12 Seriously Easy Freezer Meal Recipes

Start your day with pre-packaged smoothie bags that are chock-full of good vitamins. "You can just dump and blend when you're ready to eat," says Beth Moncel, the microbiologist-turned-food-blogger behind Budget Bytes, which is dedicated to healthy, easy, and affordable recipes. "You can even stuff fresh spinach and kale into your smoothie bags." Parents' Mega Green—made with baby spinach, avocado, and cucumber—is one such ultra-healthy sip.

Made of ground sirloin, these mini meatloaves will please the entire family. Here's a freezer meal tip: When it makes sense, freeze in individual portions. This grants you last-minute flexibility, since you can feed one or two family members quickly (the same or different foods!). 

Moncel also likes simple yet delicious bean and cheese burritos because they can be customized easily. Add scrambled eggs for breakfast, pulled pork and pineapple for a tropical twist, or roasted veggies for a nutrition boost. "Burritos are a great item to keep stocked in the freezer because you can take out one at a time, as needed," says Moncel. "You can reheat these in the microwave without thawing first, making them great for last-minute meals."

Freezer-ready mini pizzas are a fun riff on frozen pizza bagel bites. Simply top English muffins with marinara sauce, cheese, and toppings. Then bake them for 15 minutes and freeze. To defrost, just pop them back in the oven and voilà—you have a tasty pick-me-up.

This freezer meal recipe combines two favorites: stuffed shells and spinach artichoke dip. If you don't have time to thaw, feel free to bake them from frozen.

For snacking, you'll probably crave something substantial and comforting. Think black bean quesadillas, which take about 15 minutes to whip up. You can freeze a whole gallon-sized bag of them to have on hand for later. "Because they're so thin, you can reheat them straight from the freezer in a skillet over low heat," says Moncel.

After a marathon parenting session, a comforting bowl of spaghetti and Italian meatballs might be your one saving grace. "Meatballs are great because you don't have to thaw the entire batch. And because they're so small, they reheat and cook quickly, so they often don't need thawing first," says Moncel. "Just pop them into a pot of sauce and let them simmer until cooked through."

This freezer meal recipe makes 12 enchiladas, which is perfect because your family will probably want seconds!