12 Make Ahead, Freezer Friendly Recipes

It never hurts to have everything from snacks to full on meals at the ready, and thanks to these freezer friendly recipes, it's easier than ever to plan ahead. From breakfast burritos to zucchini muffins, there are so many foods that fare well in the freezer and can be reheated in your oven or microwave at a moment's notice. So whether you're deciding on family dinners for the next three months or simply mapping out a few weeks of lunchbox snacks and Monday morning breakfasts, these recipes - complete with instructions for freezing - will come in handy as you plan for the days ahead.

Freeze for up to 1 month

Breakfast burritos, quiches, casserole-style egg bakes, and savory egg muffins can be made in big batches and frozen for up to a month if stored correctly, making those busy school mornings a breeze! No matter how pressed you are for time, you'll have a hot breakfast in hand in a matter of minutes.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Burritos with Chipotle Aioli

To freeze:

Freeze burritos in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Once fully frozen, wrap burritos individually in parchment paper or foil and add to a large freezer bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, unwrap burrito and wrap in a damp paper towel. Place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Enjoy immediately or crisp up the outside in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil or butter.

Veggie and Quinoa Egg Bites

To freeze:

Wrap fully cooled egg bites tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or both. Place wrapped egg bites in a zip top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, microwave from frozen or thaw in fridge to pack in the kids' lunchboxes or for a snack at work.

Turkey Hand Pies

To freeze:

Wrap fully cooled hand pies tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or both. Place wrapped hand pies in a zip top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, unwrap hand pies and microwave in 2-minute increments or place on a baking sheet and bake at 375F until warmed through.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Muffins

To freeze:

Wrap fully cooled egg muffins tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or both. Place wrapped muffins in a zip top freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, microwave from frozen or thaw in fridge to pack in the kids' lunchboxes or for a snack at work.

Veggie and Tater Tot Breakfast Burritos

To freeze:

Place fully cooled burritos in single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in the freezer. When fully frozen, wrap burritos individually in foil, place in large freezer bags, and freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, preheat oven to 350F. Bake burritos in foil for about 25-30 minutes, or until warmed through.

Ham and Cheese Brunch Bake

To freeze:

Let brunch bake cool completely in pan. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or both, and place entire pan in freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, unwrap pan and place directly in oven without thawing. Bake at 375F until warmed through.

Freeze for up to 2 months

Play your cards right and you'll have pancakes, waffles, and pre-cooked French toast at the ready every day of the week for the next 2 months. These are great options for pre-portioned meals because they can be wrapped, stored, and reheated individually, eliminating food waste and saving you time and money in the long run.

Sheet Pan Pancakes

To freeze:

Freeze fully cooled pancake squares in a zip top freezer bag, placing parchment paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave individual pancakes for a few seconds each for a quick hot breakfast, or add straight to a lunchbox—the pancakes will thaw by lunchtime!

Baked Banana French Toast Sticks

To freeze:

Let French toast sticks cool, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Transfer frozen sticks to a zip top freezer bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave in 15 second increments until warmed through.

Freeze for up to 3 months

In general, sweets and baked goods keep for the longest in the freezer, thanks to their low water content! Muffins, quick breads, cookies, and even cakes are great goodies to stow in the back of your freezer for a rainy day. Just be sure to let your baked items cool completely to ward off any freezer burn during storage! Double wrapping with foil or plastic wrap plus a zip top back will also keep condensation off the food during thawing.

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins with Blueberries

To freeze:

Let muffins cool completely before placing in a zip top freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost muffins on the counter, in your refrigerator, or for a few seconds in the microwave.

Strawberry Oatmeal Cookie Bars

To freeze:

Stack cooled and sliced cookie bars, separating each bar with a layer of parchment paper. Place stacked bars in zip top freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Let defrost in refrigerator or gently heat in oven to enjoy warm.

Fresh Cranberry Orange Bread

To freeze:

Let the loaf cool completely, then wrap with foil. Place into a zip top gallon freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing individual slices, place a piece of parchment paper between each slice to prevent sticking. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.

Trail Mix Breakfast Bars

To freeze:

Place bars in a reusable container or zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. If desired, individually wrap bars in parchment paper or plastic wrap for easy access. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.