As the second half of the school year starts, many families are finding themselves busier than ever! If yours is one of them, you may be struggling to make sure a healthy, wholesome meal is getting on the table each night between all the activities keeping you busy. Dinners are an important way to connect as a family, but it can feel like there’s no time. There are ways to make it work, though! Here are three easy, nutritious, tasty freezer meals you can have ready to go on busy nights.
1. Chili
Chili is a great meal to make in bulk! There are lots of tasty, easy crockpot chili recipes perfect for busy seasons! Just load up the crockpot with all the ingredients, set it on low, and enjoy whatever you want for dinner. Then, divide it into family dinner portions and freeze in Ziploc freezer gallon-size bags for a quick dinner on the go. Try pulling it from the freezer the night before busy days, or thawing it under warm water before reheating in a pot or microwave. Add extra veggies to your next batch for a great nutritional boost, and serve with cheese and sour cream if you have them.
2. Chicken and veggie soup
This is a great staple to have that is light, tasty, and full of brightly colored veggies! Chicken and veggie soup is quick to make for the freezer. For a quicker way to get it on the table, try cooking the chicken before freezing in some olive oil with salt and pepper! There are lots of different veggies that are great in chicken soup, so feel free to experiment! Check around to see some different recipes, and use this as an opportunity to clean out your crisper drawer a little.
3. Baked ziti
Pasta is a great go-to for a satisfying and nutritious dinner, but did you know you can make it into a freezer meal too? Try using a flexible, freezer-friendly recipe for your first batch, and see how it works for you! The most important part of pasta freezer meals is to make sure you add extra sauce, so that as you reheat it the noodles can pull moisture from it. If it starts looking dry while you’re reheating it, consider adding a little more sauce or some broth to keep it from drying out!
Now, get ready to get 2-3 meals for the effort of 1, and have quick-and-easy dinners you can be proud of ready for your family each night.
