Your Friend, the Freezer: Half-Made Meals to Keep on Hand

“Meal prep” is a definite buzzword these days. If you’re a meal prepper, more power to you! If you’re not, however, you’re not alone! The concept of meal prep often sounds great at first, but it can quickly become daunting – it’s hard to consistently dedicate a chunk of your weekend to cooking for the week. For some, meal prep may feel like a chore and make Monday feel like it’s arrived early. Something that works for my family (and that I hope might work for you!) is keeping “half-made” meals on hand. This is much faster than cooking from scratch and allows for more creativity than traditional meal prepping based on what you’re in the mood for.

The basics: protein + fruit/vegetable + grain/starch. I’d suggest keeping a few foods on hand from each category. When it comes time for dinner, you can quickly group them together to create a satisfying meal. Here are some options from each group that freeze or store particularly well:

Protein:

• Frozen chicken (or meat of your choice) – Baking several chicken breasts or poaching them in water or broth can be a great way to quickly cook enough to stash in the freezer. For an extra quick step consider buying pre-cooked chicken, either frozen or as a rotisserie chicken. You can either freeze the breasts as is or shred or cube them. Then, store in individual portions (or whatever will feed your family for one meal) and reheat in the microwave when needed.

• Frozen shelled edamame

• Canned tuna or chicken

• Beans – Either canned or you can freeze cooked beans

• Frozen falafel

• Frozen veggie burgers

• Eggs – Eggs keep for a long time in the fridge and can be quickly scrambled on the stove or even microwaved. Scrambled eggs and frittatas also freeze well.

Fruit or Vegetable:

• Any frozen fruit or vegetable

• Any canned fruit or vegetable, or applesauce

• Steamer bags of fresh vegetables to keep in the fridge

• Fruits that last a while in the refrigerator, such as apples and oranges

• Pre-made salad bags – These don’t last as long, so store them in the fridge and aim to include them in your meal within a few days of purchasing.

Grain/Starch:

• Rice – Either the shelf-stable quick-cooking kind or the kind that’s pre-cooked and frozen. You can also make a big batch and freeze it yourself. Other grains like couscous and farro also freeze quite well.

• Polenta (grits) – Either the quick cooking kind to make on the stove or the shelf-stable kind that comes in a tube. Once cooked, polenta freezes well.

• Pasta – I have recently discovered that cooked pasta freezes extremely well and this has been a game changer! Just toss with a drizzle of olive oil after draining so it doesn’t stick together.

• Bread (toast, bread sticks, rolls, etc.) – All bread freezes very well and can be heated up in the toaster, oven, or microwave.

• Frozen waffles or pancakes – Breakfast for dinner!

• Tortillas – Again, great freezer food!

• Frozen corn 

Don’t forget to add fat! Sometimes fat is already present in how you prepare a protein (the mayonnaise in tuna salad or chicken cooked in oil, for example), but if not, it can fit into most meals as a topping (see below for ideas).

So how to combine? Here are some of my favorites that fit the protein + fruit/vegetable + grain equation:

Stir fry (ish) = chicken or edamame + frozen broccoli + brown rice + soy sauce. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds or drizzle some oil on your broccoli as a fat source.

Burrito bowl = chicken and/or black beans + steamed zucchini + brown rice and/or corn + salsa/guacamole/sour cream/cheese

Salad sandwich = tuna, chicken, or chickpea salad made with mayonnaise + baby carrots on the side + sandwich bread

Tacos or burritos = chicken or protein of your choice + side salad + tortillas + toppings of your choice

Greek (ish) bowl = frozen falafel + romaine/tomatoes/onions/cucumber + brown rice or farro + hummus/olives/feta

Veggie burgers = frozen veggie burger + side salad or frozen vegetables + bun

Breakfast for dinner = scrambled eggs + fruit of your choice + waffles

Pesto pasta = pasta + chicken + frozen vegetables of your choice + pesto

Individual pizza = cheese + pizza sauce and side salad + tortilla, English muffin, or pre-cooked pizza crust. Customize with your favorite toppings.

Wrap = chicken or protein of your choice + salad kit and dressing + tortilla

Could you use more help thinking through meals or planning ahead for the busyness of fall? We would love to help. Call us today!

Written By: Jessi Masserano, MS, RDN, LD