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13 Crockpot Freezer Dump Meals For Busy Nights

13 Crockpot Freezer Dump Meals For Busy Nights

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Crockpot freezer dump meals are so easy and convenient! Here are 13 meals you can make ahead and freeze for busy nights, and some free printables to streamline the process…


make ahead freezer meals

I first started freezer dump meals when my husband was experiencing some serious health concerns.

He developed avascular necrosis in both of his hips and would need a total hip replacement.

Being that he was so young, the doctors waited until his hip fully collapsed before agreeing to do the replacement.

Sometimes life hands you cards that you have to tuck and roll with, and we did just that!

I knew that with his hip collapsing (which is as painful as it sounds), and the need for surgery, he would be needing a lot of care and attention.

I was working full-time four days a week and our oldest son was in kindergarten at the time.

I found myself running around like crazy to grab the things he needed to make his day as easy as possible, checking on him on my lunch break, and driving our son back and forth to before and after-school care.

If I had to figure out dinners in the midst of all that chaos, I would have gone crazy, or we would have ended up spending tons of money on fast food!

About a month before his hip collapsed, a friend mentioned to me the idea of making and freezing some homemade crockpot freezer meals to thaw and dump in the crockpot.

She detailed how much money she saved doing freezer dump meals and how easy it was to have dinner ready and waiting for us when I got home.

I loved the sound of that.

We tried them, and I fell in love.

They were so easy to throw together and freeze. I just thawed them overnight in the fridge and tossed them in the crockpot in the morning.

At the most, I just boiled some noodles and chopped up some spinach and we had a fresh, hot, ready-made meal to eat at dinnertime!

It’s been 4 or 5 years since my husband’s hip replacement, and we’re still doing freezer meals because of how easy and convenient they are.

We don’t do them all the time, especially in the summertime when we spend all of our time grilling outside, but I love to make them during the school year and winter months when warm food is preferable.

Here’s how to get started with freezer dump meals, some must-haves that make the process seamless, and some free printables to make your life easier…

*This post contains affiliate links., however, all opinions are my own, as always.

Crockpot Freezer Dump Meal Must-Haves

To start prepping your freezer dump meals, there are some essentials you’ll need that make the process go by smoothly and save time.

I consider these to be must-haves in freezer meal prep:

If you’re buying these in bulk on Amazon, be sure to really look at the cost.

Sometimes buying a 3-pack of boxes ends up costing more per bag than just buying one big box of bags.

And with the way prices tend to fluctuate on Amazon, it’s something I check every time

As an example, I looked it up today, and I could either buy a 75 count box for $8.69 -or- a 3-pack of 28 count boxes (or 84 bags) for $16.11.

That means the bags in the 75-count single box cost me $0.12 (rounded up) per bag, whereas each bag in the 3-pack of bags would cost me about $0.19.

It also means the 75-count box of freezer bags at $0.19 would cost me $14.25 instead of $8.69!

  • baggy racks (unless you’re only making 2-4 meals, you NEED these)
freezer meal prep baggy holders
Getting freezer bags ready to fill with freezer meal recipe ingredients

These are a freezer dump meal prep and leftover-saving dream.

I grabbed just one of the 6-packs linked above, but now I’m wishing I grabbed two 6-packs.

  • labels (free printable labels at the bottom of this post)

Labels help you keep track of the date you should use your meals by, which meals are in which bags, and special cooking directions.

  • a sharpie or a pen
  • freezer meal planner (included in free printables below)

With a freezer meal planner, you can research and write down recipes you want to prep, as well as the ingredients you need for each meal.

Want to double up a recipe? A freezer meal planner helps you keep track of your recipes and ingredients.

Reasons To Freezer Meal Prep

Meal prepping freezer dump meals is super easy!

filling freezer meal bags
Prepping beef freezer meals with baggy holders

It’s seriously one of my favorite things to do as a mama.

At first, t was kind of daunting ad overwhelming because I had no extra set of hands to hold bags open, no real gameplan, and no system in place.

But with the help of the ‘must-haves’ I mentioned earlier, my freezer meal prep game is strong, and I’m able to bag our dinner in a breeze.

It also makes the busy times in our lives easier…

Having a baby?

Start freezer meal prepping during the last month of your pregnancy to have easy dinner you can thaw and toss in your crockpot so you can focus on taking care of your baby and getting a nap in here and there.

Having surgery?

Freezer meals help with that too.

Maybe you won’t be able to work with your hands as much to do the chopping, dicing, or even holding a spatula to brown meat, and maybe you’ll have trouble standing for long periods of time.

With freezer meals, you can just thaw, dump, and stir.

Freezer Meals Save A Ton Of Money

stacked crockpot freezer meals ready for the freezer

A huge reason so many people meal plan and freezer meal prep is that it saves a ton of money in the long run, especially if you shop around sale items and do your research before purchasing.

Having ready-made meals prevents our family from resorting to fast food dinners as well, which ends up saving our family of four $50+ per month at the very least.

For the 10 meals I have featured in pictures, my total grocery cost was $85.40, but I did have some pantry staples on hand that the recipes called for that I did not need to purchase.

I also purchased organic chicken and beef for my recipes.

That means I spent $8.54 per meal, but 6 of those meals were large enough that we will only eat half of what is made and have leftovers for the next night.

So, respectively, those 6 meals would cost about $4.27 for each ‘dinner’.

Prepping Meals For The Freezer Saves Time On Busy Nights

10 crockpot freezer meals done

Being a mom means you’re always busy.

Healthy meals aren’t always the easiest or quickest to make unless you’re handing everyone some raw kale to chew on.

For the nights you have parent-teacher conferences, soccer practice, late nights at work, or sick babies, crockpot freezer meals save so much time and mental energy so you can get sh*t done.

Chicken Freezer Meals

Chicken freezer meals are my favorite because you don’t have to prep the chicken beforehand.

You can literally take the recipe and dump everything into a freezer bag. How easy is that?!

Here are some great chicken freezer meal recipes to try…

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

cilantro-lime-chicken

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Crockpot Mexican Shredded Chicken

mexican shredded chicken

Crockpot Mexican Shredded Chicken

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Additional Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 4 minutes

This delicious Mexican Shredded Chicken crockpot dish is perfect for busy nights and can be prepped as a freezer dump meal ahead of time!

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless chicken breasts (or 6-8 chicken tenderloins)
  • 1 can of black beans (drained)
  • 1 can of corn (drained)
  • 1 1 oz. pack of taco seasoning
  • 1 can Rotel

Instructions

  1. Place chicken in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add in cans of Rotel, corn, and black beans on top of the chicken. Sprinkle in taco seasoning.
  2. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  3. Serve in taco shells, burrito shells, or tortilla chips. Add optional topping like cheese, lettuce, black olives, sour cream, salsa, sliced black olives, or green onions.

Notes

TO MAKE AS A FREEZER MEAL: Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight. Dump ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 675mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 29g

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Slow-Cooker-Salsa-Chicken

Salsa Chicken

Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken

Crockpot Creamy Garlic Chicken

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 7 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8-10 chicken tenderloins
  • 2 15 oz. jars of alfredo sauce
  • 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 2/3 c Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1 bunch of spinach
  • 1 c mushrooms

Instructions

  1. Place chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add in the rest of the ingredients except for the spinach and mushrooms.
  2. Cover with lid, cook on low for 6-7 hours.
  3. Add in the spinach and mushrooms and cook for 5-10 minutes more.
  4. Serve over your favorite pasta (I like to use penne).

Notes

TO MAKE AS A FREEZER MEAL: Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer ba except for salt, pepper, spinach, pasta, and mushrooms. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight. Dump ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 869Total Fat: 69gSaturated Fat: 41gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 258mgSodium: 1858mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 46g

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

Crockpot-chicken-and-dumplings

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

5-Ingredients Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken

slow cooker honey mustard chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 7 minutes

This Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken recipe is tangy and delicious!

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. chicken tenderloins
  • 1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
  • 1/4 c soy sauce
  • 1/4 c ketchup
  • 1/2 c brown sugar

Instructions

    Place chicken tenderloins in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add in the crushed pineapple (along with the juice), brown sugar, soy sauce, and ketchup on top.

    Cover with the lid, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

    Shred chicken with a fork in crockpot, stir to combine. Serve over rice.

Notes

TO MAKE AS A FREEZER MEAL: Place all ingredients, except for the brown sugar, into a freezer bag, squeeze out all air. Place in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Dump ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 798mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 30gProtein: 48g

Turkey Freezer Meals

Turkey does well in freezer meals, just as hamburger does.

It does need to be browned and drained before placing in freezer bags, however.

Here’s a turkey freezer meal to try…

Slow Cooker Weight Watchers Turkey Chili

Slow-Cooker-Turkey-Chili

Slow Cooker Weight Watchers Turkey Chili

Beef Freezer Meals

Beef freezer meal recipes are amazing in the crockpot, though at times they contain ingredients that need to be added in fresh the same day and cannot be frozen (like milk and chicken broth).

So if you’re looking for more of a dump-and-go freezer meal, beef recipes probably aren’t the best choice for you, but they’re still pretty easy and convenient.

They also offer a break between chicken freezer meals so your family doesn’t get burnt out on chicken!

Here are some delicious beef freezer meal recipes to try…

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

crock pot beef stroganoff

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

Classic slow cooker beef stroganoff recipe that the whole family will love!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. ground beef (browned)
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2/3 c sour cream
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley

Instructions

  1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Add to crockpot. Cover with remaining ingredients.
  2. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Serve with egg noodles, top with sliced green onions.

Notes

TO MAKE AS A FREEZER MEAL: Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag except for fresh mushrooms and egg noodles, and omit 1/3 c sour cream. Freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight. Dump ingredients into crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. 10 minutes before serving, add in the remaining 1/3 c sour cream from the recipe.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 292mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 22g

Crockpot BBQ Beef Sandwiches

bbq-beef-sandwiches

Crockpot BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Slow Cooker Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Additional Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

This dish is so hearty and delicious! Make this incredible slow cooker bacon cheeseburger recipe for your family this season...

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lean ground beef (browned)
  • 6 small red potatoes (cubed)
  • 8 oz. shredded cheese
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 small onion (diced)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley
  • 6 stripe bacon (cooked)

Instructions

  1. In a large pan, cook ground beef. Drain any extra fat. Place ground beef in crockpot.
  2. Add dried parsley, onion, potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, milk, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and sour cream to the crockpot.
  3. Cook on low for 6 hours.
  4. 5 minutes before serving, cook bacon strips. Crumble cooked bacon. Add half to your soup, stir to combine. Reserve the rest for garnishing soup bowls.
  5. Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, bacon, or green onions.

Notes

TO MAKE AS A FREEZER MEAL: Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size freezer bag except for liquids, potatoes, and bacon. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw freezer meal in the fridge overnight. Dump ingredients into the crockpot, add in remaining fresh ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hours

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 454Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 878mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 31g

Pork Freezer Meals

Pork Carnitas Tacos

Pork-Carnitas-Tacos-Recipe

Pork Carnitas Tacos

Slow Cooker Meatball Stew

meatball-stew

Slow Cooker Meatball Stew

Helpful Freezer Meal Prep Tips For Success

Check out this neat timelapse video I made for my Instagram stories and Instagram feed! I love making timelapse videos ;).

This video shows me making the printable recipes included within this post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1dwQcbgXU1/

Save time by multitasking

If you are, for instance, browning hamburger, use the time it’s cooking to prep your other ingredients.

I always start with browning the beef we need, and once it’s sizzling in the pan I will start opening cans, writing out labels, and placing bags in bag holders.

Look For Recipes That Use Some of The Same Ingredients

This helps you be able to prep meals faster and save more time because you’re able to work with fewer ingredients.

Base Recipes Around Ingredients That Are On Sale

If your grocery store is having a huge sale on canned corn and chicken breasts, stock up and dig through your recipes to see which ones have corn and chicken.

Label Bags Before Bagging If Recipes Are Similar

I say this as someone who has been there, done that.

I once made six chicken meals at once that used very similar ingredients but had completely different cook times.

I thought I kept track of which recipes were in which bag – but I didn’t!

When all was said and done (bagged and sealed), I couldn’t tell the difference between one meal and the other!

If you’re just starting out with freezer meal prep, I’d say go ahead and label the bags ahead of time so you don’t run into this issue.

Double Up Recipes To Make More Meals With Less Effort

When I find an easy recipe with few ingredients, I make double of that recipe.

I’m already placing the ingredients into the bag, what’s one more bag to fill?

Fill Bags By Ingredient Or Recipe

For example, if you’re filling up 6 bags of chicken recipes, divvy up the chicken into each bag.

Next, if you have canned corn going into four of those bags, go ahead and dump the cans into the bags they need to go into.

Keep going by ingredient until your bags have what they need.

If you do one bag at a time, you’ll end up taking an hour filling, checking the recipe over and over again, labeling, and closing each bag versus 20 minutes.

Think of yourself as a factory, get those bags filled!

Printable Crockpot Freezer Labels

 

freezer meal labels


Print off these labels onto solid white sticker paper for best results, cut out with scissors and apply to your favorite freezer meals to keep track of which meal is in which bag, the date they should be used by, and cooking directions…

*Post originally published August 2019, last updated October 2021.

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Rachelle

Thursday 6th of June 2024

Hi there, I love these recipes and would like to print off the labels but I can't seem to figure out how. Any tips? Thank you.

Katie

Monday 20th of February 2023

I cannot figure out how to ring your freezer labels

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