Freezer meals are the best friend of anyone who cooks for one. You make a full recipe, eat a portion tonight, and freeze the rest as your own frozen dinners. They're cheaper than store-bought ones, and you know exactly what's in them.
After a few weeks of doing this you'll have a little freezer menu to choose from, so even on the most tired evening there's a real meal ten minutes away. Here are six recipes that freeze well in single portions, with rough costs based on US store-brand prices in 2026.
The 6 freezer meals at a glance
| Meal | Portions | Rough total cost | Rough cost per portion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bean and cheese burritos | 8 | $8.00 | $1.00 |
| Beef and bean chili | 6 | $11.00 | $1.85 |
| Lentil soup | 6 | $5.50 | $0.90 |
| Chicken and rice skillet | 4 | $6.00 | $1.50 |
| Meat sauce for pasta (sauce only) | 6 | $10.00 | $1.65 |
| Baked oatmeal squares | 8 | $3.50 | $0.45 |
Rough estimates only. Pantry items like oil, salt and spices are counted as a small amount.
1. Bean and cheese burritos
Makes 8. Mash 2 cans of drained pinto or black beans with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder and a pinch of salt. Stir in 1 cup cooked rice. Divide between 8 large tortillas, top each with a small handful of shredded cheese (about 8 oz total), roll tightly and let cool.
To freeze: wrap each in foil or plastic wrap, then put them all in a freezer bag.
To reheat: unwrap, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave 1½–2 minutes per side. Or bake from frozen in foil at 375°F for about 30 minutes.
2. Beef and bean chili
Makes 6. Brown 1 lb ground beef with a chopped onion. Add 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Stir in 2 cans of drained kidney beans, 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 1 cup water. Simmer 30 minutes.
To save money, use ½ lb beef and add a third can of beans. It still tastes like chili.
3. Lentil soup
Makes 6. Cook a chopped onion, 2 diced carrots and 2 diced celery stalks (or skip the celery) in oil for 5 minutes. Add 1½ cups dried brown or green lentils (rinsed), a can of diced tomatoes, 6 cups water, 2 bouillon cubes and 1 teaspoon cumin. Simmer 30–40 minutes until the lentils are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
soup is basically a hug you can freeze.
4. Chicken and rice skillet
Makes 4. Brown 1 lb diced chicken thighs in a large pan. Add a chopped onion and 1 cup uncooked rice, stir for a minute, then add 2 cups broth (water plus bouillon), a can of diced tomatoes and 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and paprika or chili powder. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender. Stir in a cup of frozen peas at the end.
Rice can go a bit softer after freezing. Undercooking it by a few minutes helps.
5. Meat sauce for pasta
Makes 6. Brown 1 lb ground beef or turkey with a chopped onion and a grated carrot. Add a 24 oz jar of pasta sauce plus a can of crushed tomatoes, simmer 20 minutes. Freeze just the sauce, not the pasta. Cook fresh pasta when you need it, which takes 10 minutes and tastes far better.
6. Baked oatmeal squares
Makes 8. Mix 3 cups oats, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. In another bowl, mash 2 ripe bananas and whisk in 2 eggs, 1½ cups milk and 2 tablespoons sugar or honey. Combine, pour into a greased 8×8 pan and bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes. Cool, cut into 8 squares and freeze. Breakfast sorted; more ideas in our cheap breakfast meal prep guide.
How to freeze single portions properly
- Cool first. Let food cool before freezing, but get it into the fridge or freezer within about 2 hours.
- Freeze flat. Soups and chili in zip bags, laid flat, freeze fast and stack like books.
- Leave space in containers for liquids to expand.
- Label everything with the name and date. Mystery bags never get eaten.
- Use within 2–3 months for best taste.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight, or reheat from frozen, until steaming hot all the way through.
A sample freezer plan for one month
Make one or two recipes each weekend, eat some fresh, freeze the rest.
| Weekend | Cook | Freezer stash after |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chili + burritos | 4 chili, 6 burritos |
| 2 | Lentil soup | + 4 soup |
| 3 | Meat sauce + oatmeal squares | + 4 sauce, 6 squares |
| 4 | Chicken and rice skillet | + 2 skillet |
By the end of the month you'll have a full freezer of meals you can grab on busy nights. If you're starting from zero, our cheap meal prep for one guide explains the basics, and frozen portions slot straight into your cheap lunches for work.
Shopping for freezer meals
Freezer cooking is a good time to buy the bigger packs of ground beef or chicken, since none of it will go to waste. Keep a running total with our grocery list builder so the bigger shop doesn't surprise you.
Quick checklist
- Pick one or two recipes this weekend
- Cool, portion and label with the date
- Freeze soups and chili flat in bags
- Freeze pasta sauce without the pasta
- Use within 2–3 months
- Reheat until steaming hot all the way through
