How to prep 24 freezer-friendly lunches in 2 hours + shopping list. This is the perfect way to stock up your freezer with healthy lunches, and to squeeze some variety into your meal prep routine!
Are you ready to stock up the freezer with healthy freezer-friendly lunches? Because today that's exactly what we're doing! All you need is 2 hours and the recipes below to get going!
Sick of eating the same thing for lunch 4 days in a row? You need a freezer stash of lunches!
My freezer lunch stash makes it easy to swap meals in for a bit of variety. Check out this post for How to Add Variety to Your Meal Prep.
We are doing a big meal prep session today and stocking up with 24 freezer-friendly lunches, but fear not, because I have done all the planning for you! I have a printable shopping list and meal prep plan for you and am showing you how I am cooking these meals in a video.
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
These lunches are:
- freezer-friendly
- made in the Instant Pot and on the stove
- can be converted to vegetarian with a few simple swaps
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these 24 lunch recipes! Itโs so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on myย YouTube channel, or onย Facebook.
What you will need for these freezer-friendly lunches
- Instant Pot (anย 8 quart
, or do not double and you can fit it in a 6 quart) - non stick pan (I used myย ceramic non-stick GreenPan)
- 4L pot- I used my Paderno potย (similar to this one)
- printable grocery list (below)
- 24 freezer-friendly meal prep containers (I use these ones, Canadians get them here)
, or do not double and you can fit it in a 6 quart)
)
What are we making?
- A batch of this Easy Chicken Curry
- A double batch of Instant Pot Quinoa Enchilada Casserole (*note- you will need an 8 quart Instant Pot to fit a double batch; if you have a 6 quart, do a single batch)
- A double batch of Korean Turkey Meal Prep
How to prep these meals
We are going to start with cooking the grains for the meals, then prep the veggies, then the meat, then we will start cooking everything up.
- Cook your rice- for the curry and Korean turkey. 16 ยฝ cup portions means we need 8 cups of cooked rice. This is approximately 2 ยฝ cups of uncooked rice.
- Chop up all vegetables-
CURRY- 1 onion (brown), 3 cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger, 3 carrots, 15 baby potatoes
QUINOA CASSEROLE-ย 1 onion (red),ย 2 cups fresh tomatoes
KOREAN TURKEY- 8 cloves garlic, 2 inches ginger, 2 heads of broccoli - Cut boneless skinless chicken thighs for curry into 1 inch cubes.
- Open all cans, gather spices, shred cheese.
- Cook the Quinoa Enchilada Casserole- follow directions on the recipe card at Instant Pot Quinoa Enchilada Casserole.
- Cook the Chicken Curry- get it simmering...follow directions on the recipe card at Easy Chicken Curry
- Cook the Korean Turkey- follow directions on the recipe card at Korean Turkey Meal Prep
- Steam broccoli for Korean Turkey- portion out into containers
Freezer meal rules
- let meals cool to room temperature before putting the lids on and freezing
- freeze for up to 3 months
- thaw completely before re-heating in the microwave
- do not thaw more than once
- do not re-heat more than once
How can I make these meals vegetarian?
- swap the chicken in the Easy Chicken Curry for 1-2 cans of cooked chickpeas
- swap the ground turkey in the Korean Turkey recipe for crumbled tofu (broiling crumbled tofu for 3-5 minutes helps it get a good texture before cooking it in the sauce)
What if I want to skip a recipe?
Each recipe has a number corresponding to it. To skip a recipe, simply cross all ingredients with that number off the shopping list.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Can I use cauliflower rice?ย
Cauliflower rice will get soggy with these recipes so I don't recommend unless you'll be adding it fresh.
Does this really take 2 hours?
It took me 2 hours, and I was not slacking off. If you want to get this done in 2 hours you need to hustle. You can also break it into a two-day event. Prep all ingredients on day 1 and cook everything on day 2!
Have a question I have not addressed? Ask it in the comments below and I will answer!
Recipe 1: Instant Pot Enchilada Quinoa Casserole
You will need an 8-quart Instant Pot for this recipe, and we are doubling the recipe as written (just drag the little bar on the recipe card to get it to 8 servings!)
Can you cook this on the stovetop? I suspect yes! Double the water and follow these directions for Perfect Fluffy Quinoa.
- I used this brand of mild enchilada sauce
- you can also use this homemade enchilada sauce recipe (I always leave out the salt)
Get the printable Instant Pot Enchilada Quinoa Casserole Recipe
Recipe 2: Easy Chicken Curry
This chicken curry simmers on the stovetop while you prep other ingredients. Want to make it vegan? Swap the chicken for chickpeas!
Can I make this in the Instant Pot? I suspect yes! Follow the cook times specified for this Instant Pot Chickpea Curry
- I use mild curry powder so this is not spicy
- swap the carrots & potatoes for your favorite veggies
- I swapped the green beans for frozen peas
Get the printable Easy Chicken Curry recipe
Recipe 3: Korean Turkey (or beef) Meal Prep Bowls
An easy, mild recipe with a sweet & savory sauce. Serve with rice! We are doubling the recipe as written (just drag the little bar on the recipe card to get it to 8 servings!)
- I swapped the ground turkey for beef
- You can swap the meat for crumbled tofu
- use your favorite veggie in place of broccoli
Get the printable Korean Turkey Meal Prep recipe
Get the printable shopping & prep list
That's it for today! I hope these recipes inspire you to make your own freezer stash!
XO
PS- looking for more meal prep meal plans (with printable shopping lists)? Check out
Erinn says
I think the shopping list link is broken
Denise Bustard says
Hi Erinn, thanks for pointing that out. You can grab it here: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/24-lunches-shopping-list.pdf
Morgan Schmidtke says
This video/blog post was a LIFE SAVER. Not to mention, my husband LOVED the curry and Korean-inspired Turkey (we didnโt make the enchiladas this time). The whole process start to finish made this easy, almost mindless for me lol. It was exactly what I needed. It takes ALL of the brain work out of it. Even down to good portions and nutrition! I have learned so much from this site, and I am really grateful! Thank you so much!!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Morgan, wow!! We're happy to hear that you found these meal prep recipes easy and delicious. There's nothing like having a freezer stash of nutritious lunches on hand... just as you said: such a life saver!
Jenn says
Just made all of these the other day and theyโre all so good!
I did have a question tho. After freezing and once the meal is defrosted in the fridge how long can it be in the fridge before it needs to be consumed?
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Jenn, Wow, it sounds like you have a freezer full of lunches, that's amazing! For the fully cooked meals, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days after thawing assuming they were frozen quickly after cooking. Though we would say they taste best if eaten sooner rather than later. ๐ I hope this helps! Enjoy.
Ayana Hargreaves says
Looking forward 2 the shopping list!!! Yayy
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Ayana, we hope you find it useful! Cheers!
Rich says
There is no working link to "Get the printable shopping & prep list", only text.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Rich, thank you for letting us know! You can subscribe via the form in this blog post, or click here to enter your name and email to subscribe and receive the printable shopping & prep list right away. Thank you!
B.J. Smithson says
Denise,
I'm so excited to try to your 24 Freezer Friendly Lunches! I've been trying to find a way to replace sandwiches, on my husbands lunch break, with quick but healthy meals. Question; Do you have a recommended time and power level for reheating these freezer lunches in the microwave?
Thank You,
B.J.
Denise Bustard says
Hi BJ, I may have already replied to your question, but had some technical issues and it disappeared, so I'm re-replying (LOL). It's hard to say what time and power to use as all microwaves vary greatly in their power. For thawed meals I tend to do full power 1:30-2 min, and for frozen meals, I do 50% power for 10 minutes (probably more, but I stir it and sometimes transfer to a new dish when it is partially thawed). Hope this helps!
natalee says
How do I access the shopping list?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Natalee, I had some technical issues getting the sign up ox to display but it should be there now!
Jessica says
I really love what i'm seeing on your page-- some actually tasty- looking recipes. I'm planning to do my first-ever attempt at meal prep today, but I can't seem to get the shopping list. I've signed up THERE, and I've also signed up for the "meal prepping guide". I got your email for the guide, with tips, opened the email, opened/followed the links in the email, and still no shopping list.
Came back and saw a DIFFERENT spot to request the shopping list, and did THAT one.. which gave me a confirmation page that said "Success! Check your email to download your shopping list!
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And since then? nothing. No new emails in promotions or spam, and I don't know what to do next. ๐ sad because this was going to be my "ok I can actually try to do this today!" moment. I guess I'll go try to make a list myself right now, but it's a bummer because that's what was making me most excited to finally DO it for once, instead of just reading/watching vids/planning for "doing it eventually", and then giving up, once again... :/ Love what I'm seeing of your recipes, but would be nice if it was a bit easier to access the shopping list. Like I'd be more likely to "come back" (which I'm assuming is your goal), if it was all a little more user-friendly. :/
Hopefully,
Jess
Denise says
Hi Jessica, sorry for my late reply. There is a delay between signing up and receiving your shopping list, which is super frustrating! My newer meal prep posts do not require an email sign up because this one has been such a pain in the butt.
According to my records, you received and opened the email "Here's your free shopping list" on May 8. Let me know if you need any other help, it's best to email me at denise@sweetpeasandsaffron.com which I check daily (comments on this site can get overwhelming for me to keep up with).
Miranda says
I entered my name and email in the boxes a few times, but never received the email link for the shopping list. Help!
Zeppy says
Hello, I have entered my email address for the downloading & printing the shopping list for this meal prep. Yet Iโm unable to find the shopping list along with printing. By chance is there a certain tab I need to go under to find the list?
Thank you
Neusa says
Hello Zeppy
Same for me,put my name + Email Adress twice and didnโt receive the shopping list either
Can somebody help?
Denise says
Hi Neusa, my records show that you have signed up and I see that the email was sent to you but not opened. Did you ever find it? If not, send me an email at denise@sweetpeasandsaffron.com and I can resend it to you ๐
Denise says
Hi Zeppy, so sorry for my late reply. I see your email on my list, and I see that you received and clicked on the email with the shopping list. If you are still having troubles, please email me at denise@sweetpeasandsaffron.com so we can get this all sorted out. Take care!
Alberto Herrero says
HI! I have a 6 quart instant pot but would really like to try these recipes! I saw that you recommended not doubling the recipes, and if I don't do that, I'll be fine. So if I'm to understand this correctly, if I follow the recipes exactly as recommended I should have no issues with the 6Q instapot?
Thank you! Super excited to try this.
Denise says
Hi Alberto! Sorry for the confusion. Yes, that is correct. If you have a 6 quart Instant Pot, do not double the Instant Pot quinoa recipe. Hope you enjoy!
Maegan says
Hi! these look so good! I don't have an instant pot, though. How would you suggest I cook the quinoa recipe without one?
Denise says
Hi Maegan! So the enchilada quinoa recipe I have not tested on stovetop but it should work. You would probably need to double the cooking liquid (not the enchilada sauce). Cover and cook like you would quinoa (here's my recipe https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/how-to-cook-quinoa-3-easy-steps/). Let me know if you give it a try!
Carrie says
I am from the states, where can I get the meal prep containers from?
Denise says
Hi Carrie! They should be available at Target or Walmart! I have seen them on Amazon as well.
Paloma says
Hi!! I was wondering if you knew the calorie count for each the three individual meals?? Thanks!!
Denise says
Hi Paloma! If you click over to each recipe, the calories should be listed on the bottom of each recipe card. Hope you ejoy!
Marla Sampson says
How many servings do each of these meals make?
Denise says
It's 8 portions of each meal, although you might get a few extra out of the quinoa. I think I got close to 12 portions from the quinoa so it covered our dinner that night!
Jeff says
You're a genius cant wait to try this out!!
Denise says
LOL! Hope you enjoy!
Lisa says
I love all of your ideas and recipes would love it you could come up with some vegetarian ideas
Denise says
Hi Lisa I have a ton of vegetarian recipes on my site! Search 'vegetarian' in the bar above ๐
Krista says
These recipes look amazing and I am excited to give them a try. Do you have to use glass containers to store/freeze them in or will plastic be ok? I am new to the meal prepping world so any help will be greatly appreciated
Denise says
Hi Krista! You absolutely do not need to use glass, use whatever you can find!