4 make-ahead freezer meals for stress-free dinners

HOUSTON – Getting dinner on the table in less time would be a dream, wouldn't it?!

Founder of $5 Dinners and MyFreezEasy, Erin Chase, shares 4 easy freeze meals the family will love. 

Check out her recipes below to simplify dinner this school year. Stock up on your favorites and save time and money!

Baked Lemon & Dill Salmon

• Yield: 4 servings
• Active Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes

Recipe is written to make a single meal. Assembly prep directions & shopping lists will both contain directions and ingredients to make 2 meals, based on the number of servings you selected.

** This ingredient is used on the day you cook this meal. It is not added at the time you assemble and prepare your meals for the freezer.

Ingredients for single meal:

• 1 - lb(s) salmon fillet
• - Salt and pepper
• 2 - small lemon(s)
• 2 - tsp fresh dill
• Side: - veggies**
• Side: - rice**
• 1 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

Cooking directions for single meal:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 7x11 or 9x13-
• inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• 2. Slice lemons in half. Finely chop the fresh dill.
• 3. Place the 4 salmon fillets into the baking dish, skin side
• down. Sprinkle each with little salt and pepper over the
• top. Drizzle juice from the lemon halves over the salmon
• pieces. Then, slice the squeezed lemon halves and
• place on top of the salmon. Place fresh chopped dill
• sprigs on salmon.
• 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until
• salmon is cooked through. Cooking time will vary
• depending on thickness of the salmon fillets.
• 5. Cook rice as directed on package.
• 6. Prepare veggies.
• 7. Serve Lemon & Dill Salmon with rice and veggies.

Assembly prep directions for 2 meals:

• Cut 2 lbs. salmon into 8 - 1/4 lb. fillets.
• Slice 4 lemons.
• Finely chop 4 tsp fresh dill.
• To each gallon-size plastic freezer baggie, add the
• following ingredients:
• Half of the salmon fillets
• Salt and pepper
• Half of the lemon slices
• Half of the chopped dill
• Remove as much air as possible and seal. Add label to
• baggie and freeze.

Freeze & Thaw Instructions:
Put baggie in the freezer and freeze up to 6 months in fridge freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or a warm bowl of water for about 20 minutes, before transferring to baking dish and baking at 350 F for 20 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. 

Dairy-Free Modifications:
Recipe is dairy-free when served with dairy-free sides.

Gluten-Free Modifications:
Recipe is gluten-free when served with gluten-free sides.

Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken

• Yield: 4 servings
• Active Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 hours in slow cooker

Recipe is written to make a single meal. Assembly prep directions & shopping lists will both contain directions and ingredients to make 2 meals, based on the number of servings you selected.

** This ingredient is used on the day you cook this meal. It is not added at the time you assemble and prepare your meals for the freezer.

Ingredients for single meal:

• 4 - small boneless chicken breasts
• 3/4 - cup(s) chicken stock
• 1/4 - cup(s) brown sugar
• 3 - Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 - tsp minced garlic
• 1 - 20 oz. can(s) pineapple chunks
• - Salt and pepper
• 1 - Tbsp cornstarch**
• Garnish: - sesame seeds**
• Side: - rice**
• Side: - veggies**
• 1 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

Cooking directions for single meal:

• 1. Drain the pineapple juice into a small bowl. Set the drained can of pineapple to the side. Add the chicken stock, brown sugar, soy sauce and minced garlic to the bowl with the pineapple juice.
• 2. Place the chicken breasts in the base of the slow cooker and pour the pineapple chunks around the
• chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the pineapple-soy sauce mixture over the top.
• 3. Set on low and cook for 8 hours. With 30 minutes, left in the cooking cycle, swirl the cornstarch with a few tbsp of water and stir it into the sauce. Cook for 30 more minutes to allow sauce to thicken.
• 4. Cook the rice as directed.
• 5. Prepare veggies.
• 6. Serve Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken with sesame seed garnish over rice with veggies.

Assembly prep directions for 2 meals:
Drain and reserve the pineapple juice from 2 cans of pineapple chunks in small bowl. To the pineapple juice, add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 6 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 tsp minced garlic.
To each gallon-size plastic freezer baggie, add the following ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• Half of the drained pineapple chunks
• Half of the prepared sauce

Do NOT add the cornstarch before freezing. Remove as much air as possible and seal. Add label to
baggie and freeze.

Freeze & thaw instructions:
Put baggie in the freezer and freeze up to 6 months in fridge freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or a warm bowl of water for about 20 minutes, before transferring to the
slow cooker and cooking on low for 8 hours. Thicken with cornstarch at the end of the cooking cycle as directed.

Dairy-Free Modifications:
Recipe is dairy-free when served with dairy-free sides.

Gluten-Free Modifications:
Recipe is gluten-free if you use gluten-free soy sauce.

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Nachos

• Yield: 4 servings
• Active Time: 5 minutes 
• Cook Time: 8 hours in slow cooker

Recipe is written to make a single meal. Assembly prep directions & shopping lists will both contain directions and ingredients to make 2 meals, based on the number of servings you selected.

** This ingredient is used on the day you cook this meal. It is not added at the time you assemble and prepare your meals for the freezer.

Ingredients for single meal:

• 2 - lb(s) pork roast
• - Salt and pepper
• 1 - packet(s) taco seasoning
• 1/4 - cup(s) lime juice
• 1 - bag(s) corn tortilla chips**
• 2 - cup(s) shredded mozzarella cheese**
• Garnish: - chopped cilantro**
• Side: - veggies**
• 1 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

Cooking directions for single meal:

• 1. Place the pork roast into the base of the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the taco
• seasoning and lime juice over the top. If your slow cooker “runs hot” and dries out meals, add 1/4 to 1/2
• cup of water.
• 2. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 8 hours. Shred the pork roast when it’s finished cooking.
• 3. Assemble nachos with corn tortillas chips, shredded pork and shredded cheese.Top with chopped cilantro garnish. If needed, place in the microwave or oven to melt the cheese.
• 4. Prepare veggies.
• 5. Serve Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Nachos with side of
• veggies.

Assembly prep directions for 2 meals:
To each gallon-size plastic freezer baggie, add the following ingredients:

• 2 lb. pork roast
• Salt and pepper
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1/4 cup lime juice

Remove as much air as possible and seal. Add label to baggie and freeze. 

Freeze & Thaw Instructions:
Put baggie in the freezer and freeze up to 6 months in fridge freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or a warm bowl of water for about 20 minutes, before transferring to the
slow cooker, adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water and cooking on low for 8 hours.

Dairy-Free Modifications:
Recipe is dairy-free when you omit the shredded cheese.

Gluten-Free Modifications:
Recipe is gluten-free when served with gluten-free sides.

BBQ Chicken Street Tacos

• Yield: 4 servings
• Active Time: 10 minutes 
• Cook Time: 8 hours in slow cooker

Recipe is written to make a single meal. Assembly prep directions & shopping lists will both contain directions and ingredients to make 2 meals, based on the number of servings you selected.

** This ingredient is used on the day you cook this meal. It is not added at the time you assemble and prepare your meals for the freezer.

Ingredients for single meal:

• 4 - small boneless chicken breasts
• 2 - cup(s) BBQ sauce
• 1 - 15 oz. can(s) black beans
• 1 - red onion(s)
• 12 - corn tortillas**
• Garnish: - shredded cheddar cheese**
• Garnish: - chopped cilantro**
• Side: - fruit**
• 1 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

Cooking Directions for single meal:

• 1. Chop the red onion.
• 2. Open, drain and rinse the can(s) of black beans.
• 3. Spray bottom of slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the chicken breasts, black beans, red onions and pour the BBQ sauce over the top. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water to thin out the sauce.
• 4. Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 8 hours. Once cooked, shred the chicken into the BBQ sauce. Spoon shredded chicken and sauce into the corn tortillas and
• top with garnishes.
• 5. Prepare fruit and garnishes.
• 6. Serve BBQ Chicken Street Tacos with side of fruit.

Assembly prep directions for 2 meals:
Chop 2 red onions. Open, drain and rinse 2 cans of black beans.
To each gallon-size plastic freezer baggie, add the following ingredients:

• 4 small boneless chicken breasts
• 1 - 15 oz. can black beans
• Half of the chopped red onion
• 2 cups BBQ sauce

Remove as much air as possible and seal. Add label to baggie and freeze.

Freeze & Thaw Instructions:
Put baggie in the freezer and freeze up to 6 months in fridge freezer or 12 months in a deep freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or a warm bowl of water for about 20 minutes, before adding contents of
the baggie to the slow cooker with amount of water listed in the recipe. Set on low and cook for 8 hours. Shred the chicken and make tacos.

Dairy-Free Modifications:
Recipe is dairy-free when shredded cheese garnish is omitted.

Gluten-Free Modifications:
Recipe is gluten-free when served with gluten-free sides.

Complete Shopping List by Recipe

Baked Lemon & Dill Salmon

• 2 - lb(s) salmon fillet
• - Salt and pepper
• 4 - small lemon(s)
• 4 - tsp fresh dill
• - veggies
• - rice
• 2 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken

• 8 - small boneless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 - cup(s) chicken stock
• 1/2 - cup(s) brown sugar
• 6 - Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 - tsp minced garlic
• 2x1 - 20 oz. can(s) pineapple chunks
• - Salt and pepper
• 2 - Tbsp cornstarch
• - sesame seeds
• - rice
• - veggies
• 2 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Nachos

• 4 - lb(s) pork roast
• - Salt and pepper
• 2 - packet(s) taco seasoning
• 1/2 - cup(s) lime juice
• 1 - bag(s) corn tortilla chips
• 4 - cup(s) shredded mozzarella cheese
• - chopped cilantro
• - veggies
• 2 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s)

BBQ Chicken Street Tacos

• 8 - small boneless chicken breasts
• 4 - cup(s) BBQ sauce
• 2 - 15 oz. can(s) black beans
• 2 - red onion(s)
• 24 - corn tortillas
• - shredded cheddar cheese
• - chopped cilantro
• - fruit
• 2 - gallon-size freezer baggie(s

Watch the full clip above for more details.