My slow cooker is my BFF. I use it several times a week, every week. Whoever came up with the idea of make-ahead slow cooker freezer meals is a genius! It's a total time saver.
In just a few hours (including shopping time), you can put together enough meals for a few weeks. That's a healthy, delicious dinner every night with enough for leftovers too!
20 Easy Slow Cooker Meals to Make Ahead and Freeze
Choose recipes your family already enjoys and that adapt well to being frozen first. For example, we don't like to freeze slow cooker meals made with potatoes because they end up losing their appeal after being frozen. But other veggies and fruit (I've got two below!) work great.
I plan out the meals/bags I want to make and head to the store with my list. Buying some items that are already frozen and/or chopped is a great time saver. For example, frozen chicken works well because it's easy to pull out the number I need and not have to worry about them freezing in a big lump.
When I get home, I chop all the onions (and cook them if my recipe calls for that), carrots, celery, etc. I measure out any dry seasonings I need. Then I work in a semi-assembly line until all the bags are filled.
Labeling is so, so important. It's nice to include cooking time and any special instructions like adding water to the slow cooker or adding an ingredient, like sour cream, at the end of cooking time.
13 Meat-based Slow Cooker Freezer Meals
1. Meatballs + Tomato Sauce
- 16 to 24-ounce bag frozen meatballs (homemade are great, too!)
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
Place all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 3–4 hours on high. Serve with cooked pasta, green salad, and garlic bread.
2. Ginger Peach Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 12-ounce bag frozen peach slices
- 1 sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
Place all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 4–5 hours on high. Serve with cooked white or brown rice and steamed veggies.
3. Vegetable Beef Stew
- 2 pounds stew meat
- 1 diced onion
- 2 sliced carrots
- 1 sliced parsnip
- 1 large rutabaga (peeled and cut into cubes)
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons beef stock base or 3 bouillon cubes
- 1-½ cups of water
Place all ingredients except the water into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Add bag contents to a slow cooker, and add 1-½ cups of water. Cook 8–10 hours on low. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.
4. Teriyaki Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken thighs
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 20-ounce can pineapple chunks (drained)
Place all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 8 hours on low. Serve with cooked white or brown rice and green veggies.
5. Pork Country Ribs + BBQ Sauce
- 2 pounds boneless country pork ribs
- 16-ounce bottle BBQ sauce (your favorite kind)
Place all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 8–10 hours on low. Serve with mashed potatoes, veggies, and salad.
6. Salsa Chicken
- 2-½ to 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (breast or thighs)
- 16-ounce jar of your favorite salsa
Place all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 6–7 hours on low. Serving suggestions include rice bowls, tacos, enchilada filling, nachos, and burritos. Serves 4–8, maybe more depending on how it's used after cooking.
7. Sausage Lentil Soup
- 12–14 ounces sliced kielbasa sausage
- 2 cups brown lentils
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 1 diced onion
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 quarts water or stock
For best flavor, brown the kielbasa and diced onion and let them cool completely before adding to the freezer bag (optional, but results in a better flavor and texture). Then place all ingredients except 2 quarts of water or stock into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Add 2 quarts of water or stock to the slow cooker before cooking. Cook 4–5 hours on high. Serve with fresh bread and/or rice.
8. Sloppy Joes
- 1 pound ground meat (pork, turkey, chicken, or beef)
- 1 diced onion
- 1 diced green bell pepper
- 15-ounce can tomato sauce (or 6-ounce can tomato paste mixed with 1 cup water)
- 1 Sloppy Joes seasoning mix packet
Place all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 3–4 hours on high. Serve with buns and veggie fries.
9. Cranberry-Mustard Pork
- 3- to 4-pound pork roast (loin, shoulder, butt)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown or Dijon mustard
- 1 diced onion
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- zest and juice of 1 orange
Place all ingredients into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 8–10 hours on low. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice and steamed broccoli.
10. Beef Stroganoff
- 2 pounds stew meat
- 1 pound sliced mushrooms
- 1 diced onion
- ½ cup red wine
- 1 tablespoon beef stock paste (or 2 bouillon cubes)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sour cream
Place all ingredients except water and sour cream into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Add 1 cup of water to the slow cooker before cooking. Cook 8 hours on low. Stir in ½ cup sour cream just before serving (do not freeze with other ingredients or add at the beginning of the cooking time, or it will curdle). Serve with rice or noodles.
11. Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- 20-ounce package of frozen meatballs
- ½ cup sliced onions
- ½ cup sliced peppers
- 10 ounces sweet and sour sauce
- 12 ounces grape jelly
- 1 cup water or stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients except for water or stock into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Add 1 cup of water or stock at the beginning of the cooking time. Cook 3–4 hours on high or 4–6 on low. Enjoy with rice noodles or grain of choice.
12. Chicken Tortilla Soup
- 2–3 chicken thighs (boneless & skinless)
- 10-ounce bag of frozen corn
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 can Rotel
- ½ cup diced peppers
- ¾ cup diced onion
- 1 taco seasoning packet
- 1 ranch dip packet
- 32-ounce carton chicken stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the chicken stock, and place in a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 3–4 hours on high or 5–6 on low. Shred chicken when the cooking time is complete and return to the pot. Enjoy with tortilla strips and rice or grain of choice.
13. Beef Bourguignon
- 1-pound chuck roast, cubed
- 4 ounces pancetta, cubed
- ½ cup celery, diced
- ½ cup carrots
- 10 pearl onions
- 1 cup Burgundy wine
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sage
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 32-ounce carton beef stock
Place all ingredients except for the beef stock into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Add the beef stock at the beginning of the cooking time. Cook 6–8 hours on low. Enjoy with roasted potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, or pureed parsnips.
7 Vegetarian Slow Cooker Freezer Meals
14. Mushroom Barley Stew
- 1 pound mushrooms
- 2 sliced carrots
- 1 sliced celery rib
- 1 diced onion
- 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup uncooked barley
- 2 quarts vegetable stock
Place all ingredients except for the vegetable stock into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Add 2 quarts vegetable stock to the slow cooker before cooking. Heat for 8 hours on low. Serve with hot, crusty bread or rolls.
15. Lentil-Butternut Squash Curry
- 1 diced onion
- 2 cups red or brown lentils
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 4 cups water
Place all ingredients except for the water into a gallon-size freezer bag.
Add 4 cups of water to the slow cooker before cooking. Cook 6–8 hours on low. Check halfway and add more water if needed. If the soup is too thick at the end, add more water as needed. Serve with hot, cooked rice, flatbread, or raita.
16. Minestrone with Farro
- 12-ounce bag frozen green beans
- 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 10- to 12-ounce bag frozen spinach
- 1 cup farro
- 1 packet Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup carrot, diced
- ¼ cup onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 32-ounce carton vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the vegetable stock and place in a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 3–4 hours on high or 5–6 on low. Enjoy with salad or a fresh Italian baguette.
17. Southwestern 3-Bean Chili
- 15-ounce can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained & rinsed
- 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 packet Fiesta Ranch Seasoning
- 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes
- ½ cup onions, diced
- ½ cup peppers, diced
- 10-ounce can green chile enchilada sauce
- 15-ounce can corn, drained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the vegetable stock and place in a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 3–4 hours on high or 5–6 on low. Enjoy with corn muffins, tortilla chips, or couscous.
18. Curried Butternut Squash and Chickpea Stew
- 24 ounces cubed butternut squash
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ cup peppers, diced
- 12-ounce can coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the vegetable stock and place in a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 3–4 hours on high or 5–6 on low. Enjoy with Basmati rice, quinoa, or couscous.
19. Kale, White Beans, & Lentils
- 3 cups of kale chopped
- 15-ounce can white beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 cup red lentils
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 32-ounce carton vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the vegetable stock and place in a gallon-size freezer bag.
Cook 3–4 hours on high or 5–6 on low. Serve with a fresh green salad.
20. Greek Stuffed Peppers
- 4 large bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed
- ½ cup Kalamata olives
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 10-ounce bag frozen spinach
- ¼ cup pesto
- ¼ cup sundried tomatoes
- ½ cup pearled barley
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 cups vegetable stock
Combine the olives, capers, spinach, pesto, tomatoes, barley, and cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Stuff the mixture into each of the bell peppers and carefully place the peppers in a gallon-size freezer bag.
Pour the tomato sauce and vegetable stock into the crockpot before placing the peppers inside to cook. Cook 3–4 hours on high or 5–6 on low.
Yes, for these slow cooker freezer meals, all you have to do is combine the ingredients, label the bags, and pop them into the freezer. When you're ready to cook, dump the contents of the bag plus any necessary water/stock into the slow cooker, and you're ready to go!
Want more? Check out these 25 freeze-and-dump ideas!
Slow Cooker Freezer Bag Tips + Hints
LABEL THE BAGS. You’d be surprised how easy it is to forget what is in there after a few weeks. Label them with the name of the recipe, cooking time, and any special instructions, such as adding liquid, checking halfway through, and cooking times.
Bags can be thawed out in the fridge overnight before popping the contents into the slow cooker the next day, though it's really not necessary.
The bags can be frozen flat, but I prefer to freeze them upright to make them easier to pop into the slow cooker. If you plan on thawing the bags overnight (totally fine), then it doesn't matter how you freeze them.
I don't like to freeze potatoes. I also don't happen to like broccoli or cauliflower cooked in a slow cooker (totally my preference). But if you prefer to add these veggies, by all means, do. I recommend buying the already frozen bags and adding those instead of freezing your own. (Again, purely my preference.)
The bags won't really take that much longer to cook if they are frozen when going into the slow cooker.
Searing the pork roast and stew meat adds flavor but isn't completely necessary—it's a way to cut down on prep (and cooling time).
Some of these recipes don't include salt. This is on purpose so that salt can be added at the end according to personal taste.
If you choose to add dairy in the form of cream, milk, sour cream, yogurt, or cream cheese, do so during the last 30 (on low) to 60 (on high) minutes, so the dairy products don't curdle.
The cooking times I've given are the ones I typically use. The general rule of thumb is 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–5 on HIGH. For bigger cuts of meat, I prefer the longer, slower cooking time. It's totally up to you and your schedule.
Broth can be substituted for the wine. I'm not sure it really cooks off because of the lid on the slow cooker.
More Make-Ahead Meal Ideas
If you love these make-ahead slow cooker freezer meals, give these meal prep ideas a try too:
7 High Protein Breakfasts You Can Make Ahead
8 Detox Meal Prep Ideas You Have to Try
7 Make-Ahead Sauces to Keep on Hand for Meal Prep
14 Ways To Make Make-Ahead Smoothie Packs Like a Champ
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Patricia A. Tjader says
What are the individual servings for each recipe?
eva centeno says
This is amazing! I am going to prepare some for my daughter who is giving birth soon. Can you cook these in the instant pot by chance? And if so do you have any idea how long you would cook them? Great website!
musa says
Nice info see this keep up the good work.
thanks!
david zen says
Glad to see this beatiful information!
david zen says
Thanks alot for this beautiful information!
Eva says
Are you supposed to cook the onions for the butternut squash curry before freezing? They looked cooked in all the pics but the recipe doesn’t say to cook
berry butt says
nice information
siklusbola says
tres bien, merci pour le partage ^^
xo prediksi parlay
expertstance electric smoker says
nice discussion !!!
omer says
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Ben says
When you are cooking a casserole, for example lasagna, why not do more and freeze half, so that during the workweek, you can eat home-made food. You can use several options for freezing: Frozen whole casserole in a dish, the bottom of which is lined with paper for freezing. When the casserole is substantially frozen, remove the dish, repackage the casserole in the freezing paper and send it back to the freezer. Plus, you can use the dish while the casserole is stored in the freezer. When you need it again, put it in the same dish and cook it. Freeze in parts. Prepare the casserole, allow to cool, cut into pieces and freeze. You can warm up in the microwave.
Tim Kakashi says
Hi Lindsay! When I make Teriyaki Chicken I always put it for 12-24h in the fridge after I "wash" it in the souce. After that meat really smells and taste awesome!
I already copies this recipies to my "cook notepad" with the best recipies. Thanks!
berry says
thanx alot
Apenny Vacuum says
This is really great reading. I enjoy reading quality articles this well-written. Thank you.
Instagram Search says
Thank you for the yummy recipes!
Allison says
I made two batches of this and the first I did with 4 cups and it was waaaaay too much. I couldn't even eat it it came out to watery and gross. The second batch is in my slow cooker right now and I added half the liquid and it's still way too watery.
Allison says
the slow cooker butternut squash curry
Run 3 says
These are great! What a fabulous idea, also, for when I travel and my family is too busy to prepare meals themselves. Do you have any low carb ideas? A lot of these sauces and vegetables have sugar/carbs we tend to avoid as a family.
Jhone says
Thank you boy
Richard says
This is great thanks!
Judy says
grocery list would be very helpful----
Shawnee Beckett says
Maybe she'll come over and cook it for you also! ?????
Bella says
hahahahahahahaha!!!!! seriously.
Not here for your attitude says
OK will just go to someone else's site. Im sure thats the goal of the author. Thanks
HR says
I just wanted to thank you for these recipes. I was recently getting ready for knee replacement surgery and prepped 9 of your 12 recipes. My husband's skills in the kitchen aren't entirely non-existent, but your recipes sounded good and I thought it would be easy enough for him to 'dump' in the morning and turn on a slow-cooker. So far we have had the Meatballs and Tomato sauce (the first night on a roasted spaghetti squash and the second we made meatball subs out of them), the Salsa Chicken, the Sausage Lentil Soup, and the Cranberry Mustard Pork (the first night as a roast with mashed potatoes and the second night pulled, heated with BBQ sauce and served on hamburger buns). Every one of them tasted great - just really great combinations of flavors and textures. These have really made recovery so much less stressful. Thanks again for your time and effort.
Lindsey Johnson says
Oh! I'm so glad this was helpful for you! I hope you have a speedy recovery!
Tracey says
I'm so glad to have found this website again as I followed your list and loved your recipes, instructions, etc. I now had an Instant Pot and want to convert where possible. Thanks for your great ideas.
Stefanie Lewis says
Some of the recipes don't have amounts, like "one bag of meatballs" or one can of pineapple chunks." These ingredients can come in different size bags/cans, so having the amount would be really helpful.
Katrina says
I'm not a wine drinker what wine you all recommend please
Terri Dedrick says
If you wouldn't drink it, don't cook with it.
Monisha says
are the lentils supposed to be cooked before freezing? or can they go into the freezer bags raw?
Hilary says
I was excited about this idea, but am skeptical about the results so far. The ginger peach chicken dried out, not inedible but not great. I made the Sloppy Joes with ground pork and it was disgusting. We threw them out after a mild attempt to eat. They were soupy, watered down, bland, and the pork disintegrated into the soupy sauce. I have another batch frozen that I'd like to salvage if possible but not looking forward to it. Hope the others are better!
Rachel says
The beef stew wasn't that great. It was watery and the broth tasted of wine. It was more like a beef vegetable soup and the flavor was just... off. Love the salsa chicken though!
Mary says
For the mushroom barley stew, do you drain the canned to,a toes before adding to the zero bag?
Lindsey Johnson says
Nope! Just add the whole can juice and all!
Julie says
What type/brand freezer bags are recommended? Especially if I'm planning on lying them flat to freeze.
Lindsey Johnson says
I've used name brand and generic and they both work great. But I would use freezer, not storage bags for best results.
June Schwartz says
I am slow cooking my teriyaki chicken now, but it won't be done for another couple of hours. Once the slow cooker has finished, I wish to put the teriyaki chicken away for later usage. I was wondering how it is recommended to store the slow cooked teriyaki chicken? Should I put it in a freezer bag and freeze it or if I'm going to use it in a couple of days, can it go into the refridgerator and if so, what do you put it in the refridgerator in? Thank you!
Lindsey Johnson says
You can store it in the fridge for 3-5 days, or longer in the freezer. As for a container, use whatever you like the best - a glass or plastic container with lid, or a resealable plastic bag.
Sharon says
I can't believe this never occurred to me! I love the idea of freezer recipes but never thought of using them with a slow cooker! Excellent idea.
Sharon says
Like when you read about making freezer recipes, you have to do all of the prep work first so you have a ready made meal. This idea is so much better.
Jenn says
I just made the cranberry pork and came home to it burnt and inedible. When freezing it I felt it wasn't enough liquid. Should have trusted my instincts. What a waste of food.
I have made many others and frozen them from this post. I truly hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
Catherine says
That's how I feel about the Chicken and Peach recipe so I'm adding broth, it definitely needs liquid!
Lindsey Johnson says
Oh, bummer! So sorry it didn't work out for you. I think sometimes pork can vary in the amount of liquid it gives off as it cooks. It may also depend on your particular slow cooker too. I hope you'll try it again and add a little extra liquid because it really is delicious!
elaine reed says
Our daughter gave us eight of these frozen crockpot meals as a Christmas gift. We have used two of them.. the cranberry/ pork tenderloin and the butternut squash/lentil/curry one. They were delicious. I hope that the rest are just as good.
Jo says
I've tried doing this kind of prep and recipes in my slow cooker and they are fabulous and so is the method! I always freeze the prepped meals and the night before I'm going to cook in the slow cooker I put it in the refrigerator and by the morning it is perfectly that'd enough to plop in the crockpot! Love it! It's great for putting up meals for those having babies and surgery...very helpful to bring them a frozen prepped meal.
erin says
i'm hesitant to put frozen meat into the slow cooker- especially if the recipe calls for heating on low all day...
maybe i'll try some of the veg ones...
Cheryl says
Thaw it in the fridge the night before :)
Guest says
What dish are you referring to? One of these? Another? Why is it secret?
Rrg says
I tried the curry, stroganoff and Hawaiian chicken. The chicken wasn't bad the stroganoff was very runny. When I've had it in a restaurant , the sauce was more of a creamy gravy that stuck to the noodles. This recipe was more of a soup. I'd reduce or leave out the cup of water. I agree with the curry being bland. I was surprised with all of the flavored that went into it. I increased the curry and added garlic powder and red pepper flakes to kick it up. Btw, I'm not into HOT food.
Saturn says
I have made stroganoff many times, but never in a crock pot. I would suggest tossing the stew meat in flour and quickly searing it in a nonstick skillet, then letting it cool before adding it to the freezer bag. The flour will thicken the liquid into a gravy and the searing will add flavor. Otherwise you could mix some cornstarch and cold water together and add during the last hour to thicken the liquid.
Denise says
After the stroganoff has cooked. Take 3 Tbs of corn starch and mix with 1/4 cup of water. Put the slurry in with the stroganoff and mix. Turn your slow cooker up to high for 30 minutes. Then stir and then add in the sour cream. If you need it even thicker, use cream cheese instead of sour cream or use a mixture of both.
Rebecca says
Do you have calories per serving?
AuroritaFlores says
Great ideas, but why in a plastic bag? So much better in a reusable container , that way we take care of the planet:)
scott marshall says
Those bags are the kind you can wash and reuse, so it's still helping the environment.
Roxanne says
Containers are bulky, the bags lay flat especially for a small freezer.
Sara says
With the ground beef and stew meat, do you brown it before adding it to the freezer bag to freeze?
Becca says
The curry needs way more curry powder; it came out very very bland. I'd do 3T easily. The peach chicken also could do with less onion; red onion is strong and the flavor is overpowering. That, or the onions should be sauteed before being put in the bag to mellow out the bite a little bit.
Meredith says
Great recipes! I'm wondering if I half the recipes for teriyaki chicken, lentil-butternut curry, and sloppy joes, if I should adjust the cook time. I'm new to freezing to slowcook; i'm pregnant and thought it would be good to have a few ready to heat and eat meals for the first month or so after i give birth because i know i will be busy and exhausted. Thank you for the yummy recipes!
Bobbi says
Should I expend the funds for one of those freezer bag machines? Is it worth it>? I freeze food regularly. It's better than eating frozen dinners with additives.
Laura Lanig says
I love our Food Saver machine, it's cut down on so much waste! No freezer burn!
Terry says
My food saver machine is my best friend
Betty says
I LOVE my Food saver machine. Had it for years. I buy my bags on Amazon. Just cooking for hubby and myself (retired) so will make larger sized meals, then split into smaller portions and seal in the bags. throw them in the freezer .
Helps with portion control, and not having to stock EVERYTHING all the time. I like to find my meat on sale from the stores (Costco, or my favorite HEB - Texas only) Right now (2016) they have been having ground beef for 2.77 pound when buying in bulk. I do the multiple dinners, but I seal them first then freeze. I feel better about the sealing than just dropping into a zip-lock bag.