Freezer Meals For Easy Crockpot Dinners

Here are this week's freezer meals! It took me about 45 minutes to prep everything. These will last us at least 8 or 9 dinners (using leftovers the following nights).

I don't know about where you live, but the cost of food has gone up here (again). It feels like every few months there are a couple dollars tacked on to the big purchases like meats and certain fruits and vegetables. And those add up on the grocery bill!

It is certainly frustrating when you have a weekly grocery budget. That's why I'm even more confident in using crockpot freezer meals to help me save time and save money.

With a little bit of planning, you can make a week's worth of meals easily and toss them in the freezer. Then you can just pull out a freezer meal the night before, pop it in the fridge to start thawing, and then cook it the next day.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I kept things pretty simple this week to make these crockpot freezer meals. Each one can be dumped in the crockpot in the morning and cooked for 6-9 hours (depending on the recipe and ingredients) and then dinners ready to go. I can't tell you how amazing it feels to know that I already have dinner planned and ready in the morning!

Here's what I made including the cost for each freezer meal:
- Crockpot sauerkraut with beef - $12.36
- Budget-friendly frozen vegetable soup - $7.25
- Bean and vegetable soup - $7.81
- Crockpot balsamic chicken - $10.26
- Crockpot shredded salsa chicken - $15.17
- Crockpot sweet and tangy pork chops - $15.65

Total cost = $68.50 in canadian dollars (As of writing this post, this is about $53.48 usd according to the exchange rate)

Please note that these prices may be higher or lower depending on where you live. This is how much it cost me at my own grocery store in Canadian dollars. I like to include this to help give you a reference so that you can see what meals cost more and what cost less.

Another thing that I love about freezer meals is that you can batch prep them easily in advance. I made all of these right after I went grocery shopping. Once all the groceries were put away, I put these together in about 30 minutes.

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SIX CROCKPOT FREEZER MEAL RECIPES

1. CROCKPOT BALSAMIC SHREDDED CHICKEN

Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Sea salt and pepper

FREEZER PREP:

1. Label a freezer bag with recipe name, instructions and the use-by date.
2. Add all ingredients to the freezer bag. Start with onion and diced tomatoes. Add in garlic powder Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts, then pour in balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Remove as much air as possible, and seal tightly. Lay flat while freezing for easier storage.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Thaw freezer bag in the fridge overnight.
2. Add all ingredients to the crockpot, including chicken broth, and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until chicken is cooked. 
3. Before serving, remove chicken and shred with a fork. Stir back into the sauce.
4. Serve with rice or pasta noodles.

2. CROCKPOT SWEET AND TANGY PORK CHOPS

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 pork chops
• 4 cups frozen vegetables mix (500 g bag)
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• ½ cup maple syrup or honey
• ½ cup water
• Salt and pepper

FREEZER PREP:

1. Label a freezer bag with recipe name, instructions and the use-by date.
2. Add vegetables to a large freezer bag. Add the pork chops. Pour in barbecue sauce, maple syrup, water, salt and pepper. Seal bag tightly and remove as much air as possible. Lay flat while freezing for easier storage.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Thaw freezer bags in the fridge overnight.
2. Pour ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 9-10 hours or until pork chops are cooked.
3. Serve with cooked rice.

3. BUDGET-FRIENDLY FROZEN VEGGIE SOUP

Makes 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 carton vegetable broth (about 5 cups)
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• Bag of frozen mixed vegetables (approx 1 Kg)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste

FREEZER PREP:

1. Label a freezer bag with recipe name, instructions and the use-by date.
2. Add all ingredients to the freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, and seal tightly. Lay flat while freezing for easier storage.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.
2. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until it becomes smooth. You can also do this in small batches in a regular blender. Be careful, because the blender will want to release some steam during the process. Pour pureed soup into bowls and serve.

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4. CROCKPOT SAUERKRAUT WITH GROUND BEEF

Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups sauerkraut, drained
• 1 lb extra lean ground beef
• 2 (15 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 2.5 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped into cubes (about half of sweet potato)
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp onion powder
• Sea salt and pepper

FREEZER PREP:

1. Label a freezer bag with recipe name, instructions and the use-by date.
2. Add all ingredients to the freezer bag. Start with sauerkraut, sweet potato, celery. Add in spices then add ground beef. Remove as much air as possible, and seal tightly. Lay flat while freezing for easier storage.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to the crockpot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Sweet potatoes will be tender when poked with a fork when it's ready.
2. Serve with rice or pasta noodles and a side salad.

5. CROCKPOT SALSA CHICKEN

Makes 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 22 oz (or 650 ml) jar salsa (approx. 2.5 cups)
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Sea salt and pepper

FREEZER PREP:

1. Label a freezer bag with recipe name, instructions and the use-by date.
2. Add all ingredients to the freezer bag. Start with onion, corn, black beans. Add in chilli powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts, then salsa and lime juice. Remove as much air as possible and seal tightly. Lay flat while freezing for easier storage.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Thaw freezer bag in fridge over night.
2. Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until chicken is cooked.
3. Before serving, remove chicken and shred with a fork. Stir back into the sauce.

SERVING IDEAS: 

Serve with rice or pasta. This also tastes great inside tortilla wraps and lettuce wraps. You can top with your choice of crushed tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream, plain greek yogurt, sliced jalapeños, fresh chopped cilantro, or sliced avocado.

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6. CROCKPOT THREE BEAN SOUP

Makes 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 carton vegetable broth (about 5 cups)
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas
• 1 (15 oz) can lentils
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• Sea salt and pepper

FREEZER PREP:

1. Label a freezer bag with recipe name, instructions and the use-by date.
2. Add all ingredients to the freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, and seal tightly. Lay flat while freezing for easier storage.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to the crockpot, including broth and water. Cook on low for 4-6 hours.
2. Serve with warm bread or grilled cheese sandwiches.

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