30+ Meals You Can Cook and Freeze Now So You Don't Go Hungry Later

Come home after a long day to a freezer meal ready to reheat and serve!

There’s something so wonderful and welcoming about coming home after a busy day, knowing you have a well-stocked freezer and can just pull out a casserole to reheat for dinner.

You’ve already done the hard work of making the meal. Now you just get to enjoy the benefits of your prior planning.

Below are 32 recipes that you can double and freeze—one batch for tonight’s meal and one batch for another night.

Freezing and reheating casseroles: Casseroles can all be frozen as one large casserole or individual portions wrapped tightly in foil. Reheat casseroles covered loosely with foil in a 350°F oven; individual portions are best unwrapped and reheated in the microwave.

Freezing and reheating soups and stews: Soups and stews can also be frozen in batches or individual servings. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop or in 1- to 5-minute intervals in the microwave, stirring between each.

1. Classic Meatloaf

Get Recipe: My Dad's Favorite Meatloaf

With a mix of ground beef, pork, sausage, carrots, onions, celery, and garlic, there’s plenty of flavor in this traditional dish. Get out a bigger bowl for the mixing and a second loaf pan to bake the extra, and you’ve got two dinners ready in the time it takes you to set the table and prepare a tossed green salad.

2. Deep-Dish Bacon and Cheddar Quiche

Get Recipe: Deep-Dish Bacon and Cheddar Quiche

Contributor Sally Vargas says, "If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should register from 165 to 170 degrees. Once it gets into the 180-degree range, the custard will be overcooked."

3. Baked Ziti

Get Recipe: Baked Ziti

Sometimes it’s nice to have the taste of lasagna without the mess of lasagna. It’s also nice an extra tray of pasta in the freezer for times when you don’t want any mess at all. This baked ziti is for those times.

4. Easy Rice and Bean Burritos

Get Recipe: Easy Rice and Beans Freezer Burritos

Contributor Thao Thai says, "I choose the larger size of tortillas for a more filling take, though you can use smaller fajita-style tortillas if you’re looking to make snack-sized portions. Just adjust your ingredient ratios accordingly!"

5. One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

Get Recipe: One-Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

The beauty of this soup is that everything comes together right in the pot and finishes at the same time. The chicken poaches in the broth, becoming juicy and tender and making the broth extra flavorful. Double it up and freeze the rest.

6. Mexican Lasagna

Get Recipe: Mexican Lasagna

When you need a change of pace from traditional lasagna, try this Mexican version. Made with layers of corn tortillas and a beef-and-bean filling, you can also think of it as a “stacked enchilada” or a Mexican casserole. Bonus: This lasagna is gluten free!

7. Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)

Get Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore (Hunter Style Chicken)

This hearty winter stew of chicken and veggies can easily be frozen and reheated. Serve it over rice, pasta, or egg noodles.

8. African Chicken Peanut Stew

Get Recipe: African Chicken Peanut Stew

Contributor Hank Shaw says, "Use chicken legs, thighs or wings for this recipe. They have more flavor and will hold up better with the flavors of the stew than breast meat."

9. Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Get Recipe: Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

I know, I know, this dish says “breakfast.” But there’s nothing wrong with breakfast for dinner, and in fact, it hits lots of the major food groups for a satisfying meal any time of day.

10. Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Get Recipe: Curry Pumpkin Soup

Soups are so easy to double—just cook all the ingredients together in a larger pot. Wait to add the cream to the portion you plan to freeze. When ready to eat, defrost the soup in the microwave or reheat it on the stove over low heat. Add the cream right before serving, as the recipe specifies.

11. Easy Shepherd's Pie

Get Recipe: Easy Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd’s pie has multiple components—layers of ground meat, veggies, and mashed potatoes—none of which are very difficult to execute, but which do take some time. Doubling the prep work now means an easy meal later. This casserole freezes beautifully and is a satisfying winter dish.

12. Classic Minestrone Soup

Get Recipe: Classic Minestrone Soup

This pasta-less minestrone is ideal for freezing. Made with cannellini beans, chicken stock, cabbage, potato, zucchini, carrots, plum tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese, it makes sense to double the recipe and freeze half since you're taking the time to do all the prep anyway.

13. Easy Breakfast Casserole

Get Recipe: Easy Breakfast Casserole

This is one of those casseroles you assemble the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight, and then bake in the morning. Why not assemble two of them, bake them both, dive into one of them for breakfast, and freeze the other for another time?

14. Chicken and Rice Casserole

Get Recipe: Chicken and Rice Casserole

You will be so proud of your past self when you take this frozen savory casserole—full of chicken, rice, and mushrooms—out to defrost the night before and then heat it up for dinner the following night.

15. Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Get Recipe: Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Do you serve this easy casserole at breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Yes! It's one of those versatile dishes that can stand alone at breakfast and lunch, or be a side dish next to roasted chicken or pork chops. Make one for breakfast and freeze one for a future dinner.

16. Turkey Black Bean Quinoa Bake

Get Recipe: Turkey Black Bean Quinoa Bake

Combine leftover turkey with powerhouse quinoa, black beans, veggies, and seasonings, top with cheese, and you have a delicious, nutritious casserole that's easy to double and freezes well.

17. Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie With Carrots and Mushrooms

Get Recipe: Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

This veggie-heavy version of shepherd's pie freezes well for up to 2 months. While potatoes don't always freeze well, the fat in the mashed potato topping takes away that concern.

18. Tamale Pie

Get Recipe: Tamale Pie

If you make two of this pie, the trick to successfully freezing and reheating it is to allow it to cool completely before wrapping and freezing. More importantly, allow it to thaw slowly in the refrigerator, not on the counter. A quick thaw will make the cornbread soggy.

19. Ham and Asparagus Strata

Get Recipe: Ham and Asparagus Strata

This casserole is a tasty way to use up leftover ham, and if you have a lot of leftover ham, you can make two and freeze one. Filled with bread, egg, Gruyere cheese, milk, cream, ham, and asparagus, this is a hearty breakfast or breakfast-for-dinner casserole.

20. Eggplant Parmesan

Get Recipe: Eggplant Parmesan

Salting and drawing moisture out of the eggplant isn't difficult, but it does take some time. However, it takes just about as much time to do it for two eggplant Parmesans as it does for one. That's all the incentive you need to make two and freeze one of these cheesy, tomato sauced Italian classics.

21. Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Get Recipe: Stuffed Pepper Casserole

This casserole is like a deconstructed stuffed pepper. Both ground turkey and turkey sausage create the base for this dish that's full of bell peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, and kale—along with healthy, whole-grain farro. Super nutritious and easy to freeze.

22. Chili Con Carne

Get Recipe: Chili Con Carne

What's better than a hot bowl of chili con carne on a cold night? A hot bowl you didn't have to start from scratch first! Make a double batch of this chili with big chunks of beef, and when it's time to eat batch 2, your work is all done.

23. Zucchini Fritters

Get Recipe: Zucchini Fritters

When zucchini is plentiful in summer, make a double batch up these fritters and freeze half. You'll be happy to have them in the fall when the fresh zucchini supply is long gone.

24. Quick and Easy Bolognese Sauce

Get Recipe: Quick and Easy Bolognese Sauce

This sauce with veggies, ground beef, and white wine will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. It's great on pasta or used in lasagna. Freeze it in several containers so you can defrost just as much you need for a meal.

25. Swedish Meatballs

Get Recipe: The Best Homemade Swedish Meatballs

These Swedish meatballs in sauce are lick-the-plate good, and the recipe is super easy to double. Freeze a second batch—sauce and all—in a freezer-safe, zip-top bag with as much air removed as possible, They'll keep for up to 3 months.

26. Italian Meatballs

Get Recipe: Italian Meatballs

Ground beef and pork, herbs, cheese, and more go into these generously sized meatballs cooked in a homemade tomato sauce. Freeze cooked or uncooked, for up to 3 months, defrosted overnight, and ready the next time you're craving spaghetti and meatballs. Easy garlic bread on the side is a must.

27. Easy Tuscan Bean Soup

Get Recipe: 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.

28. Apple-Cinnamon French Toast Muffins

Get Recipe: Apple-Cinnamon French Toast Muffins

These are a bit like individual pieces of an overnight French toast casserole. Soak bread overnight and then add diced apples the next morning. Fill the muffin cups and add butter and sugar on top. Freeze cooled muffins for up to 1 month so make a double batch and defrost as desired (which will probably be one each day until they disappear!)

29. Quiche Lorraine

Get Recipe: Quiche Lorraine

Quiche Lorraine is perfect for a special occasion brunch, but if you make 2 of these bacon, egg, and cheese filled savory pies, you can freeze one. Then you can defrost it any time you want, and make something like a regular old Tuesday night a special occasion.

30. Hearty Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Stew

Get Recipe: Hearty Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Stew

Turmeric, cumin, and harissa create extra warmth in this chicken stew with chunks of carrot, potato, and mushroom. You'll be glad to have a second batch of this thick, creamy stew to defrost on a cold night.

31. Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich

Get Recipe: Braised BBQ Beef Sandwich

Obviously, you won't be freezing whole sandwiches, but the BBQ beef for these sandwiches is easy to double so you can freeze half for sandwiches at another time. Make it extra easy on yourself and use bottled barbecue sauce.

32. Pepperoni Calzone

Get Recipe: Pepperoni Calzones

Start with no-knead pizza dough or even store-bought dough, and make a double batch of these cheese, pepperoni, and sauce filled hand pies. After baking, cool, freeze the calzones unwrapped on a sheet pan until just frozen through, then wrap individually. They'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.