3 Easy Crockpot Freezer Meals Your Family Will Devour

Finding time to make a healthy and delicious dinner can be pretty difficult these days. Whether you’ve been on the go or spending all day doing some major house cleaning, there are days when you just don’t feel like cooking a meal. At the same time, you don’t want to prepare unhealthy, chemically-ridden frozen dinners and other processed food options.

Instead of running to the freezer section at the nearest grocery store, consider making the below DIY recipes part of your frozen meal plan. Everyone in your family will love these recipes! After all, it’s important to you that your family gets a delectable yet healthy dinner.

Plan ahead and put your mind at ease with these three simple and delicious crockpot freezer meals for your whole family. Nothing complicated here; you’ll just need a few simple ingredients, some freezer-proof containers, and a crockpot, and you’re all set!

1.) Crockpot Slow-Cooked Beef Stew

This recipe is a classic favorite of mine, and it will always remind me of my Granddaddy. Every year on his birthday, we would make him his “favorite Beef Stew.” Year after year, he would always go on and on about how it was so delicious! I can see him now exclaiming in his thick North Carolinian accent, “That there is a good bowl of stew!”.

This stew is certainly one you will want to add to your collection of favorites. Also, be prepared to give 3 or 4 helpings to everyone you serve when making this stew because they’ll definitely want more.  The recipe below makes about six servings, but you’ll surely want to double it after you try it for the first time!

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe

Yield: Makes six servings

Cook Time: 5hrs. 10min (8hrs. if slow-cooked) 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of cubed grass-fed stew beef
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup organic beef broth
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons A1 sauce
• 3 organic potatoes
• 4 organic carrots
• 1 organic onion
• 1 clove of organic  garlic
• 1 teaspoon of parsley
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink Salt/Sea Salt

Instructions:

1. Combine beef, butter, water, broth, Worcestershire sauce, A1, veggies, and spices in the Crockpot.
2. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 5 hours OR cook on low for 8 hours.
3. For freezing: Be sure to allow the stew to cool before placing it in any freezer-safe containers.

On those busy days that we all just know you’ve planned for, all you’ll have to do is reheat this amazing stew. Be sure to run some warm water over your container just after removing it from the freezer to make it easier to get the stew into the pot you’re going to heat it up in. Once you’ve got your frozen stew in the pot, simply bring it to a boil.  After you’ve brought it to a boil, turn down the heat, serve, and enjoy.

2.) Ham and Bean Soup

Do not be fooled by the simplicity of the name of this soup. Believe it or not, this is actually one of our family favorites.  Even our two-year-old will ask for second and third helpings.

As a mommy who loves to see her family actually enjoy what she cooks without sacrificing nutrition, I always try to make a healthy and tasty dinner. Ham and bean soup is one meal that proves to be the perfect fit for any dinner night, time and time again.

I’d actually never made this particular soup until my husband and I were married. When he asked me to make it one day, I was a bit surprised because, in my experience, beans always tasted a bit bland. With hesitancy, as someone who was never a fan of beans, I tried it out. To my surprise, it was one of the best soups I had ever made!

Now, I always make it, and my family absolutely loves it.  Once you’ve tried this soup, you’ll have yet another great recipe to add to your arsenal that’s actually quite easy to make.

Savoury Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Cook Time: 6 hours 10 min

Ingredients:

• One organic ham (bone-in is always a good option)
• ½ of a large organic onion chopped
• 2 lb. of organic Great Northern or navy beans
• 8 cups of water
• 1 cup organic celery chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp of Himalayan Pink Salt/Sea Salt
• 1 tsp of pepper

Instructions:

1. Rinse off the beans and pick through to remove any stones or shriveled beans.
2. In the crockpot, combine water, ham, chopped onion, chopped celery, and beans.
3. Add the salt and pepper.
4. Set the crockpot on high and let cook for 6 hours (or until beans are tender).
5. Before freezing, let cool completely. Transfer the soup to your freezer containers and place it in your freezer.

Once you’re ready to get the soup from the freezer to the table, just transfer it from your container into a large pot and cook on medium until it begins to boil. If you’d like a heavier side dish with this meal, cornbread makes a delicious accompaniment to this already tasty dish. Also, you may only want to put half a teaspoon of salt in if you’re sensitive to sodium.

Crockpot Chicken on Veggies With Stuffing

This dinner is the perfect hot meal to eat on a cold winter’s day. The combination of tasty stuffing and mouth-watering spices makes for a hearty meal when you need to warm up. Not only will your family love this meal, but it will also “wow” your guests. I love preparing this meal because it doesn’t take too long to prepare and, at the same time, is super easy to make.

This chicken and stuffing recipe is also the perfect freezer meal to have on hand when you have unexpected company or when you just want to have a quick and tasty meal the whole family can enjoy.

Scrumptious Chicken Over Veggies With Stuffing Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

Cook Time: 6-8 hours

Ingredients:

• One whole thawed free-range organic chicken
• Three organic carrots
• Four large organic potatoes
• ½ cup organic celery
• ½ organic onion chopped
• 1 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 clove organic garlic minced
• 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp butter

Ingredients For the Stuffing:

• About 6 slices of bread diced (you may need more or less depending on the size of your chicken)
• ½ cup organic celery
• ¼ cup organic onion diced
• 1 clove organic garlic minced
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp basil
• ½ tsp parsley
• ½ tsp rosemary
• ½ tsp Himalayan Pink Salt/Sea Salt
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions:

1. Stuffing: In a medium mixing bowl, combine diced bread, celery, onion, garlic, salt, and spices together.
2. Melt 2 tbsp of butter until it reaches a liquid state. Add the butter and mix well. Set aside.
3. Veggies: Combine carrots, onions, potatoes, and ½ cup of celery in the crockpot.
4. One handful at a time, pack the stuffing into the chicken. If you have too much stuffing, you can let it overflow into the crockpot.
5. Lay the chicken on top of the veggies.
6. Melt 2 tbsp of butter until it gets to a liquid state. Add spices, garlic, salt, and parmesan cheese to the melted butter and rub the outside of the chicken until completely covered.
7. Place lid on your crockpot and cook for 6-8 hours on LOW. You know your chicken is done when the joint is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. After the chicken is finished cooking, let it cool completely and debone it to place over the veggies.
9. Optional: Remove legs, thighs, and wings, then place over veggies (without deboning).  Place stuffing in a separate container.
10. It’s recommended to place this meal in a disposable foil baking pan covered with aluminum foil. Then, all you have to do is place the entire roast in the oven when you’re ready to reheat.

When you are ready to reheat the meal, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While the oven is preheating, I suggest allowing the meal to thaw a bit in your roasting pan.  Once the oven is preheated, place the roasting pan in the oven. Cook until everything reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. So, after your meal is piping hot, serve and savor every bite!

Go Ahead and Start Planning Your Meals!

I hope that these three crockpot freezer meals will be a great help to you as you plan meals for your family. It’s important for us moms not to be stressed out about making dinner. At the same time, we need to feel good about the meals we make for our loved ones.  Isn’t it just comforting to know that there is a healthy dinner ready to go right when you need it?

I know that these three delicious meals will always come in handy for busy moms like yourself.

Lastly, you can make any of these meals on-demand without sticking them in the freezer. I hope you and your family enjoy these meals as much as my family and I do.

Crockpot Freezer Meal FAQs

What are some popular crockpot freezer meal options?

Other options than the ones discussed above include dishes like chili, shredded meats for tacos or sandwiches, and casseroles. One great casserole example would be to combine a bit of rotini pasta, browned hamburger, tomato sauce, Italian spices, salt, and mozzarella cheese.

How do you reheat a freezer meal in the crockpot?

When ready to cook, thaw if necessary (for meals that aren’t saucy or don’t contain broth) and empty contents into the crockpot to cook. You’ll find that adding some hot water first will help with the reheating process. Also, use the low setting when reheating larger portions of food to ensure even cooking.

What are the best containers to use for crockpot freezer meal storage?

Use heavy-duty freezer bags or airtight freezer-safe containers to prevent freezer burn and preserve the quality of the food.

How long can you store crockpot freezer meals?

Most crockpot freezer meals can be stored for up to 3 months. Always label your meals with the date they were frozen. Realistically, we’ve kept our meals for even six months without any issues. Proper storage is the most important factor.

Do you need to adjust cooking times for crockpot freezer meals?

If you’re cooking from thawed ingredients, no adjustment is necessary. If cooking with frozen ingredients, you may need to add additional cooking time.

What are some kid-friendly crockpot freezer meal ideas?

Kids often enjoy meals like meatballs in marinara sauce, cheesy chicken and rice, or beef and vegetable stew.

How can you prevent freezer burn on crockpot meals?

Remove as much air as possible from freezer bags, use proper freezer containers, and consume meals within the recommended timeframe.

Can you cook vegetables and meat together in a freezer meal? 

Of course! You can combine vegetables and meat in any meal you want to create. Just ensure that all ingredients are properly prepped before cooking. That may include sauteeing the meat or veggies beforehand.

What’s the best way to label crockpot freezer meals?

Use a permanent marker to write the dish’s name, cooking instructions, and the date it was prepared on the freezer bag or label. Additionally, you could include a “use by” date.