(Inside: 6 easy freezer meals that teens can make, helping the family out. Empower teens to like cooking and learn to enjoy contributing to home life.)
My middle schooler and two high schoolers made 6 freezer meals and it just was no big deal.
They had a few days off of school while I worked. One of the days, I had all the chicken ingredients ready to go and asked each to put together a casserole. They did and said it was easy, so the next day, I did the same thing with the beef ingredients.
After two days, I had 6 freezer casseroles, and I didn’t have to put them together.
It was awesome.
Many hands really do make the work light. So, I wanted to share this freezer meal organization hack with you. In this post…
- a shopping list for the chicken ingredients
- 3 make-ahead chicken recipes your big kids can easily make
- a shopping list for the beef ingredients
- 3 make-ahead beef recipes your big kids can easily make.
Besides the ingredient lists and recipes, I also have a list of must-have kitchen items our family loves.
It’s on my Empowered Moms and Kid’s Amazon (Affiliate) Storefront. My friend, I hope this makes your life easier. Mom life. Whew. We juggle a lot. Time-saver hacks that reduce my responsibilities and still feed our family are a good thing. A very good thing.
Shopping List for Chicken Recipes #1, #2 & #3:
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Dry Ingredients
I package (7 ounces) spaghetti noodles
1 cup rice
12 small tortillas
Protein
9 cups cubed chicken or turkey (about 8 large chicken breasts). I cook this in the crockpot the day before putting these meals together. Season with garlic salt and pepper.
Veggies
1 small can of mushrooms (4 oz)
2 small onions or 1 big onion
1 small can of diced green chillis (4 oz)
1 head of fresh broccoli (can also use 1 bag of frozen broccoli)
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Dairy
3 tablespoons butter
5 cups (20 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup sour cream
milk – use soup cans to measure, 1.5 soup cans of milk
Soup
2 cans (10.75 ounces) of condensed mushroom soup
3 cans cream of chicken soup
Seasoning/Condiments
½ tsp poultry seasoning
1/8 tsp ground mustard
garlic salt
1 cup mayonnaise
Squirt of lemon juice |
Recipe #1: Chicken Tetrazzini
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Ingredients:
I package (7 ounces) cooked spaghetti noodles, broken in half
2 cups cooked cubed chicken or turkey (about 2 large chicken breasts, can also use canned chicken)
1 small can of mushrooms (4 oz)
1 small onion or ½ a big onion diced small
3 tablespoons butter
1 can (10.75 ounces) of condensed mushroom (or chicken) soup
½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon ground mustard
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (for the top)
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Cooking Directions:
1. Spray a 9×3 dish with Pam and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all the ingredients together in a big bowl, except for the mozzarella cheese.
3. Spread mixture in the 9×13 pan.
4. Sprinkle the top of 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
5. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
Freezing Directions:
1. Cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
2. Write the date and name of casserole on the foil. Put in freezer.
3. When ready to cook, pull out in the morning and let dethaw. Follow cooking instructions.
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Recipe #2: Chicken Devine
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Ingredients:
1 cup rice – cook this so it will yield about 2 cups
2 cups cooked cubed chicken or turkey (about 2 large chicken breasts, can also use canned chicken)
1 small onion or ½ a big onion diced small
1 can (10.75 ounces) of condensed mushroom (or chicken) soup
1 teaspoon of garlic salt
1 cup mayonnaise with a squeeze of lemon juice in it
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 head of fresh broccoli (can also use 1 bag of frozen broccoli)
1 8-oz package of shredded cheddar cheese (for the top)
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Cooking Directions:
1. Get out a 9×13 dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut up the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces and cover the bottom of the 9×13 pan.
3. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a big bowl, except for the cheddar cheese.
4. Spread mixture in the 9×13 pan.
5. Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese.
6. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
Freezing Directions:
1. Cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
2. Write the date and name of casserole on the foil. Put in freezer.
3. When ready to cook, pull out in the morning and let dethaw. Follow cooking instructions.
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Recipe #3: Chicken Enchiladas
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Ingredients:
4-5 cups cooked cubed or shredded chicken or turkey
12 tortillas
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 can diced green chilies
1.5 soup cans of milk (Meaning, fill the soup cans 1.5 times and pour it into the mixture.)
1 8-oz package of shredded cheddar cheese (for the top)
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Cooking Directions:
1. Get out a 9×13 dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix soup, sour cream, milk, and green chilies
3. Layer thin soup mixture on bottom.
4. Put chicken in tortilla with some soup.
5. Pour the rest of the soup mixture over the top.
6. Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese.
7. Cook for 25-30 minutes.
Freezing Directions:
1. Cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
2. Write the date and name of casserole on the foil. Put in freezer.
3. When ready to cook, pull out in the morning and let dethaw. Follow cooking instructions.
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Shopping List for Beef Recipes #4, #5 & #6:
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Dry Ingredients
8 oz egg noodles
1 bag tortilla chips
Protein
4-5 lb hamburger meat
Veggies
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
½ large onion or one small onion
6 green onions
Frozen
1 (32 oz) bag of tater tot
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Dairy
1 cup creamed cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
3 cups of cheddar cheese
1 8-oz blocks of cream cheese
Cans
2 cans cream of chicken soup
15 oz tomato sauce
1 can of corn drained
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can of mild Rotel tomatos
Seasoning/Condiments
.5 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic salt
1 package of Fiesta Ranch dressing
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Recipe #4: Tater Tot Hot Dish
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Ingredients:
1 lb hamburger meat cooked
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 (32 oz) bag of tater tots
½ cup of water.
2 cups of cheddar cheese
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Cooking Directions:
1. Cook meat and drain fat.
2. Mix meat, vegetables, soup, and water in a bowl.
3. Spread out in the 9×13 dish.
4. Layer with tater tots.
5. Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Freezing Directions:
1. Cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
2. Write the date and name of casserole on the foil. Put in freezer.
3. When ready to cook, pull out in the morning and let dethaw. Follow cooking instructions.
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Recipe #5: Sour Cream Noodle Bake
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Ingredients:
8 oz egg noodles cooked
2 lb ground beef cooked
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp garlic salt
15 oz tomato sauce
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
6 green onions
1 cup shredded cheese
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Cooking Directions:
1. Cook noodles and drain water. Brown meat and drain fat.
2. Mix all the ingredients (except the cheese and noodles) in a bowl.
3. Alternate noodle and meat mixture. Start with noodles and end with meat.
4. Top with cheese.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Freezing Directions:
1. Cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
2. Write the date and name of casserole on the foil. Put in freezer.
3. When ready to cook, pull out in the morning and let dethaw. Follow cooking instructions.
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Recipe #6: Fiesta Beef and Bean Dip
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Ingredients:
1-2 lb ground beef cooked
½ large onion or one small onion
1 can of corn drained
1 can black beans rinsed and drained
1 can of mild Rotel tomatos
1 8-oz block of cream cheese
1 package of Fiesta Ranch dressing
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Directions:
1. Brown meat and onions together. Drain fat. Let cool.
2. Mix all the ingredients (except cream cheese) in a bowl.
3. Put mixture in a large gallon-size Ziplock bag or other container to freeze. Label bag with date and fiesta beef and bean deep. Also, write on the bag to add one block of 8 oz block of cream cheese.
When ready to use:
1. Pull out bag in the morning and let the meal dethaw.
2. Pour the bag into a large pot on the stovetop. Add the block of cream cheese.
3. Cook until the meal is warm and melted together.
4. Serve with tortilla chips.
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PS – Don’t forget to look at my kitchen must-haves for families of tweens and teens on my Amazon (affiliate) storefront.
PPS – Recipes are ones my family has used since the 90s. I don’t know who came up with them and how much my grandmas and mother have changed them. But, they’ve stood the test of time, so they’re good!
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Cheryl is a mom of 3 boys, wife, speaker, high school teacher, and author of Empowered Moms & Kids. She has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and is passionate about learning and teaching. On www.empoweredmomsandkids.com you’ll find inspiration and encouragement for moms raising tweens and/or teens. Read more in the “about” section of this page.
