Which meal prep foods freeze well?

Food with moisture and sauce freezes best. The sauce protects it from the dry air in the freezer, and the texture after reheating is close to fresh.

Which foods freeze very well?

• Soups, chili, stews and curries.
• Tomato and meat sauces.
• Meatballs, in sauce or on their own.
• Cooked rice and other grains.
• Cooked beans and lentils.
• Burritos and wraps without salad inside.
• Muffins, pancakes and baked oatmeal.
• Shredded or sliced cooked chicken.

Which freeze acceptably?

• Cooked pasta, slightly undercooked and coated in sauce.
• Egg muffins and egg bites. They are a little softer after thawing.
• Roasted vegetables. They lose some firmness.
• Casseroles and bakes, cut into portions first.

Which recipes are the best to start with?

• Big-batch turkey chili, 3 months.
• Coconut chickpea curry, 3 months.
• Black bean soup and white bean and kale soup, 3 months.
• Lentil bolognese, 3 months.
• Baked turkey meatballs, 3 months.
• Freezer breakfast burritos, 3 months.
• Chicken enchilada bake, 3 months.

Every recipe that suits the freezer is in the freezer category.

How can you tell if something will freeze?

If a food is good in a stew, it will probably freeze. If it is good because it is crisp or fresh, it probably will not. Raw salad, yogurt sauces and fried food are the main things to avoid. See foods that do not freeze well.

How long do they last?

Food that stays frozen at 0°F (-18°C) stays safe. Quality is what fades. Most cooked meals are at their best within two to three months, cooked rice within one to two, and egg dishes within about two.

Should you freeze rice and sauce together?

You can, but separately is better. Rice frozen flat in its own bag reheats closer to fresh. Curry and chili frozen without rice take less space. See can you freeze cooked rice.

How should you portion it?

Freeze in single servings. A large frozen block takes a day to thaw and cannot be refrozen without losing quality. Bags laid flat freeze and thaw fastest. Bags or containers compares the options.

What should you add after reheating?

Fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon or lime, yogurt, cheese and anything crunchy. These are what make a frozen meal taste freshly made.

Where to go next

The full method, from cooling to labelling, is in freezer meal prep for beginners.