Easy Freezer Meals for Two (2024)

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Easy Freezer Meals for Two (1)

By: Polly Conner

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A common question we get about freezer cooking is, “What are some easy freezer meals for just one or two people?” We’ve compiled a fabulous collection of make-ahead recipe ideas that work to individually prep ahead, package, and freeze for one or two people.

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (2)

Freezer cooking is incredibly versatile and useful for all stages of life. Hopefully this article can give you some ideas on how to make meals for not only yourself but also anyone else who could benefit from meals prepped and ready to go in their freezer.

Table of Contents

How to Package Freezer Meals in Smaller Portions

First, let’s begin with some tips we’ve learned over the years for making sure your freezer meals end up tasting like fresh meals.

  • If you’re making individual items like hamburgers, chicken tenders, or fish sticks, we suggest freezing them in single layers in a freezer bag or container and then divide those layers with parchment paper so they don’t stick to each other. Some recipes like sandwiches and burritos work well to wrap individually in foil. This will make it easier for you to pull out the amount you need.
  • Another trick is to flash freeze foods that you will remove individually (i.e. chicken tenders, burgers, fish sticks, etc). That just means you place them on a sheet pan and put them in the freezer until they are solid (about 2-3 hours). Then dump them in a freezer bag. They won’t stick together and will be easy to pull out for single use.
  • As for casseroles, divide our recipes up and put into loaf pans (9 inch pans) to make about 2-3 servings. Note that the baking time will be less, since it’s a smaller amount, so keep a close eye on it. I hope that helps some.
  • I find that mason jars work really well for individual portions of soup, but remember to leave at least 1 inch of head room at the top because the food will expand when it freezes.
Easy Freezer Meals for Two (3)

Freezer Meals for Two

Below are well-tested recipes that will successfully work for smaller portioned freezer meals. Some require you to thaw and then cook. Others require you to thaw and just warm them up (because they’ve already been cooked). And, still others can be cooked directly from frozen. I made notes below for you.

Breakfast

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (4)
  1. Breakfast Burritos – Wrap individually. Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  2. Smoothie Freezer Packs – 7 flavors + FREE printable of the recipes and shopping list
  3. Mini Bacon, Spinach, and Egg Quiches – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
  4. Make Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches – Wrap individually. Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  5. Easy Breakfast Casserole Muffins – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
  6. Zucchini Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
  7. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins – Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat.
  8. Blueberry Baked Oatmeal – Bake and cool. Slice and wrap single portions in plastic wrap and place in freezer bag. Warm in microwave with some milk.
  9. Chocolate Waffles with Banana – Freeze cooked, cooled waffles in a freezer bag. Thaw and reheat waffles as needed. Toaster oven works great!
  10. Any pancake recipe – Fully cook, cool, and freeze in layers in a freezer bag. Take out however many you want, thaw, and eat. Start with our Oatmeal Pancakes!

Chicken

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (5)
  1. Chicken Meatballs–Take out however many you want, thaw, and bake.
  2. Creamy Chicken Taquitos – Bake in the oven from frozen.
  3. On-the-Go Chicken Burritos– Take out however many you want, thaw, and bake or warm in the microwave.
  4. Baked Parmesan Chicken Tenders– Take out however many you want and cook from frozen in the oven.
  5. Mini Chicken Burgers with Herbs– Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook on the stovetop.
  6. Chicken and Cheese Chimichangas-Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.

Beef

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (6)
  1. Cheddar Chive Burgers– Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  2. Mini Meatloaf Muffins– take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  3. Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Sandwiches– Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up. These can also bemade in the Instant Pot.
  4. Meatballs with Sneaky Veggies– Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
  5. Crowd Pleaser Mexican Soup– Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
  6. Super Sloppy Joes– Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Thaw and warm when ready to eat!
  7. Taco Bar– Just freeze cooked taco meat.
  8. Balsamic Shredded Beef– Cook fully and freeze in the sauce in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
  9. French Dip Sandwiches – Cook fully and freeze in the sauce in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up. Keep ciabatta rolls and Provolone cheese slices on hand in the freezer.

Pork and Turkey

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (7)
  1. Turkey Burger Sliders – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  2. Slow Cooker Turkey Chili with Sweet Potato and Black Beans – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
  3. Carnitas – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
  4. Slow Cooker Pulled Porkor Instant Pot Pulled Pork – Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.
  5. Mini Turkey and Veggie Meatloafs – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  6. Ultimate Cheddar and Twice Baked Potatoes or Super Stuffed Potatoes – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  7. Turkey Pesto Paninis – Wrap individually before cooking. Thaw and cook as directed.
  8. Pan-Seared Pork Chops – Easy to pull out however many you want, thaw, and pan-sear on the stove top.
  9. Asian Turkey Meatballs – Fully cook, cool, and freeze the meatballs in individual portions with a little sauce. Thaw and warm in the microwave.
  10. Sweet and Savory Baked Boneless Pork Chops – Only 6 ingredients. Super simple to make too.

Seafood

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (8)
  1. Pan-Fried Catfish– Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  2. Salmon and Sweet Potato Cakes– Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  3. Parmesan and Cracker Crusted Tilapia– Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.
  4. Mini Salmon Patties with Lemony Avocado Sauce – Take out however many you want, thaw, and cook.

Pizza, Pasta, and More

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (9)
  1. Spinach Lasagna Rolls–Freeze about 4 rolls (2 servings) in a loaf-sized pan and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil; note that the cook time will decrease some, so keep an eye on them.
  2. Pizza Bread– Assemble and freeze. Cook directly from frozen.
  3. English Muffin Pizzas– Assemble and freeze. Cook directly from frozen.
  4. Beefy Baked Ravioli – Freeze in loaf pan sizes. Thaw and bake (cook time will decrease, so keep an eye on it.)

Soups and Chilis

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (10)

All of our 25+ soups and chilis, except the ones with tortellini or noodles, would work well. Cook fully and freeze in small portions. Then, thaw and warm up.

From Freezer to Table: Freezer Meals for Two

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (11)

If you have our first cookbook, From Freezer to Table, below are recipes from the book that work for 1-2 people.

Breakfast Recipes

  1. Blueberry Avocado or Pumpkin Muffins (p. 42 and 45)
  2. Breakfast Cookies (p. 47)
  3. Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal (p. 51) – divide into two 8×8 pans
  4. Oatmeal Pancake Mix (p.54)
  5. Apple Maple Sausage Bites (p. 56)–take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  6. Chocolate Zunana Waffles (p. 58)
  7. Mixed Berry Scones (p.61)
  8. Southwest Breakfast Burritos (p. 64)

Chicken Recipes

  1. Parmesan Chicken Tenders (p. 72)–take out however many you want and cook from frozen
  2. Chicken and Broccoli Foil Packs (p. 75)–take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  3. Individual Chicken Pot Pies (p. 83)–take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  4. Chicken Fried Rice (p. 91) –freeze in small portions; takes just a few minutes to warm in the microwave

Beef Recipes

  1. Cheddar Chive Burgers (p.98)– take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  2. Beef and Bean Burritos (p.106) – take out however many you want, thaw and warm up
  3. Sloppy Joes (p.110) – freeze into smaller portions, thaw, and warm up

Pork and Turkey

  1. Yum Loaves (p.115) – take out what you need, thaw, and bake
  2. 4-Ingredient Pork Chops (p. 116) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  3. Ham and Swiss Glazed Paninis (p.120) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  4. Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes (p. 121) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  5. Mini Turkey and Veggie Burgers (p. 127) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  6. Turkey Pesto Paninis (p.129) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook

Seafood

  1. Straight From Alaska Salmon Burgers (p. 132) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  2. Not So Fishy Sticks (p.134) – take out however many you want; cooks directly from frozen
  3. Shrimp Potstickers with Sweet Soy Dipping Sauce (p. 138) – take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  4. Mini Crab Cakes with Creamy Herb Dipping Sauce (p.144)– take out however many you want, thaw, and cook
  5. Pesto and Feta Tuna Melts (p.147)– take out however many you want, thaw, and cook

Pizza and Pasta

  1. English Muffin Pizzas (p. 160) –remove however many you want; cook directly from frozen
  2. Cheesy Lasagna Pockets –remove however many you want; takes a few minutes to warm in the microwave
  3. Make-Your-Own Calzones–remove however many you want; takes a few minutes to warm in the microwave
  4. Pesto Chicken Lasagna Rolls – freeze about 4 rolls (2 servings) in a loaf-sized pan and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil; note that the cook time will decrease some, so keep an eye on them.

Slow Cooker

  1. Chicken and Cheese Chimichangas (p. 192) – remove however many you want, thaw, and cook
  2. Chili-Rubbed Brisket (p. 195) – We don’t offer this in the freezer directions, but you can fully cook and then freeze small portions to warm up later.
  3. Killer Carnitas (p. 196) – We don’t offer this in the freezer directions, but you can fully cook and then freeze small portions to warm up later.
  4. French Dip Sandwiches (p. 198) – We don’t offer this in the freezer directions, but you can fully cook and then freeze small portions to warm up later.
  5. Polly’s Signature Taco Soup (p. 209) – freeze in individual portions, thaw, and warm up

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (12)

From Freezer to Cooker: Recipes for 1-2 People

If you are looking for ideas from our second cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, simply refer to the icon index in the back of the book (page 247) and you’ll find a list of “Fully Cook and Freeze” recipes that will work for 1-2 people as well!If you’re a slow cooker or Instant Pot fan, you’ll LOVE this cookbook.

Buy From Freezer to Cooker

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (13)

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.

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  1. Easy Freezer Meals for Two (14)Rachel says

    I have a question. Is it possible to freeze a cooked meat and veggie in a glass container together and reheat within a week or so? Or would they need to be separated

    Reply

    • Easy Freezer Meals for Two (15)Rachel says

      You certainly can, but meat and veggies often reheat at different times in the microwave. I’d suggest storing them separately in small Pyrex containers with lids. Also, meat can dry out, so it’s best to leave it in it’s juices or a sauce if possible. Hope this helps some!

      Reply

Easy Freezer Meals for Two (2024)

FAQs

What dinners freeze well? ›

Choose from dozens of delicious freezer meals including casseroles, baked pasta dishes, gumbo, pot roast, slow-cooker soups and stews, and more. You guests will never guess that you just popped that Turkey-Noodle-Poppy Seed Casserole out of the freezer.

How do you freeze individual portions? ›

Individually-sized meals should be frozen in airtight lidded plastic containers to limit the amount of outside oxygen flowing into the dish. It's also wise to double-wrap your plastic containers in a layer of freezer-proof plastic wrap if you're planning on storing the dish for more than a week.

What is good freezer food? ›

15 freezer friendly foods
  • 1) Cheese. Toggle accord. ...
  • 2) Milk and dairy free milk. Toggle accord. ...
  • 3) Eggs. Toggle accord. ...
  • 4) Mushrooms, broccoli and other vegetables. Toggle accord. ...
  • 5) Cooked rice. Toggle accord. ...
  • 6) Potatoes. Toggle accord. ...
  • 7) Cooked pasta. Toggle accord. ...
  • 8) Bananas. Toggle accord.

Do freezer meals save money? ›

I have found that eating home-cooked vegetable-filled meals is not only healthier for me and my family, but also cheaper. Having a well-stocked freezer saves even more money by removing the temptation of takeout. It also saves prep, cooking, and cleanup time during the week so you can enjoy time with your family.

What are three foods that don't freeze well? ›

Foods That Do Not Freeze Well (SP 50-766)
FoodsUsual use
Icings made from egg whitesCakes, cookies
Cream or custard fillingsPies, baked goods
Milk sauces and graviesFor casseroles or gravies
Sour creamAs topping, in salads
15 more rows

What are good casseroles to freeze? ›

15 Make-and-Freeze Casseroles for Time-Saving Dinners
  • 01 of 15. Tuna Noodle Casserole I. ...
  • 02 of 15. Pesto Chicken Penne Casserole. ...
  • 03 of 15. Spinach Lasagna Roll Ups. ...
  • 04 of 15. Baked Ziti IV. ...
  • 05 of 15. Ham, Potato and Broccoli Casserole. ...
  • 06 of 15. Hot Tamale Pie. ...
  • 07 of 15. Spaghetti Pie II. ...
  • 08 of 15. Crunchy Eggplant Parmesan.
Jan 29, 2021

How do you freeze meals in Ziploc bags? ›

Freeze Foods Flat for Smart Storage

Get yourself some sturdy zip-top freezer bags and fill them up. Press out as much air as you can, place the bags on a baking sheet or the floor of your freezer, and freeze.

Is freezing food in plastic bags safe? ›

Food grade materials, such as aluminum foil, heavy freezer-weight plastic bags, heavy plastic wrap and parchment or freezer paper are excellent choices. It is safe to freeze meat or poultry directly in its supermarket wrapping, but this type of wrap is thin and lets air in.

Can you freeze any meal you make? ›

A few foods we suggest you not freeze include: eggs, creamy soups, sauces and dressings, pre-fried foods, lettuce or cucumber, to name a few. The best-suited recipes for freezing include meats/seafood, broth-based soups, stews, casseroles, and curries.

What are quick frozen foods? ›

Products commonly frozen with IQF technologies are typically smaller pieces of food, and can include berries, fruits and vegetables both diced or sliced, seafood such as shrimp and small fish, meat, poultry, pasta, cheese and grains. Products that have been subjected to IQF are referred to as individually quick frozen.

What are the cons of frozen meals? ›

Excessive Sodium, Sugar, and Saturated Fats

Even so-called “healthy” pre-packaged frozen meals can contain excessive amounts of these additives. Sodium, sugar, and saturated fats are often used to enhance flavor, extend shelf life, and improve texture.

How do you package meals for freezer? ›

Proper packaging helps maintain quality and prevent freezer burn. Aluminum foil, freezer paper, plastic containers, and plastic freezer bags will help food maintain optimum quality in the freezer. Plastic wrap alone will not provide enough protection by itself, but can be used to separate foods within another package.

What foods can I freeze to save money? ›

10 Foods I Freeze to Save Money and Reduce Waste
  • Cheese. Cheese is always one of the more expensive ingredients I use, so I make sure not to waste a single crumb! ...
  • Fresh Ginger. ...
  • Fresh Spinach. ...
  • Tomato Paste. ...
  • Fresh Lemons and Limes. ...
  • Bread and Baked Goods. ...
  • Leftover Vegetables. ...
  • Cooked Rice and Grains.
Apr 19, 2019

Can you freeze a cooked dinner? ›

Yes, freezing is one of the safest ways to store food and, when done correctly, will lock in flavour and nutrition. Some leftovers don't freeze well due to loss of texture and appearance (see list below). How soon can you freeze food after cooking? To ensure food stays safe, cool cooked dishes quickly before freezing.

What foods can you cook then freeze? ›

Foods
  • Fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs**
  • Stocks and soups.
  • Hot and cold sauces (such as marinara and pesto**)
  • Chili and stews.
  • Baked pasta dishes**
  • Cookie dough (shape into balls before freezing)**
  • Baked brownies.
  • Bread, rolls and flour tortillas.

What cooked food can you not freeze? ›

Foods That Do Not Freeze Well
FoodsUsual Use
Irish potatoes, baked or boiledIn soups, salads, sauces or with butter
Cooked macaroni, spaghetti or riceWhen frozen alone for later use
Egg whites, cookedIn salads, creamed foods,sandwiches, sauces, gravy or desserts
MeringueIn desserts
11 more rows

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