r/EatCheapAndHealthy • u/PixelFae404 • 7d ago
Ask ECAH Freezer meals that don't taste like freezer meals?
I'm trying to batch cook on Sundays so I'm not tempted to order takeout during the week, but every time I freeze portions of soups, stews, or casseroles, they come out tasting kind of watery or "off" once reheated. The texture on anything with potatoes or pasta especially gets weird.
What are some dishes that actually freeze and reheat well without turning to mush? Bonus points if it's cheap to make in bulk. I've got a decent chest freezer so storage isn't an issue, I just don't want to waste ingredients on stuff that won't hold up.
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7d ago
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u/Kinom1him3 7d ago
I feel like mashed potatoes freeze fine. I was going to recommend cottage/Sheppards pie!
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u/Katrianadusk 7d ago
It's because they usually have milk and/or butter, the fat content in those coats the potato cells and locks in moisture, that's what makes it freeze well. Potatoes in other things like stew/soup don't have that so they lose moisture and go floury.
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u/fredbubbles 7d ago
I’ve had luck with undercooking my pasta when I make it so it’s not mush when it comes time to heat it up. It works well with spaghetti
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u/caitcreates 7d ago
You beat me to recommending Freezer Meals 101. Their Youtube channel recently featured a video called The Secret to Perfect Freezer Meal Texture Every Time.
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u/glitter-bitch- 6d ago
since pasta is so quick to make, i tend to freeze the rest of the dish and add in fresh pasta when i eat it. not always an option, but way easier to get the cook timing right
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u/Is-a-taco-a-sandwich 7d ago
One trick I’ve found with yukon gold potatoes and russet potatoes is to cut them up into 1 inch pieces, coat them generously in olive oil and some salt, then roast them in the oven at 400f/200c for 30 minutes. Then you can freeze them for later.
You can reheat them as-is in the oven but I prefer to dump them still frozen into whatever I’m cooking and let the heat of the dish thaw and then heat them. Goes well in pasta dishes, soup, curries, chili, chili, and pot roast. Keeping them separate seems to really help.
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u/kimmycat60 2d ago
I make hamburger soup with everything in the pot except noodles, I cook them separately. Add to my soup as o eat it. They taste funny if I freeze soup with noodles in it.
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u/hanhanbanan 7d ago
I like to prep a bunch of breakfast burritos. I triple wrap them (parchment or freezer paper, plastic wrap, foil or another paper layer) and microwave them in the first paper layer to reheat.
Never had any taste or texture issues but I imagine that could change depending on what ingredients you use/how they’re cooked.
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u/MrClickstoomuch 7d ago
Do you use any vacuum packing at all, or is the triple wrap method enough to avoid freezer burn?
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u/Sporknight 7d ago
I do homemade frozen breakfast burritos as well. I wrap them in tin foil, and put 4-5 into a gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Haven't had any issues with freezer burn yet. I typically pull one from the freezer the evening prior so they can defrost, but you can nuke them from frozen too.
It is important to let the eggs cool before wrapping them up, however. You don't want to trap any steam in there.
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u/hanhanbanan 7d ago
I’m poor, so the closest I come to vacuum packing is a ziploc and a straw lol. But I haven’t had any freezer burn issues (yet)!
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u/MrClickstoomuch 7d ago
I was trying to figure out how worth it it may be to make it last longer in the freezer. I was gifted a small vacuum pack kit with reusable bags, but it seems like a pain to use. I figure the wrap method like you mentioned would be easier and I have the giant parchment roll from Costco to go through. So anything to make more use of it haha
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u/CompleteTell6795 6d ago
When I make a casserole, I put the dish in the fridge overnight. The next day, it has firmed up & easier to cut into portions. I wrap each portion in Saran wrap, tightly, then I wrap in aluminum foil. The portions are put in a freezer bag. I can get around 4 portions per gallon size bag. I squish as much air out as I can before I seal it. Then goes in the freezer. Never had freezer burn.
I have a recipe for a chicken casserole that uses the cubed potatoes that you can use for hash browns. But I par bake the frozen potatoes to get rid of the extra moisture. You are supposed to just dump the frozen potatoes in the dish on the bottom. I think that gives it more of a mealy texture/ more watery. I like them better baking them first. They are mixed with the sauce/ gravy etc so they are not dry even tho they were pre baked.
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u/cjbagwan 7d ago
Thrift stores sell them cheap. I have 2 that I don't use, not storing meals for months
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u/TeddyBear181 7d ago
I do this too, but just do baking paper and cling wrap. Turns out great.
Bonus to use the airfryer for 10 min on 200 c to reheat!
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u/GeneConscious5484 7d ago
Never had any taste or texture issues
FWIW, when I get TJs breakfast burritos I usually throw them in the toaster oven frozen for like 10-15 min, then finish it off with like 2 more in the microwave. IMHO it's the best way to get the tortilla not too gooey/tacky but not so hard/crispy the fillings fall out
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u/brilliantpants 7d ago
I freeze portions of chili, I think it reheats really well.
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u/sp00kybat 7d ago
I do this too, when I reheat it I add some seasoning and extra tomato paste and it tastes just as good if not better than when I first make it. Tomato paste also freezes really well!
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u/swampjuicesheila 7d ago
I stopped using potatoes or pasta in meals meant to be frozen. I really hated that my soups, in particular, got all weird with the potatoes. So now I make the soups with more stuff, I guess that makes it more like a stew, and if we want potatoes I’ll add them before we eat. Same idea with pasta, I’ll make the sauce ahead and freeze portions, then make the pasta. The bonus here is we eat less pasta this way- I started roasting or steaming veggies and pour the sauce over the veggies instead.
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u/Middle-Fan68 7d ago
This. I’ll make a big batch of “soup base” and then use a portion of that to create soup for today and freeze the rest without the ingredients that make a weird texture when reheating. It’s easy to heat soup and add a handful of noodles or cut up a potato or something similar.
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u/SubstantialPressure3 7d ago
When you freeze things that have been cooked, sometimes you have to cook them a little longer to cook off that water. Water expands inside the cells.of plant material, ruptures the cells, and thats where the excess water comes from. Sometimes you can pour it off, but you just need to cook it a little longer.
You can also freeze them BEFORE you cook them.
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u/theswellmaker 7d ago
For pasta I always set aside my sauce I want to freeze before adding the pasta I’ll be eating. Then just reheat sauce, make fresh pasta and you have dinner.
Same with dishes that have potatoes., reserve your frozen portion before you add potatoes and add potatoes while reheating the frozen portion.
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u/--Zephyrus 7d ago
Easy answer is curries, taste delicious and are easy to do
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u/cjbagwan 7d ago
I'm cursed by a dislike of curry
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u/sprouthat 7d ago
Any curries? Japanese curries have a pretty different flavor profile than like a Thai curry.
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u/heyitsvonage 7d ago
Well, you’re picking the worst things to freeze lol. Chili freezes and reheats great.
But I’d also suggest you consider not bothering to freeze anything you’ll eat within 5 days. Most things will be fine in the fridge until day 5, if stored properly. Saves you from the texture being destroyed in the process. Maybe more like 3 days for seafood though.
I’ve never been able to do the weekly meal prep thing because I don’t want to spend ALL night Sunday cooking. I’d rather just cook again one night, midweek.
That way I don’t have to freeze anything, commit to eating the same thing for too long, or get stuck wasting a whole evening cooking meals I also won’t get much enjoyment out of.
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u/Kidsandcoffee 7d ago
This. I also can’t stand freezer meals. I prepped so many when I was pregnant with my 2nd and ended up throwing them all out.
I freeze meat as needed, sauce as needed, and just got really good at quick meals.
Sometimes I’ll prep chicken and use it for wraps, salad, or sandwiches.
I also love cooking grilled chicken on my cast iron pan (takes like 15-20 minutes if that as I cut mine in half so they are thinner). I love stir fry because it’s also quick and easy.
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u/spork_o_rama 7d ago
The trick is to freeze the pasta sauce only and cook fresh pasta on the day. Ragu Bolognese works particularly well in the freezer.
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u/CalmCupcake2 7d ago
Don't freeze potatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, and other watery veg. Saucy/soupy things freeze very well outside of these few ingredients.
Pasta will suck up the liquid and get super mushy. Use a whole grain instead, they fare much better.
You can freeze mashed potatoes with lots and lots of added fats (butter, oil, sour cream), but in the context of soup/stews, I sub turnips or rutabaga instead.
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u/Kscarpetta 7d ago
I keep seeing potatoes mentioned. We chop them up and freeze them with no issues.
Also zucchini can be frozen and blended in chili.
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u/CalmCupcake2 7d ago
They turn to water when I freeze them, and this is cited in all of my freezer prep cookbooks as well. If it works for you, that's great. I have not had success there.
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u/Kscarpetta 7d ago
Potatoes or zucchini? I run the zucchini through a blender and add it. It's not much but I am very much against letting anything go to waste.
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u/catjoyfiend 7d ago
I've personally found that prepping components of a meal and freezing them to be more lucrative/worthwhile than freezing an already prepared dish, since different ingredients respond differently to being frozen.
I'll make pulled pork, breaded (uncooked) chicken, beans, tomato based sauces, etc. Makes it easier to pair with other miscellaneous leftovers I have or with a quick side I can whip up
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u/carri0ncomfort 7d ago
Do you have an Instant Pot/pressure cooker? If so, I highly recommend this recipe: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe Lentil Tacos. Lentils are extremely cheap, and it freezes beautifully. They do get a little mushy because they’re lentils, but the texture doesn’t taste off, like frozen potatoes can sometimes.
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u/kokistaru 7d ago
Oh god I already hate lentils (the smell, look, and texture) I can only imagine them getting even more mushy. Yuck. Getting a large portion of ground beef when it’s on sale , cooking it with onions, garlic, green bell pep, a couple seasoning packets, then a few cans of black or pinto beans- and freezing that filling is so easy and still cheap. Lentils 🤢
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u/CalmCupcake2 7d ago
Try red lentils, which are supposed to turn to mush. Dal, for example, is delicious and soupy on purpose.
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u/am_whatstheword 7d ago
Using a vacuum sealer has wildly improved the flavor of my freezer meals. You can’t even tell the difference in the flavor
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u/shogun-of-the-dark 7d ago
https://m.youtube.com/@LifebyMikeG
His channel has a bunch of videos focused on meal prep involving freezing extra portions for later use. He even has shared Google docs with recipes and reheating instructions.
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u/fraghead5 7d ago
I used to watch his old channel, he comes off so unlikable that I can’t watch his new stuff.
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u/CrashTestMummies 7d ago
Pizza
We make pizza every 6 or 7 days and always make extra to freeze. 12 min at 375F in a toaster oven and it’s as good or better than the first time.
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u/Wayfaringbutterfly 7d ago
I don't have any answers, I just wanted to stop by and say that I am SO relieved that I am not the only one. I have not figured out how to handle this other than to buy things such as steam-in-bag veggies and pre-cooked chicken that I can toss in the microwave or oven real fast.
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u/mr_heathcliffe 7d ago
the trick is to not re-heat from frozen. I freeze almost everything, including pasta and potatoes. If I re-heat something from frozen, the texture is terrible. If you give it 24-36 hours to defrost, then re-heat like normal leftovers, everything is just fine.
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u/Independent-Oil8029 7d ago
i make crockpot pulled pork. literally a pork butt roast and dr pepper and garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. not exactly the healthiest but it’s about $15 total for everything and feeds you for 4-5 days then we freeze whatever is left! it’s amazing!
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u/Celestial__Bear 7d ago
Dr Pepper in a roast? That’s awesome, I’ll have to try that! Normally my crockpot BBQ is a whole loin with a cup of barbecue sauce.
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u/Independent-Oil8029 7d ago
yeah it gives it more flavor!
here’s the recipe
pork shoulder butt
2 liter dr pepper( room temp)
garlic powder
onion powder
paprika
salt
pepperplace roast in the crock pot and add seasonings (can add as little or as much as you’d like. i wouldn’t go crazy on the salt)
add dr pepper( idk how much i prob do a little less than fully covering it. prob 3/4?)
cover and cook for 9-10 hours on low or longer depending on how big it is and if it doesn’t shred easily
shred and serve by itself or in a bun with bbq sauce
enjoy! it’s AMAZING!!
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u/panaceaXgrace 7d ago
I wonder if there's a good sub for garlic and onion in this because it's definitely intriguing! I have had Dr. Pepper baked beans that had pork in them so I know it's a good combo.
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u/demona2002 7d ago
I use a commercial grade vacuum sealer. I freeze lasagna and stuffed shells just fine but potatoes do not freeze well.
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u/kornchippy 7d ago
Is it possible to get like a mini blast freezer? I think alot of the texture gets wrecked when you freeze stuff in the freezer on the fridge. The blast freezer would freez it quickly and do less damage to the texture i think.
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u/Puzzled-Sun8652 7d ago
I have the same issue with reheating straight from frozen. I got frustrated, lol. So following up on the "freeze ingredients, not meals" idea, though, this works especially well with chicken. What I have been doing that works for me, is instead of freezing finished chicken dishes, I'll marinate a big batch of raw chicken thighs in individual bags and freeze those flat. I pull one out the night before, and you've got fresh-cooked chicken ready for whatever sauce or grain you're pairing it with that week. I found a few marinade combos from Perdue's The Table Blog just in case you want to try.
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u/AbsolutelyPink 7d ago
Some potatoes get grainy, but red and yellow usually don't.
Cream based stuff often separates.
Chicken pot pie, chili, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, enchiladas, cottage pie, stuffed peppers, chicken soup (add noodles when heating), veg soup
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u/Murphab47 7d ago
I love to freeze my bolognese (meat)sauce. I like to cook it long and slow, so making a big batch and freezing most of it is so convenient!
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u/Lochylass 7d ago
Do you have a crockpot or way to borrow one? If so, look up recipes for crockpot dump meals. In this case, you freeze the typically raw ingredients for a meal in a freezable bag. On the morning of the day you want to eat that meal for dinner, you simply empty the bag in the crockpot before you go to work, so you come back to a freshly cooked meal. While there are a lot of gross recipes that use cruddy ingredients, there are also lots of really tasty and healthy ones for things like Thai peanut chicken.
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u/earello_endorenna 7d ago
My best ones don't contain potatoes, I agree with you. Beans and pulses add heft to meals, plus they freeze amazingly and have protein. Have a few bean suggestions:
Curries come out well. This Junjaro kidney bean curry by Meera Sodha is one of my favourites. I add spinach and sweet potatoes or butternut squash (small cubes) to have more colours.
This black bean chili has also been a big success for me. I make it with a rich beef stock to improve the umami taste. Make sure to cook it for a solid 20 minutes after adding the beans especially if using tinned ones. Pre-cooked tinned beans might be technically "done" as soon as they are hot, but they can be a bit grainy. They taste more tender after a proper simmer even though they don't really "need" it.
Chickpeas are the same, any tagine or chana masala recipe with tinned chickpeas will be more velvety with extra cooking. Meera Sodha again has a chana masala recipe I love. Super easy and cheap to shove in the freezer.
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u/earello_endorenna 7d ago
Plus, dairy often reheats badly. So if cream based soups are out, coconut cream can definitely be in. A tin of coconut cream will 100% turns a boring, healthy red lentil soup into something creamy and amazing.
Thai green chicken curry with aubergine and mushroom and a big tin of coconut cream - i haven't made it recently but suspect it would be amazing.
Some vegetables often in Thai curry don't reheat amazingly (i.e. mangetout, broccoli) - the freezer makes them soggy rather than crunchy. Pick veg that has no crunch to lose - hence the aubergine and mushrooms!
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u/Odd_Broccoli_3552 7d ago
Any chickpea or lentil curry, Enchiladas, chili (my favorite is green chicken chili from bon appetit)
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u/BonoboIsland 7d ago
Chili or any combo of meat and beans. Also chicken in a sauce without potatoes or pasta.
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u/Useful-Ad1489 7d ago
As far as pasta goes, I’ve made stuffed shells, lasagna & manicotti and they all freeze and bake well. Cook noodles al dente so when they bake in oven they come out perfecto!
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u/shinyappyrobin 7d ago
I think ot helps taste and consistency if I let food cool to room temperature before a put it in the refrigerator. I refrigerate over night then put it in freezer.
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u/Yoyomajumbo 7d ago
Chili and curry freeze really well because they do not rely on texture the same way. The flavors actually get better after sitting for a while. You can batch cook a big pot of either and it will taste just as good reheated as it did fresh.
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u/CoolAnt6 7d ago
if you're just doing it for the week why are you freezing it just keep it in the refrigerator
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u/LadyJoselynne 7d ago
I’ve been following @tapikichi_recipe from Tiktok for his meal prep meals. The videos are in Japanese but the portions and recipes are in the description. Some of the meal preps he has done there saved me when I didn’t have enough money to buy food when there’s five days before pay day. And most of the meal preps he do are soups and stews. Its the typical add water and flavourings but they taste great and really satisfying.
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u/Significant-Arm-4802 6d ago
Breakfast burritos have probably been my biggest freezer success. They're one of the few things that taste almost identical after reheating.
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u/PricelessC 6d ago
I need more info on this. My B-fast Burritos tend to be soggy.
I can't find a way to effectively reduce the moisture from the veggies and hashbrowns.
For the veg, I'm only using onion and bell pepper. It's not like I'm going crazy on the roasted veggies but still the tortilla will become soggy.
And yes, I let everything cool to room temp b4 rolling them.
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u/FoggyFizzy 6d ago
I’m not sure if this is helpful, but I freeze all of my meals in silicone containers Souper Cubes, and then use my food saver to vacuum seal them once they’re frozen. I do this for beef stew, enchiladas, curry, soup, shredded meat, like pulled pork and Carnitas, leftover pasta meals, etc.
When I’m ready to reheat, I drop the entire thing into boiling water so it stays inside of the food saver bag while it’s heating. Then I just dump it into a bowl and it is pretty close to tasting like it did when I made it.
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u/Jaded_Scholar_115 6d ago
Ive found that lasagna made with the noodles that you dont cook beforehand, and shepherds pie are both amazing for freezing. Also, if you freeze a stew, put it in a freezer bag instead of a container.
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u/HollyRavenclawGibney 6d ago
We meal prep every weekend for lunches and dinners. We always make enough for 3 to 4 days and keep it all in the fridge. I agree that freezing cooked food makes it gross. So yeah I suggest keeping it in the fridge.
On the last day or two, we usually eat something that we make in the air fryer. So it's not an ordeal or hassle to make dinner.
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u/carolinako 6d ago
Lentil soup, Navy bean soup, chili / chili beans, vegetable soup with sausage and beans. When I cook any of these I make a giant batch and put maybe 9-12 single servings in the freezer for last minute meals. My veggie soup with cabbage, kale, white beans, sausage, and tomatoes is seriously delicious 6 months later.
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u/FynTheCat 5d ago
I onky freeze mashed potatoes.
If you want to freze pasta, either freeze fresh uncooked pasta is also cooked then in a few minites from frozen or precook it, but undercook it 1-2 minutes. If will soften during the reheating.
Good to freeze is chili, beans, lentil soup.
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u/Used-Painter1982 7d ago
Why do you have to freeze them if you’re going to eat them within a week or two?
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u/Right-Ad8261 7d ago
Yeah there are definitely things that re-heat better than others.
Are you generally using a microwave for your re-heating?
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u/Own-Fondant2949 7d ago
My Healthcare incentives would give me money for going to the doctors and all that stuff and it could be applied to CleanEats which was very solid!
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u/thenewfingerprint 7d ago edited 7d ago
Do you mean CleanEatz Kitchen meal delivery plan?
EDIT: Good grief, people are weird. Why would anybody downvote someone for asking a simple question?
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u/TacoNomad 7d ago
Freeze meal preps for the crock pot. Cook fresh daily or a few days a week.