To Be Considered Easy Freezer Meals They Needed To Be:
- Freezer meals that even beginners could make, not complicated
- Freezer meals that are quick! They need to take 15 minutes or less each to prep.
- Freezer meals that dont require cooking first before you prep. And minimal veggie chopping too.
- Freezer meals that you dont have to thaw overnight first.
- Freezer meals that are actually healthy too, like using real foods, or having some gluten-free and vegetarian options too.
- Freezer meals that are kid friendly and taste amazing ..like ones your family after trying actually says, Whoa, this is soo good!
So I decided to look through some of my own freezer meal recipes on Happymoneysaver, to figure out which ones would work great for this easy freezer meals list, and found some awesome ones. Then I decided to create some new recipes as well!
And so in all its glory, I present to you 15 of the easiest freezer meals of all time that are super delicious and healthy too.
Shopping For My Freezer Dump Meals:
I have made a full shopping list for the first 10 Dump Meals to make your life easier. You can Print This List it and bring it to the store with you.
You will feel totally satisfied with the assortment of recipes! Its an incredible lineup!
Please share your 30-day challenge experience with us. Comment below and tell me what you appreciated most, the money savings or having 30 days of fresh home-cooked meals. These types of challenges have always changed my life for the positive.
Easy Instant Pot Parmesan Risotto
Winter is creeping in, friends. And you know what that means: comfort food season! Lately, Ive been all about cozy casseroles, crock pot dinners, and pasta. Today were making my favorite version of an Italian classic. This Instant Pot risotto is rich, flavorful, and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
I love the flavors of creamy homemade risotto. But sometimes there just isnt enough hours in an evening to stand over a pot of simmering rice, painstakingly ladling another spoonful of broth into the pot as the last one absorbs. Is it worth it? Always. However, the Instant Pot is perfect for making silky, hands-off parmesan risotto in the same amount of time.
This is actually the perfect risotto recipe for beginners. It has loads of Italian flair and tastes like it was ordered in a 4-star restaurant. No ladling necessary!
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Freezer To Instant Pot: When I Pressure Cook Freezer Meals Should They Be Thawed Or Frozen Does It Make A Difference
Most resources recommend that pressure cooking times can remain the same for frozen vs. thawed ingredients the reason is that it takes longer for frozen foods to reach pressure, but once youre hot enough for that, the cook time is unaffected. In my experience, Ive found this to be true in some cases but there are some important exceptions!
When cooking big/thick frozen pieces of meat , I find that the center can stay colder longer and require more time to cook than it would if it werent frozen. I use this to our advantage in the recipe below for White Chicken Chili, where a 20 minute cook time is a good match for both frozen whole chicken breasts and soaked great northern beans.
With the other recipes below, you have flexibility to thaw first or to cook from frozen with little difference. One advantage of thawing before cooking is that you gain the opportunity to brown meat using Saute Mode before adding liquid and pressure cooking so if youre interested in building a little more flavor that way, thaw away!
Instant Pot Freezer Meal Resources
Looking for even MORE Instant Pot freezer meals? Dont worry, were not done yet!
Below are some additional resources that will provide you with dozens of additional Instant Pot freezer meal recipes.
Check out Once a Month Meals Instant Pot Freezer Meal Plans. They have several different menus specifically for Instant Pot users.
Another great resource is the Instant Pot Freezer Meal Menu Plan. The kit includes five recipes, a prep list, shopping lists, and printable labels.
The recipes in the plan are Beef Taco Soup, Italian Chicken and Veggies, Salsa Verde Chicken, Butter Chicken and Pork Carnitas.
One of my favorite resources for Instant Pot freezer meals is Freezer Meals in an Instant. It includes:
- 65 healthy, stress-free recipes made with wholesome ingredients that cook well in the electric pressure cooker
- 2 weeks worth of Freezer to Instant Pot meal plans with shopping lists and freezer meal prep instructions
- Budget-friendly ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and fridge
Also Check: How To Defrost Chicken In Instant Pot
How To Make Instant Pot Freezer Meals:
The idea is simple: using an easy dump-and-go recipe, dump all the ingredients into a freezer gallon-sized bag and place in the freezer for up to 90 days.
When you are in need of a quick dinner that you can dump into your Instant Pot, pull the prepped meal out of the freezer and dump into your Instant Pot.
Sometimes you might need to defrost your frozen meal in the microwave for a short amount of time so that you can get it out of the bag into the Instant Pot.
If you want to see how to make your own Instant Pot Freezer Meals, be sure to watch this video that shows you exactly how to do it!
And if you want to see us make freezer meals in real time, watch as we prep 15 freezer meals:
Here are the recipes that we prepped as freezer meals in the video above:
To get started, make sure that you have an Instant Pot to cook these in. This one is our favorite:
These are not necessary, but these Freezer Meal Bag Holders make freezer meal assembly so much easier!
These bag holders are the same ones that we use in the video when we assembled our meals.
Now lets jump into the recipes!
Ingredients For White Bean Chicken Chili
This chili recipe is highly versatile and customizable. Make it less or more spicy for your crew, add more cream cheese, or make Instant Pot chicken chili with canned or dried beans. Not to mention all ingredients are very forgiving.
- Chicken: Boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs. You can even use separated frozen chicken breasts. Same cook time.
- White beans: Use low sodium or no salt added canned beans like cannellini, navy or great Northern beans. For dried, use 1 cup rinsed dried white beans with 2 cups of stock , and cook chili for 35 minutes.
- Corn: Fresh, cooked, frozen , or canned corn works.
- Veggies and fruit: Onion , fresh cilantro and fresh lime juice .
- Broth: Low sodium chicken broth, chicken stock, or vegetable broth. I like to use organic bouillon cubes or paste diluted in water.
- Diced green chiles: In a 4 oz can found in Mexican food aisle or shelf. You could use a minced jalapeno with seeds removed or salsa verde instead.
- Spices: Chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper.
- Dairy: Greek yogurt and cream cheese.
Recommended Reading: Is Aroma Rice Cooker The Same As Instant Pot
Instant Pot Recipe Binder
This awesome 30-page Instant Pot Recipe Binder Printable gives you everything you need and all in one place. It contains all sorts of easy-to-use tools and helpful information to give you a truly organized and easily accessible Instant Pot recipe collection.
- 1 Instant Pot Recipes Binder Cover
- 1 Instant Pot Recipe Page
- 9 Recipe Category Cover Pages
- 7 Specialty Category Cover Pages
- 1 Kitchen Conversion Sheet
- 3 Inventory Sheets
- 2 Instant Pot Cooking Times Cheat Sheets
- 2 Pre-Filled Instant Pot recipes
- 1 Notes and Tips Page
Instant Pot Bbq Beef Sandwiches
This well-seasoned, fall-apart shredded BBQ Beef takes under an hour in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Serve with our Homemade BBQ Sauce for extra deliciousness!
Freeze For Later: Place the seasoned meat and 1 cup of the BBQ sauce in a gallon-sized freezer bag or round container. Seal and freeze . Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce into a small bag/container and seal. Freeze the sauce and buns alongside the meat.
Prepare From Frozen: Set the extra sauce and buns out on the counter to start thawing. Set the Instant pot to Saute. Transfer the frozen meat and sauce to the pot and cook for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Press Cancel. Cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
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Easy Freezer Dump Meals For Your Instant Pot
If youre like me, you find yourself scrambling around at 2 p.m. looking for something to put together for dinner. Many times we just end up eating pizza or fast food. I absolutely adore these freezer dump instant pot meals to really help cut down on the number of meals we eat out. I try to make sure that I put a bag of frozen veggies into each meal or cook some veggies as a side. This is a great way to get a home-cooked meal and save TONS of money each month. I absolutely love my Instant Pot! I have the 6 quart Instant Pot and it is plenty big for anything that I want to cook in it. You can get one here.
The Dishes The Laundry I Can Ignore Those If I Need To But If My Family Doesnt Eat Well Its Guilt
You ever feel that way too? If you do, Im glad. I mean, not glaaad, because well, feeling this way sucks. But glad because at least you and I are in crazy town together!
Nevertheless, I do have one thing that has helped me every single time at least with this whole dinner thing. And I promise it can help you out too.
Also Check: What Does E6 Mean On Instant Pot
Instant Pot Chicken And Cheese Taquitos
This kid-friendly Instant Pot Chicken and Cheese Taquitos recipe goes from frozen chicken breasts to a delicious dinner on the table in 45 minutes with very minimal hands-on work. You can easily double and freeze these for later.
Freeze For Later: Follow recipe instructions but do not bake. Place rolled up tortillas in a freezer bag or freezer container in a single layer. Separate the single layers with parchment paper. Seal tightly and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place frozen taquitos on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or foil. Cover them lightly with a piece of foil . Bake for about 25 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melty. Remove foil and bake about 5-10 more minutes until golden brown on top.
Instant Pot Tomato Soup
This freezer-friendly Instant Pot Tomato Soup has it all. Since it is a great freezer meal, weve written the recipe to be very large. This meal works well for large groups or simply to freeze as leftovers in small portions for lunches down the road.
Freeze For Later: Add the uncooked soup mixture to a gallon-sized freezer bag or round container. Seal and freeze. Tip: Set the freezer bag in a bowl in the freezer for a few hours to help it freeze in the shape of the Instant Pot.
Prepare From Frozen: Note: You will need butter, half and half, and Parmesan to complete this meal. Turn on the Saute function. Saute the frozen meal for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Press Cancel. Seal and lock the lid. Ccook for 12-15 minutes with a quick release.
Alternative Freezer Meal Option: Fully cook the soup and freeze in small portions. To reheat, thaw the soup using one of these methods and then warm over low heat on the stove or in the microwave.
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A Few Notes Before We Begin
- We dont follow a certain type of diet, but we do try to prioritize whole, real foods. That is what you will find in these meals.
- I cooked most of these meals completely from frozen . The average time it took the Instant Pot to come to pressure with frozen contents was about 20-25 minutes. Be sure to factor in that time when you are planning when to start cooking your meal.
- I make most of our sauces from scratch, and included instructions below to make your own pesto sauce, marinara sauce, and barbecue sauce. If you prefer not to make your own, you can substitute your favorite store-bought options.
- Several of the meals call for chicken broth. Making chicken broth in your Instant Pot is easy, healthy, and a great way to save money!
- These meals feed my family of six , often with leftovers. If you want smaller portions, you could divide each meal into 4 instead of 2.
Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Sliders
You cant go wrong with this classic recipe. With only five ingredients and the magic of the Instant Pot, youll have this healthy dinner on the table in about 15-20 minutes from start to finish! Kids go for this one.
Freeze For Later: Place raw chicken breasts and marinara in a gallon-sized freezer bag or round freezer container. Seal and freeze.
Prepare From Frozen: Turn on the Saute function. Saute the frozen meal for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Cook for 15-20 minutes with a quick release.
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Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Yeap, you can cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot! In just 45 minutes you will have perfectly cooked, totally moist and tender rotisserie style chicken. Whether you freeze it whole to serve later, or break it down to freeze and use over time, Instant Pot Whole Chicken is an essential component to true freezer meal success.
Make Dinner And Prep Freezer Meals At The Same Time
When you are buying ingredients for your favorite meal, buy double or triple the amount so you can make your freezer versions of the meal right along with the dinner you are making for that night. For example, when I make these Egg Roll Bowls, I triple the amount of meat, use 1/3 of it for dinner, then split the rest of it into 2 bags to freeze for another day. It takes very little extra effort but you’ll be singin’ your own praises another night.
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What’s Included In This Ebook
10 favorite Instant Pot Freezer Meals from the Sweet Peas & Saffron website!
3 vegan, 1 vegetarian, 4 chicken, 1 pork and 1 turkey recipe
all recipes are gluten-free or gluten-free friendly
full nutritional information for each recipe
tips for Instant Pot freezer meals
all recipes made with wholesome ‘real’ ingredients, and each recipe includes a photo
Spicy Instant Pot Carrot Soup
A tasty, well-blended soup is a must-have. It pairs well with all sorts of garnished, and I especially like to top it off with some shredded chicken for protein. Carrots are a fabulous immune booster, high in vitamin A and vitamin C. This veggie-heavy dish will keep you in tip-top shape while enjoying every tasty bite. Recipe from Pinch Of Yum.
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Print And Cut Your Labels
I’ve got you covered in this department! These label printables cover each and every meal you’ll make for this boot camp. All directions for final cooking of each meal, side item ideas, and extra ingredients needed for the meal are printed right on this label.
After the labels are printed, just cut them out and have them ready to attach to your containers with packing tape or painter’s tape before you freeze. I made the mistake of waiting until after they were frozen to try to attach the labelsdoesn’t work. The frost made the tape fall right off. So make sure they’re labeled before they ever go in the freezer.
Tip : Large Cuts Of Meat Should Be Cut Into Small Pieces Before Freezing
Were talking pork shoulders and beef roasts. In order for meat to cook evenly and to get really tender, its better if its not in one big chunk. We recommend quartering our pork shoulders and cutting our chuck roasts into 2 inch cubes. Its some work on the front end but worth it. Chicken breasts and thighs seem to do fine as they are.
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Instant Pot Freezer Meals : : Round Two
Make 13 delicious and family-friendly Instant Pot freezer meals for less than $125! Get printable shopping lists, prepping checklists, and recipes!
The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here.
Like freezer meals? Be sure to check out round one of Instant Pot freezer meals and Instant Pot Freezer Soups for even more delicious meal ideas!
Round two of Instant Pot freezer meals is FINALLY READY!!! I have been working on these recipes for months and am excited to finally have them ready to share. My family is probably also a little relieved to take a break from testing the same freezer meals. At least, they will get a short break before the baby is born and we live off freezer meals for a while.
This means that some time in the next eight weeks I will be doing another big batch of freezer meals. Making meals from round 1 and round 2 will give us 27 meals ready to be thrown in the Instant Pot and cooked! What a relief that will be with a newborn in our house.
Freezer meals are wonderful, of course, whether or not you have a newborn. Any busy season can make having dinner ready to go in the freezer an amazing help. I also LOVE my Instant Pot for freezer meals!The fact that I can just dump in the frozen meal and walk away is wonderful. It may take a little extra time to come to pressure, but I can easily fill that time with plenty of chores outside of the kitchen.
