructions on the freezer meal before I put it in the freezer so I don’t have to worry about hunting up the recipe or forgetting what I need to do.

Tips for Organizing Your Freezer

Now that you’ve looked over the list of healthy freezer meals for a month and know how to prepare them, let’s go over a few tips for organizing your freezer. Having all these ready-to-go meals is nice, but if you don’t organize them well in your freezer, things can get a little chaotic.

I would hate for you to go through all this effort just for your food to get lost in your freezer and never eaten.

Here are a few things you can do to help keep everything organized and easy to use in your freezer.

Arrange like items together

One good tip when organizing your freezer meals is to arrange like items together. Put soups next to soups, casseroles next to casseroles, etc.

Or you could put all of your beef recipes together, all of your chicken recipes together, etc. Choose whichever method makes the most sense to you.

Freeze leftovers in small portions

If you have the room in your freezer another good idea is to freeze your meals in smaller portions. This is good if you need recipes for just one or two people.

It’s also a good way to make sure you don’t have any leftovers that go bad. Just freeze the leftovers so you can save them without worrying about them going bad.

Label each meal clearly

This one is a no-brainer, but it’s important nonetheless. Label everything with what’s in it and any additional cooking instructions.

Trust me everything looks different once it’s frozen. Having it labeled clearly helps you know exactly what you’re looking at and any extra steps left for preparing the meal.

Have a list of what’s in your freezer

Another useful tip is to have a list of what’s in your freezer. It can be a serious pain trying to hunt through a cold freezer looking for something specific just to realize you’ve eaten it all.

This is especially important if you’re like me and sometimes can’t remember what’s in your freezer.

Simply write down everything you’ve frozen and cross it off the list as you use it. You can add to the list if you cook some more meals and just update it as needed.

Write the date on each meal

If everything is dated, you’ll be able to tell at a glance which meals are the newest and which ones need to be eaten soon.

This one is especially important if you like to freeze your meals for a longer period of time. The date will help you know when it’s been in the freezer too long and should be thrown out.

FAQ’s for Healthy Freezer Meals for a Month

What’s considered a healthy freezer meal?

What you consider healthy is going to depend on what type of diet you’re following. For this list, I based my choices off of the recommendations from Harvard The Nutrition Source:

1/2 plate of vegetables/fruit
1/4 plate of whole grains

1/4 plate of protein
Healthy plant oils in moderation.

All the recipes on this list aim to follow those guidelines and are made with healthy ingredients.

Who are freezer meals for?

Freezer meals are for anyone who wants to have a healthy meal on the table without having to cook every night. Here are some times when you especially might want to have some freezer meals ready to go:

Right after you have a baby.
Right after surgery or during a recovery period.

When you will be out of town and the husband and kids are fending for themselves.
You have unexpected guests come over.
You have a friend or family member going through any of the above situations and you want to help out.

What can be frozen and what can’t?

Pretty much anything can be frozen. If you’re unsure, here is a list of some things that don’t freeze well:

Fresh herbs like basil, parsley, cilantro, or dill

Raw eggs
Potatoes (unless they’ve been cooked)
Cream cheese

Raw vegetables (blanch them first)
Block cheese (shredded is fine)
Fried foods

Do I have to cook the meals before freezing?

Depends on the recipe. Some recipes do require you to cook some part of the meal before freezing and some you just dump everything in a bag and cook it the day of.

What containers work best for freezer meals?

The best containers to use are ones that are made to go in the freezer. You want to make sure that it will be air-tight and sturdy enough to handle getting jostled in the freezer a bit.

Here are some containers I recommend:

Ziploc bags work well for soups and dump meals and they tend to take up less room in the freezer. Plastic or glass containers work well for casseroles and things like that and are easily reused.

How long do freezer meals last?

Most of the recipes will last around three months in the freezer, but some might last longer or shorter. Be sure to label your recipes with the date you made them so you know how long they’ve been in there.

How do you make a month’s worth of freezer meals?

The first step is to plan out the meals you want to cook, make a list, and buy your groceries. Then you decide when you want to cook.

You can either double up recipes during your regular cooking schedule or you can also set aside a specific day to do all of your cooking. When I was preparing freezer meals for after I had my babies, I set aside a specific day to cook them all because I was cooking a lot of meals.

Then you cook the food, let it cool off, and place it into freezer-friendly storage containers. If you’re cooking all at once, it takes a few hours, but it’s well worth it having a full month of meals ready to go.

Can freezer meals be healthy?

Absolutely! Freezer meals can healthy. As long as you’re cooking healthy foods and using healthy ingredients, your freezer meals will be healthy too.

What kind of meals are good to freeze?

Almost any meal can be frozen. Some of my favorites are soups, stews, casseroles, pasta dishes, and chicken or beef recipes. As long as it’s cooked and can be stored in a freezer-safe container, it can be frozen.

Conclusion to Healthy Freezer Meals for a Month

Now you have a list of healthy freezer meals for a month. Even though I currently have more time in my schedule and I do a weekly meal prep, I still like to have a few of these meals on hand for emergencies.

You never know what’s going to happen, and it’s nice to know that dinner is always covered no matter what.

If you want to make planning healthy meals for your family simple and easy, check out my Weekly Meal Planning Bundle. It has worksheets to help you plan out meals weekly and monthly. Plus, it has themed dinner ideas for an entire month so you never get bored. You can find it HERE.

If you have any suggestions or recommendations to add to this list of healthy freezer meals for a month please leave a comment below or email me at Candice@littlestepsbighappy.com. Follow me on Pinterest for more healthy recipes.

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Candice McDaniel

I’m a busy mom of 3 turned Health and Fitness Coach and Self Defense Instructor. I help inspire other moms to reach their health, fitness, and weight loss goals. You can usually find me chasing my kiddos around, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or sneaking away to read romance novels. About Me