Need a simple dinner solution for busy weeknights? This awesome quick & easy meal plan shows you exactly how to whip up 10 freezer meals in one hour!

 

Here at Living Well Spending Less we are 100% committed to bring you easy recipes that taste great and don’t take a lot of time, effort, or expensive ingredients to throw together. As a busy mom, I also want meals that can be made and frozen ahead of time to save time on hectic weeknights, especially as part of a Sunday Prep plan. My goal is to spend less time in the kitchen, not more, but I still want to be able to provide tasty meals that my family loves!

Over the past year we have shared three different 10 Meals in an Hour™ plans, which have each included 5 great freezer recipes that can be prepared together in about sixty minutes. (You can find those plans part 1 , part 2 and part 3.)  They have been a huge hit, not only with our own families, but with many of your families as well, and we’ve absolutely loved hearing how much you all are enjoying these tasty recipes!

Today I am super excited to share this Winter Classics Edition of 10 Freezer Meals in One Hour, which includes five delicious home-cooked meals that are the perfect remedy to the chill!

As usual, in order to make the cut, each recipe must meet ALL of the following criteria:

  • Deemed delicious by both my kids and husband (plus additional testers!)
  • No pre-cooking required (aside from browning ground beef)
  • Freezer friendly
  • Easy to cook
  • Uses budget-friendly ingredients and pantry staples

In this one post you will find everything you need to prep 10 awesome freezer meals in about an hour of hands-on time (not including grocery shopping.)   Just think, in just one quick weekend session you could have almost two weeks worth of absolutely delicious, family-friendly meals all ready to go!

Before you begin, you will need to gather your tools & supplies and also make sure that you have all your groceries on hand. I find it is easiest to go grocery shopping the day before I do my cooking. To save time unloading, only put away the items that need to be refrigerated. Finally, make sure your kitchen counters are cleared of clutter and sanitized and empty your dishwasher and sink of any dishes. (Check out this post for more tips on freezer cooking like a pro!)

 

10 Meals in an Hour™: Part 4

These dinner recipes from cheesy chicken and rice casserole to balsamic roast beef are delicious.

Here are the five recipes we will be making:

Here are the supplies you will need:

  • 10 gallon size zipper freezer bags
  • Avery 8163 shipping labels or permanent marker
  • large mixing bowl
  • cutting board
  • sharp knife
  • garlic press
  • can opener
  • dry measuring cups
  • liquid measuring cups
  • dry measuring spoons
  • liquid measuring spoons
  • 12 inch frying pan
  • stand or hand mixer

 Assemble all your ingredients and pantry staples on the counter before beginning to cook.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Produce

  • 2 bunches green onions
  • 4 large carrots
  • 4 large celery ribs
  • 3 large sweet onions
  • 2 16oz bags baby carrots (optional; only needed for cooking day, not for prep)
  • 4 pounds baby red potatoes (optional; only needed for cooking day, not for prep)

Pantry Staples

  • Olive oil
  • Brown sugar
  • Soy sauce
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Minced Garlic (the kind in a jar)
  • Rice (optional; only needed for cooking day, not for prep)
  • Black pepper
  • Salt
  • Chili Powder
  • Bay Leaf
  • Seasoned salt
  • Garlic powder
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Honey
  • Cayenne pepper
 

Canned/Dry Goods

  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • Chili garlic sauce
  • 3 15oz cans great northern beans
  • 3 15oz cans navy beans
  • 12 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cans condensed cream of broccoli soup
  • 2 10oz packages yellow rice
  • 2 cans whole cranberry sauce
  • 1 8oz bottle French dressing or Raspberry Vinaigrette
  • 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 cups beef broth

Dairy

  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 16oz container sour cream
  • 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
 

Meat

  • 6-8 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 2 pounds fully cooked ham (enough to make 4 cups cubed)
  • 2-3-4 pound chuck roasts
 

Deli

  • 1 rotisserie chicken
 

Frozen

  • 1 16oz bag frozen broccoli

 

PRINT

Be sure to print the following recipes:

 

PREP

  1. Prep your bags—either print labels using these ready-made printable labels or use a permanent marker to label each bag with the name of the recipe, date prepared, and cooking instructions. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!  While you might think that you’ll remember what is in every bag, I promise you will forget!
  2. Chop ham and set aside
  3. Chop rotisserie chicken and set aside
  4. Chop onion and set aside
  5. Chop 4 whole carrots and set aside
  6. Chop 4 celery ribs and set aside
  7. Prep raw chicken if necessary

Marinade balsamic roast beef in freezer bags.

PREPARE

  1. Prep Chicken & Rice Casserole using instructions found here. Divide mixture into 2 freezer bags, press out excess air, and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
  2. Prep Ham & Bean Soup using instructions found here. Divide mixture into 2 freezer bags, press out excess air, and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
  3. Prep Balsamic Roast Beef using instructions found here. Place meat into 2 freezer bags and cover with marinade, then press out excess air and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
  4. Prep Simple Cranberry Chicken using instructions found here. Place chicken into 2 freezer bags and cover with marinade, then press out excess air and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
  5. Prep Sweet & Spicy Chinese Chicken using instructions found here. Place chicken into 2 freezer bags and cover with marinade, then press out excess air and seal well. Place bags in refrigerator.
  6. Once all prep is complete, place all bags in freezer until needed. After you’ve made your meal plan for the coming week, consider setting an alert on your phone to remind you to take your bag out to thaw the day before you plan to make it!

Want more 10 Meals in an Hour? Check out the entire series!

  1. 10 Meals in an Hour
  2. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 2
  3. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 3
  4. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 4
  5. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 5
  6. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 6
  7. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 7
  8. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 8
  9. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 9
  10. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 10
  11. 10 Meals in an Hour Part 11

Have you tried making 10 meals in an hour yet? What tricks or tips can you share?

PIN FOR LATER:

Use these recipes to cook ten meals in one hour.

Ruth Soukup

Ruth Soukup

Founder at Living Well Spending Less
Ruth Soukup is dedicated to helping people everywhere create a life they love by follwing their dreams and achieving their biggest goals. She is the host of the wildly popular Do It Scared podcast, as well as the founder of Living Well Spending Less® and Elite Blog Academy®. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Do It Scared®: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Obstacles, and Create a Life You Love, which was the inspiration for this book. She lives in Florida with her husband Chuck, and 2 daughters Maggie & Annie.
Ruth Soukup

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