The Best Crockpot Freezer Meals
Turn one afternoon into weeks of easy dinners with these budget-friendly crockpot freezer meals packed with flavor and convenience.
Learn how to make the best crockpot freezer meals in just four hours! Batch out these freezer meals and make weeknight meal planning easy.
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Make eight great meals that can be stored in the freezer for later — simply defrost these easy recipes the night before and put it into the crockpot the next day. These meals are perfect for those busy days between work and kids activities!
I used some of our favorite crockpot recipes and modified a few new ones to add to our meal planning this month. Planning ahead can be a lot of work, but it brings peace of mind to daily meal time with the family!
Be sure to check out my Meal Planning Recipes and Tips for more ideas!
Crockpot Freezer Meal Details
- 1 hour of recipe planning
- 1 hour for grocery shopping
- 2 hours of total preparation time
- 8 meals with 5 to 6 servings in each
- $160 total cost
- $20 average cost per meal
Tip: Save even more money by waiting for sales at the grocery store or shopping in bulk at Costco.
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Crockpot Recipe Supplies
- This 7-quart oval crockpot is the only one that I use and has lasted for over ten years!
- Use 1-gallon large freezer bags for storing the meals in. A black Sharpie marker is perfect for labelling the bags.
- These Pyrex measuring cups are great for measuring and holding recipe ingredients.
- This Henckel knife is my favorite for slicing and dicing in the kitchen.
How to Batch Crockpot Freezer Meals
1. Plan meals that use a lot of overlapping ingredients to make preparation easy. Check out some of my favorite slow cooker recipes or scroll to the bottom of this post for the recipes that I used for this month.
2. Cut up all of the ingredients at once and place them into serving bowls for easy scooping and measuring. Open the canned ingredients so that they are ready to be poured into bags.
3. Label each freezer bag with the recipe and directions.
4. Place the open freezer bag into a large Pyrex measuring cup so that the cup supports the ingredients being placed into the bag. This prevents them from spilling out of the bag.
5. Fill the freezer bag with the ingredients that are required for each recipe.
6. Finally, squeeze all of the air out of the bag and place it into the freezer, laying flat.
How to Prepare Crockpot Freezer Meals
- Lay ingredients flat in the bag for easier storage. Store meals for up to three months in the freezer.
- Defrost meals in the refrigerator or place contents of the bag frozen into the crockpot. If the meal is defrosted, reduce the cooking time accordingly (subtract two hours for most slow cooker meals).
- Crockpot meals can easily be converted to Instant Pot recipes using this handy guide from Taste of Home – How to Convert Slow Cooker Recipes for the Instant Pot.
Freezer crockpot meals are a great way to support new moms by gifting them a frozen meal. With only a couple of hours of preparation, they have a delicious dinner or two for slow cooking.
Crockpot Freezer Meal Recipes
This honey teriyaki chicken recipe is my favorite way to prepare chicken on a busy day!
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken breasts
- ½ cup diced onion
- 2 tsp diced garlic
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- add to sauce at the end
- 4 tsp cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a crockpot.
- Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Nutrition
These sweet and sour meatballs are a great idea for picky eaters! I made two batches of these for our meal rotation this month.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg cooked meatballs
- 1 diced onion
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 cup diced red pepper
- 1 bottle sweet and sour sauce
- add one hour before serving
- 1 can pineapple tidbits
- Rice cooked
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a crockpot.
- Cook on low for 4 hours.
- Serve over rice.
Nutrition
This barbecue chicken can be made with chicken breast, chicken thighs, or chicken drumsticks.
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken breasts
- 2 cups cubed potatoes
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped mushrooms
- ½ cup diced onions
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 bottle BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a crockpot.
- Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
Nutrition
More Slow Cooker Freezer Meals
This salsa chicken recipe is perfect when paired with sour cream and tortillas!
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken breasts
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 can diced tomatoes {14 oz}
- 1 diced onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced carrots
- 1 pkg taco seasoning
- add when serving
- 3 Tbsp sour cream
Instructions
- Place ingredients into a crockpot.
- Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
Nutrition
We love to serve these pork chops with sauteed mushrooms and white rice.
Ingredients
- 6 pork chops
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a crockpot.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Nutrition
Butter chicken is a simple and flavorful recipe that doesn’t require much time.
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken breasts
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 cup diced red pepper
- 2 cups diced mushrooms
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 bottle butter chicken sauce {340 ml}
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a crockpot.
- Cook on low 6-8 hours.
Nutrition
We love to make this coconut curry chicken recipe for friends and family.
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken breasts
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced red pepper
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 Tbsp red curry paste
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 can coconut milk
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into a crockpot.
- Cook 6-8 hours on low.
Nutrition
My favorite so far has to be the coconut curry chicken recipe — we use it all the time! The rest are pretty awesome, too, and the kids especially loved the sweet and sour meatballs recipe.
You might also want to check out these slow cooker honey garlic chicken, Mongolian beef, and salsa verde recipes too.
Many of these healthy meals include chicken breasts, but we also love to make this crockpot lasagna and crockpot taco soup recipe with ground beef for busy weeknights. I like to keep the pantry stocked for the next time that we want to make a delicious meal.
My Healthy Freezer Meals Grocery List
- Chicken broth
- Coconut milk
- Barbecue sauce
- Chili powder
- Mozzarella cheese
- Tomato sauce
- Cream cheese
- Taco seasoning
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do crockpot freezer meals last in the freezer?
Most crockpot freezer meals maintain their best quality for up to 3 months when stored in airtight freezer bags or containers. Be sure to label each meal with the date it was prepared for easy meal planning.
Do I need to thaw freezer meals before putting them in the slow cooker?
For food safety, the USDA recommends thawing meat and poultry in the refrigerator before adding them to a slow cooker. Thawing helps ingredients reach safe cooking temperatures more quickly and ensures even cooking.
Can I put frozen meals directly into a crockpot?
While some slow cooker manufacturers provide guidance for cooking certain frozen foods, food safety experts generally recommend thawing meals containing raw meat first. Frozen meat can spend too much time in the temperature “danger zone,” increasing the risk of bacterial growth.
What are the best foods for crockpot freezer meals?
Chicken, pork, beef, broth-based sauces, canned tomatoes, beans, and many vegetables freeze exceptionally well. Ingredients like dairy products, pasta, and delicate vegetables are often best added during cooking rather than freezing.
How do I organize crockpot freezer meals for easy meal planning?
Label each freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and preparation date. Lay bags flat while freezing to save space and make it easier to stack multiple meals in your freezer. This also helps meals thaw more evenly when you’re ready to cook them.
This was a huge time and sanity saver this month. Crockpot meals are one of the best ways to feed a large family quickly and easily. I love being able to set dinner in the crockpot and forget about it until dinnertime!
If you love these crockpot freezer meals, please help me share them on Facebook and Pinterest so that others can enjoy them too!
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hi can these be baked in oven? i don’t have a crockpot ? thank you
They sure can! Cook times will vary of course :)
This is so amazing I could cry! I love the convenient, printable recipe cards!! Thank you!!
You are welcome <3