What’s the secret to getting MORE REAL FOOD into your family during the busy week?
A handy list of ‘go-to’ [and simple] make ahead dinners to freeze for busy weeknights!
Life is busy!
And like you, I struggle during the busy week!
After a long day, school pick ups, swimming lessons and a never ending inbox – getting dinner onto the table is the last thing we feel like doing!
So that’s why we spend an hour [or two] on Sunday making simple dinners ahead of time to stash in the deep freeze for during the busy week.
It’s such a wonderful feeling to come home to a dinner already defrosted in the fridge and all we have to do is boil some pasta or throw together a simple salad.
Having a freezer stash of dinners on hand is a sanity saver PLUS it gets more REAL FOOD into your family!
Today, I’m sharing my 10 favourite make ahead dinners to freeze for busy weeknights!
These recipes are…
nourishing
simple
defrost beautifully
full of flavour
AND always a big hit with the kids!
With these 10 recipes – feeding your family is about to get a whole lot simpler! Happy cooking!
Before we get started – I’d like to say THANK YOU again for for your incredible response to our Baking with Kids eCookbook!
And I’m thrilled to share this feedback from Kristie…
THANK YOU Kristie for your kind words!
If you haven’t yet, purchase your Baking with Kids eCookbook now to start teaching your kids to cook.
Now, let’s dive into our 10 simple make ahead dinners to freeze for busy weeknights!
This is my kids all time favourite dinner. I know when I cook it, they eat it. On a Sunday, I double the ingredients for the stealth spaghetti sauce. Simmer it until cooked. Allow it to cool. Then divide into portions to stash in the freezer for during the week. I usually retrieve the sauce from the freezer and place either in the fridge or counter to defrost. But on the occasions I forget – reheating this sauce from frozen is no issue. Just pop it into a saucepan, add a splash of water and bring to the boil. It reheats in the time it takes to cook the spaghetti. A simple dinner the kids love!
veggie packed spaghetti bolognese
This is another pasta recipe that sneaks extra vegetables into the kids PLUS is freezer friendly. Feel free to double the ingredients for the bolognese to make even more portions of the sauce! It’s so delicious and during the busy week – the only thing left to do is to boil some pasta! Easy peasy!
one bowl pea & ricotta fritters
These fritters are great to have on hand. They take no time to defrost and are always a hit with the kids! I love to let these defrost in the fridge then heat the fritters up in a preheated oven – they taste amazing! And whilst they’re reheating – you can turn your attention to creating a super simple tomato salad. With a little bread – you have a fabulous mid week meal your entire family will love!
Having soup stashed away in the freezer is perfect for those frosty winter nights! Pop the soup into a saucepan to reheat, toast some bread or fry some croutons and voila dinner is done!
Another soup recipe to make ahead of time is this wonderful pumpkin soup. On a Sunday, blitz this simple soup together and stash away in the freezer for busy weeknights. Again, feel free to double the ingredients and get even more mileage out of your cooking efforts!
pasta perfection…osso bucco ragu with pappardelle
Taking the time to create this spectacular osso bucco ragu will pay dividends during the week. Not only is dinner done but you have something truly wonderful to come home to. There is so much love and flavour packed into the pasta sauce – coming home to this will lift your spirits any day of the week!
zucchini brussel sprout and halloumi fritters
OKAY – here’s what to do. Fry a batch of these simple zucchini and halloumi fritters on Sunday. Pop them in the freezer in individual portions so they defrost super quick. During the busy week – come home, reheat some fritters and quickly fry some bacon and eggs – dinner done. So simple. But so tasty. This is one of my all time favs!!!
Okay – whilst I don’t freeze this one…having a jar of this amazing kale pesto nestled in the fridge during the busy week is a LIFE SAVER! And if you follow our stories on Instagram, you know I make a batch of this kale pesto every Sunday. During the week – I toss it through cooked pasta, drizzle it over salads, serve alongside our crispy potato fries or top grilled chicken with it. It’s such a clever way to add instant flavour to any simple dinner!
Another way to add an instant boost of veggies to your family’s meals during the busy week! These fritters defrost super quickly and are perfect alongside a simple tomato salad and drizzle of kale pesto! They’re also handy to have for lunch boxes!
These baked tuna patties are super simple to make (and yes, you can double the ingredients) and freeze/defrost beautifully. These are another recipe I allow to defrost in the fridge and reheat via the oven – they retain their golden crunch and are super tasty! You can also make the pea hummus ahead of time! Store the hummus in a jar, cover with a layer of oil and it keeps for up to 2 weeks. Just be sure to keep covering the hummus with oil after each use.
There you have it lovely!
You now have 10 simple make ahead dinners to freeze for busy weeknights to add to your recipe repertoire!
I hope these recipes save your sanity during the busy week AND get lots of wholesome goodness into your family!
Happy cooking!
Hi, I love these recipes, thank you for sharing. I’m curious how you store them in the freezer? I store in ziplock bags but often find that when I defrost food it has completely lost its texture and is far more watery than when I first cooked it. Just wondered if there were any tips to get the best out of cooking ahead. Thank you!
Hi Louise! I freeze the fritters in freezer safe resealable bags. And reheat them in the oven – best method for retaining texture. But the osso bucco/pasta sauce I pop into freezer safe containers (either tupperware or ikea tubs) with sturdy and super tight lids. I hope that helps. Kayla xx
Hi Kayla
What do you recommend to use to freeze the meals in?
Thanks
Ange
Hi Ange! I freeze the fritters in freezer safe resealable bags. But the osso bucco/pasta sauces in freezer safe containers (either tupperware or ikea tubs) with sturdy lids. I hope that helps. Kayla xx
I’m trying to get your recipe for the savory muffins but the page seems to have disappeared. Please could you reload it as my son loves them!
Hi Emma! I’ll repost it very shortly lovely! Stay tuned! And sincere apologies! Kayla xx