20 Comfort Food Recipes That Freeze Well

Meal prep is essential for creating inexpensive versions of your favorite prepared frozen food. There are massive savings to be had when making your own version versus store-bought frozen food, which is often three times the price for a smaller portion (think $4 for one of those tiny frozen burritos, or $5 for a single serving of mac and cheese). These 20 ultimate comfort foods can be prepared in large portions all at once and kept in the freezer for up to three months for a quick and easy heat-and-eat meal.

Related: 55 Big-Batch Meals That Will Last for a Week

The frozen burrito is iconic, and for good reason. It’s the perfect anytime snack, and can be filled with pretty much anything you have on hand, including leftovers. For maximum freshness, wrap each burrito in wax or parchment paper tightly before storing multiple burritos in a zip-top bag.

Recipe: Dinner Then Dessert

Freezing premade cookie dough is a huge time saver, especially when cravings hit unexpectedly. Any recipe works, though it’s a good idea to freeze dough in pre-portioned balls or discs rather than one large log for easy, no-fuss baking. Another benefit of having single-serve frozen reserves of cookie dough is that you can bake however many you want to eat, rather than make an entire batch.

Recipe: Joy Food Sunshine

Frozen pizza is faster and fresher than takeout, so why not make your own? This dough recipe can be the base to include any toppings you like. Using store-bought dough or making one from scratch both work — just remember that the crust should be prebaked and cooled before assembling with the sauce and toppings of your choice before freezing. Just like store-bought versions, homemade pizza keeps best with two layers of protection, first wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in a freezer bag.

Recipe: Food Network

This hearty pasta casserole is a one-dish meal and can be made in so many ways. This recipe uses no-bake noodles, making the preparation even easier and faster. Lasagna is best frozen before baking so it can be fresh and bubbly the first time out of the freezer. You can cook your frozen lasagna straight from the freezer, but make sure the dish it is in can take the temperature change. Defrosting a few hours before popping it in the oven is even safer.

Recipe: Food.com

Sometimes a craving for mac and cheese hits, and the boxed version just won’t do. By freezing classic mac and cheese, you can have the taste of homemade comfort anytime. This works well frozen in individual portions or in a large batch once the pasta is mixed with the cheese, but before the final baking or time under the broiler. It can be reheated in the microwave until hot and bubbly, or baked in the oven straight from the freezer or after defrosting.

Recipe: Allrecipes

Easy and inexpensive to make, chili is a simple food to freeze and reheat. Placing cooled chili in freezer bags and laying them flat until frozen makes it easy to store in layers in the freezer, and works well with any variation of chili. The only thing to watch out for is that there is little to no air in the bags when freezing, so the chili stays fresh for months.

Recipe: The Wholesome Dish

Meatballs can be frozen on their own and simply reheated later in sauce, but freezing the meatballs in sauce protects even more against freezer burn and keeps them fresher for longer. Because you want the balls to be submerged in sauce, they are best frozen in large bags or deep containers. Any recipe works, including variations.

Recipe: What Should I Make For ...

Frozen dumplings are so versatile: They can be pan fried, steamed, or boiled in soup. Using store-bought wrappers makes them even easier to make. When freezing, place them on a sheet tray so they are not touching; once frozen, they can be placed in a freezer bag and stay fresh without getting stuck to each other.

Recipe: Tasty

Having chicken tenders on hand is a meal and snack saver for many, as this is one of the most popular dishes at fast food places and casual restaurants — and there are so many recipe variations to get a crunchy outer coating. Freeze them individually before storing them together in a freezer bag so they don’t stick, that way you can grab as many or as few as you’d like at a time.

Recipe: Cafe Delites

Classic tomato soup is a great way to make use of fresh tomatoes and save their flavor for later. It’s ideal to freeze this soup in small freezer bags in individual portions, so the time it takes to heat up in a pan with a splash of water is about the same as it takes to whip up a grilled cheese — because tomato soup and grilled cheese is comforting any time of day or night.

Recipe: Fine Cooking

Making a large batch of curry at once and freezing in meal-size portions can translate into multiple meals — faster, cheaper, and likely healthier than takeout. Because there is quite a bit of liquid, or gravy, this freezes well in small freezer bags. Using smaller sizes also keeps the veggies and meat from sinking to the bottom of a larger container.

Recipe: Taste of Home

Burger patties can be cooked straight from the freezer or defrosted and are much cheaper to make than to buy. This steakhouse recipe is a good place to start, with plenty of room for your own variations. Freeze them in a single layer so they don’t stick, and consider placing a small square of parchment or wax paper between the patties once stacked in a freezer bag.

Recipe: Once Upon a Chef

Preserve the freshness of straight-from-the-oven baked muffins by freezing them once they are completely cooled. Freeze individually and store in a freezer bag, trying to suck out as much air as possible to keep them fresher for longer. This technique works with pretty much any muffin, including those with blueberries or other fruit in them.

Recipe: Sally’s Baking Addiction

It’s always nice to have some chicken noodle soup on hand for sick days or just for a comforting bowl. This recipe will hit all the right notes for those who want the nostalgic version. Once cooled, freeze in small or large portions in freezer bags, being mindful about keeping the amount of oxygen in the bag to the bare minimum.

Recipe: Feel Good Foodie

This recipe can easily be doubled, leaving at least one tray for freezing to bake and eat later. When freezing in a dish just before baking, use a metal dish to ensure it can go from freezer to oven with no problems. Make sure to wait until it is completely cool before lightly pressing a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap on the top, then wrap the top in foil for long-term freezer storage.

Recipe: A Simple Palate

Simple roasted chicken can be the basis of many different meals. For maximum versatility and ease, freeze butchered chicken pieces individually. Bone-in or boneless pieces can be defrosted and used in recipes or heated in the oven.

Recipe: The Whole Cook

Double this recipe for pancake batter to make enough for enjoying fresh as well as freezing. Once the pancakes are completely cooled, they can be frozen in an individual layer. If stacking, place a small square of wax or parchment paper between each pancake so they don’t stick together. Pancakes freeze just as well with additions such as blueberries, bananas, or chocolate chips.

Recipe: Martha Stewart

An American favorite, classic meatloaf makes a comforting supper alongside mashed potatoes, as well as a hearty sandwich. You can freeze a meatloaf before baking in its pan to go from oven to freezer. If freezing after cooking, it’s best to slice and freeze each piece in a single layer before storing in a freezer bag, making it easy and fast to heat up for sandwiches or individual meals.

Recipe: Natasha’s Kitchen

Pot pies large and small freeze well. This pot pie uses homemade crust, but store-bought also works well. Pot pies can be frozen before being baked, going from freezer to oven for maximum freshness. Already-baked pot pies can also be frozen, although reheating them in the oven or microwave may yield a slightly less crumbly upper crust.

Recipe: Delish

This quick and easy banana bread is naturally moist, which means it won’t dry out after being in the freezer. There are equally good results when freezing a whole banana bread or individual slices if wrapping in plastic and then storing in a freezer bag. Both can simply be removed, defrosted, and slightly warmed in a low oven if desired.

Recipe: The Kitchn