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Home Meal Type How To

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts

Freezer Friendly Freezer Meal Prep Meal Prep
By: Denise Bustard22 Comments
Posted: 3/31/19 Updated: 8/17/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Freezer meal do's and don'ts- sharing tips and tricks for stocking up the freezer!

When it comes to meal prep, my freezer is a real hero! It comes in handy those weeks when I don't have time to prep anything fresh. It is often part of Plan A, but when life kicks in, it is almost always my Plan B.

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts

There are so many questions when it comes to freezer meals.

Is that safe to freeze?

Will that get mushy?ย 

Will that turn brown?ย 

Which containers should I use?

So today, I'm answering all your burning freezer meals questions and giving you the do's and don'ts of freezer meals.

Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!

tru local meats Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts

Part of my February 2019 TruLocal order

Do: stock up the freezer with healthy ingredients

Having healthy meats and vegetables in the freezer means that when I reach for Plan B, I am reaching for something healthy!

Here are some of my favorite healthy ingredients to stock up on:

  • TruLocal meats- I stock up once a month on these high quality locally sourced meats. TruLocal delivers it right to my door and I am set for the month! *this is available for Canadian residents only. Use code DENISE7297 for $25 off your first box!I advise my US friends to check out Butcher Box! I can't personally endorse a product I haven't tried but my friend Natalie has written up a great post on them here!
  • Frozen vegetables- my faves are frozen brussels sprouts (you can roast them from frozen!), peas (the kids love them), riced cauliflower, and spinach. And I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a bag of sweet potato fries in my freezer at all times ๐Ÿ˜‰
  • Frozen fruit- I always have a ton of frozen fruit on hand. I add them to my steel cut oats, overnight oats, baked oatmeal and smoothies

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts showing my freezer lunch stash

Bottom shelf: my lunch stash (mostly leftovers, portioned out with rice)

Do: freeze leftovers

One of my favorite ways to 'meal prep' is to make a big batch of something, portion out with rice, and freeze in single serve portions...I call this my lunch stash! When I don't have time to meal prep, I thaw out a lunch portion and have a healthy meal waiting for me.

  • Check out my favorite Freezer Meal Prep Lunch Recipes
  • Soups are another great option; you can portion out individual servings in 1 pint mason jars (props to Steph at Meal Plan Addict for this tip!)

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts some veggies need to be blanched

Some vegetables like broccoli need to be blanched before freezing

Don't: freeze the wrong ingredients

We've all been there...pulling something out of the freezer and it's just *not* the same anymore. Certain ingredients just survive the freeze/thaw process better than others.

Ingredients on my 'do not freeze' list?

  • yogurt (although coconut yogurt is fine!)
  • watery produceย (zucchini, raw tomatoes, cucumber, cabbage, green beans, fresh herbs, oranges)
  • uncooked mushrooms
  • uncooked potatoes (sometimes works in freezer slow cooker meals)
  • roasted vegetables including sweet potatoes, bell peppers, zucchini (become slimy)

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts meatballs in freezer bags

Meatballs freeze amazingly well! Freeze on a baking sheet before portioning them out. Read more here.

Do: freeze the right ingredients

Well duh, I think we all want to freeze the right ingredients...but what are they?

Here are some of my favorite ingredients and recipes to freeze:

  • stir fries (portioned with rice)
  • fried rice
  • curries (portioned with rice)
  • lasagna (cooked or assembled and uncooked)
  • soups
  • stews
  • quinoa
  • casseroles
  • cooked rice
  • cooked beans
  • cooked corn
  • fresh berries
  • fresh herbs chopped and stored in olive oil (in ice cube tray)
  • muffins
  • quick breads
  • pesto
  • pasta sauce
  • chicken + marinade
  • meatballs
  • breakfast sandwiches
  • breakfast burritos
  • steel cut oats

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts showing jokari bag holder

Pictured: bag holder & freezer bag for my Smoky Turkey Chili

Do: use the right equipment

When it comes to freezer meals, you don't want to skimp on cheap equipment...you will most likely live to regret it.

For freezer meals, my toolkit includes:

  • good quality freezer bags (make sure they say 'freezer' on them!)
  • jokari bag holders
  • glass meal prep containers (I use 2 cup ones for single serve lunches, 6 cup ones for muffins, energy bites and more, and 3 quart ones for freezer crockpot meals)
  • reusable silicone bags for chicken marinades, freezing portions of meat, freezing leftover berries or fresh produce, and more
  • plastic wrap

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts freezing in jars is fine

Canning jars are perfectly safe to freeze in. More info below.

Don't: be afraid of freezing glass

If you have good quality glass meal prep containers or canning-quality mason jars, they are perfectly safe to freeze. You can freeze in mason jars as well!

I hate how much disposable foil and plastic is involved in freezer meals and just wanted to share that glass containers are perfectly safe to freeze (so long as it says so in the manufacturer's instructions).

  • never freeze in jars that are not canning quality (ie: old pasta sauce jars). Save those for a pantry storage!
  • fill jars no more than ยพ full and leave lids ajar until completely frozen
  • never put jars or containers into the freezer when still warm/hot
  • find more plastic-free freezer storage ideas here!

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts showing chicken marinades

Pictured: freezer chicken marinades.

Don't: re-freeze previously frozen food

Never freeze/thaw an ingredient more than once.ย 

Let me clarify on this:

  • If you are thawing chicken to put into a casserole and freezing it before baking (the chicken still raw), this is a no-no.
  • If you are thawing chicken to put into a casserole, baking the casserole, then freezing (the chicken is cooked), this is perfectly fine.

Does that make sense? A more obvious example: putting chicken into a freezer marinade or freezer crockpot meal: assemble all ingredients, add the *frozen chicken* last, and pop it back into the freezer asap.

Tip: Make sure if you are purchasing meat or seafood that it does not say 'previously frozen' because you do not want to freeze it again.

Please ask me to clarify if this does not make sense!

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts showing how to organize freezer with bins

Tips for freezing food: lightning round!

1. how to avoid freezer burn:ย 

  • squeeze as much air as possible out from bags
  • cool completely before storing in the freezer
  • 2 layers: wrap in a layer of parchment or plastic and store in a larger container or reusable bag
  • consume within 1-3 months

2. organization:

  • label everything with recipe name, date, and cooking instructions
  • freeze bags flat, then upright in a bin or office folder oganizer
  • use large bins to organize based on contents: frozen meats, freezer crockpot, soups, snacks, etc

3. safety:

  • eat within 3 months (this is more for the quality of the food than actual food safety)
  • never put glass from the freezer directly into the oven, it may shatter
  • never re-freeze food that has been previously thawed
  • slow cooker: thaw completely before cooking or you run the risk of food poisoning
  • Instant Pot & oven: often can cook from frozen; refer to instructions on recipes. Check out this guide for How To Cook From Frozen in Your Instant Pot

Freezer Meal Do's & Don'ts my five vegan freezer meals

Your freezer meal questions:

Have a question I didn't address? Please ask it in the comments and I will update the post to answer it!

I would like to know if it is ok to freeze individual freezer meals after cooked. Iโ€™ve frozen some that seem fine and some that taste awful.

- yes, you can definitely freeze meals in individual portions after cooking, but it's important to pick the right kind of meal. I like picking anything with a sauce and portioning it out with rice or quinoa. Other good picks: soups & stews as well as casseroles.ย Check out my favorite Freezer Meal Prep Lunch Recipes!

Can you freeze rice?

-yes, you can freeze rice! The important thing with rice is to make sure it does not sit at room temperature for long periods of time. Cook it, cool it and get it in the freezer as quickly as possible. To thaw, you can leave it in the fridge overnight, and reheat in the microwave or in a pan. When I was testing these 7 Easy Rice Recipes, they pretty much all got frozen at one point or another ๐Ÿ˜‰

If I unfreeze something and then decide I don't want to use it anymore can I refreeze it?

-never freeze something that has already been frozen! Make sure when you purchase meat or seafood at the grocery store that it doesn't say 'previously frozen'.

How do I avoid freezer burn without using a lot of plastic wrap?

-I have had success in using parchment: I wrap the items in parchment then place in a larger storage container or bag.

I've heard mixed info on freezing potatoes. Can you clear that up?

-here is my experience with potatoes:

  • freezing raw baby potatoes (leave whole) works great (I do this with my Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew all the time!)
  • freezing raw & cut white potatoes doesn't work well (they get brown and a weird spongey texture)

Will glass containers break if frozen too long?ย 

-in my experience, no. The risk of breaking glass containers is if you shift temperatures too quickly (like freezing something hot or transferring frozen containers to the oven without thawing). Or if you don't leave enough space for expansion in a jar (I also leave the lids loose until it's completely frozen).

Always make sure you are using durable glass containers for freezing...check the manufacturer's directions and never reuse jars that weren't meant to be frozen (ie: pasta jars)

How long can I leave items in the freezer without the taste being affected?

-first off, the flavor will almost always be influenced to some degree by freezing, so you may want to lower your expectations slightly. That being said, I have found my freezer meals to taste best within 3 months of freezing. After 3 months, freezer burn starts to creep in.

Freezer crockpot meals may be an exception to this rule. I always advise to consume within 3 months, but I'll be honest: I've eaten freezer crockpot meals that were a year old and I couldn't taste it in any way. Since it's being cooked for the first time after thawing, they are more flexible (in my opinion).

Another exception to this rule is if you use a foodsaver to vacuum seal fish or other meats. This keeps them fresh for so long! A year at least.

That wraps up the do's and don'ts of freezer meals! I hope this was helpful!

Take care,

 

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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

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  1. Lacy Williams says

    Posted on 1/11/24 at Posted on 1/11/24

    This is SO helpful. Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Guj says

    Posted on 1/7/22 at Posted on 1/7/22

    How do you re-heat the prepped lunches? Do they need to be thawed the night before or can I pull one out on the way to work and toss them in the microwave when still frozen? Theyโ€™d only have about 4-5 hours. Thanks for all the tips

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 1/8/22 at Posted on 1/8/22

      Hi Guj, Thawing is as simple as placing the container into the fridge. You should need 24 hours for the meal to fully thaw; you can speed the process by partially submerging the container in water for an hour or two. For more info and tips on freezer lunches, check out this post on 24 freezer-friendly lunches, or this one on freezer-friendly meals which has some great tips and FAQ! I hope this answers your question ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Bojana says

    Posted on 11/8/21 at Posted on 11/8/21

    You speak my language! Your whole website, as well as each individual post are so well organized, concise, yet thorough - thank you!

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 11/8/21 at Posted on 11/8/21

      Hi Bojana, thank you so much for your kind words! We're very glad to hear that you have found our posts so helpful ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review!

      Reply
  4. Gergana says

    Posted on 5/20/21 at Posted on 5/20/21

    Hello!
    One question about freezing meat ๐Ÿ™‚ I usually seal the meat in hot pan before pressure cooking. If I want to freeze the meat, should I seal the meat before or after freezing? Any advice? Thank you

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 5/31/21 at Posted on 5/31/21

      Hi Gergana, I'm not 100% sure I understand your question. Do you mean that you sear the meat in the pan? If so, it's not necessary, I would cook the meat after freezing.

      Reply
  5. Abby says

    Posted on 7/9/20 at Posted on 7/9/20

    Hi - Iโ€™m still a little confused about potatoes... you saw โ€œraw cookedโ€ - what does this mean? Can you please clarify? Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Denise Bustard says

      Posted on 7/13/20 at Posted on 7/13/20

      Hi Abby! That's a typo, and I don't know what I was thinking because I wrote the same thing twice? LOL. It's just raw potatoes, not raw cooked. Thanks for catching that!

      Reply
  6. Nikki says

    Posted on 2/27/20 at Posted on 2/27/20

    Hello, I'm planning to freeze a lasagna in a glass dish my question is after I fully cook the lasagna do I wait for it to cool then freeze it or put it directly in the freezer? Also when I reheat it should I let it sit out until room temperature or can the glass dish go directly from the freezer to the oven?

    Reply
    • Kim says

      Posted on 1/4/25 at Posted on 1/4/25

      Cool completely before freezing and let frozen dish get to room temp before putting in oven. Sudden changes are what cause breakage.

      Reply
  7. Kat says

    Posted on 1/7/20 at Posted on 1/7/20

    Hey so as i was reading I saw that you said i can freeze the food for up to 3 months, if the electricity were to go out for long periods of time a lot of times; would the food still be edible or would it all go to waste?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 1/13/20 at Posted on 1/13/20

      Hi Kat, if the food stays frozen then it would be fine, but if the food thaws, then you will need to cook it.

      Reply
  8. Emily says

    Posted on 12/10/19 at Posted on 12/10/19

    If I'm making a casserole would I need to freeze the casserole before cooking or cook it first and then freeze it?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 1/15/20 at Posted on 1/15/20

      Hi Emily! It really depends on the casserole. If possible, I prefer to freeze before cooking because then when you cook it up it's being cooked for the first time and tastes fresh and not 'reheated'. But you'll need to refer to directions on individual recipes to be sure.

      Reply
  9. Jessie williams says

    Posted on 9/19/19 at Posted on 9/19/19

    I am going to be meal prepping meals on Sunday for the first time ever. I bought plastic containers that were very evpensive so Im hoping they work. It will be my lunches I meal prep and will be rice, ground chicken and veggies. When I put the food in the contsinets should I wrap the containers in anything like plastic wrap, tin foil or anything else. Im also putting the food containets in large ziploc freezer bags.

    Thanks for any and all help.

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 9/25/19 at Posted on 9/25/19

      Hi Jessie! I never use plastic wrap, I think it's 100% unnecessary. No need to put your containers in ziploc containers either, that's just unnecessary waste. I just put my food in the containers and freeze. Even if you get a tiny bit of freezer burn I bet you won't even taste it. I freeze my meals for up to 3 months and only after 3 months does the food start to taste like freezer to me (and I have picky tastebuds). Good luck and ask me any questions as you go!!

      Reply
  10. Mindy Jollie says

    Posted on 7/24/19 at Posted on 7/24/19

    I like what you said about making sure to squeeze as much air as possible out of any bags in the freezer to avoid freezer burn. I imagine having a way to fasten the bags that don't have ziplock is important too. If I were to make a lot of freezer meals, I'd want to make sure they were airtight to avoid freezer burns!

    Reply
  11. Heidi says

    Posted on 7/15/19 at Posted on 7/15/19

    Hello! How does cooked pasta hold up in the freezer? In sauce and just plain pasta? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 7/22/19 at Posted on 7/22/19

      Hi Heidi! Pasta does OK, especially when it's in a sauce. I would try to cook it slightly under as it will soften slightly. Thicker types of pasta like lasagna noodles and rigatoni hold up better than smaller cuts like orzo. Actually orzo is terrible in the freezer, avoid at all costs ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
  12. Cheryl Beckerman says

    Posted on 4/23/19 at Posted on 4/23/19

    Thank you for the many recipes, tips and inspiration! Do you have a recommendation for a company that we can order frozen fish from?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 4/26/19 at Posted on 4/26/19

      Oh I wish I had a good one! I think there are some options in the US but I'm not really sure.

      Reply

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