7 Freezer Cooking Tips to Save Time and Reduce Waste
By Britni Vincent, RD, LD
November 3, 2025
Let’s face it — life is busy and even with the best intentions you don’t always have time to cook. Making a plan and batch cooking are key to being consistent with eating real food. And with food prices rising, you want to make the most of what you buy.
Follow these seven freezer meal prep tips to save time, reduce stress, and keep healthy meals on hand for when life gets hectic.
1. Freeze avocado (Yes, really!)
Have you ever had half of an avocado and then the other half turns brown before you can eat it? The answer to your problem is to freeze the other half. Or better yet, buy avocados in bulk when they're on sale and freeze a bunch when they're ripe.
How to Freeze Avocados Three Ways
-
Whole: Freeze avocados whole once they’re ripe.
-
Halved: Cut, scoop out of the peel, and place halves in freezer bags.
-
Mashed: Blend or mash with a splash of citrus juice and freeze in baggies.
Use your frozen avocado in protein shakes, spreads, guacamole, or dressing, or try “green pudding” by blending half of a frozen avocado with half of a banana.
Bonus tip: If you buy the single-serving guacamole containers in bulk you can freeze those too. A great way to extend the expiration date!
Other freezer friendly veggies (without blanching):
-
Onions (and garlic): Chop or mince, portion into small bags or jars, and freeze raw. Use straight from the freezer in soups, eggs, or stir-fries — no thawing needed.
-
Zucchini: Grate, squeeze out excess moisture, and freeze in 1-cup portions. Add frozen to muffins, soups, egg bakes or even a smoothie as a veggie boost.
-
Carrots: Shred raw and freeze in portions. Toss frozen into soups, casseroles, or meatloaf for easy flavor and color.
-
Bell peppers: Slice or dice raw, spread on a tray to freeze, then transfer to bags. Perfect for omelets, fajitas, or chili.
2. Freeze wild rice, brown rice and quinoa
Batch Cooking Tip: cook once, freeze for quick future meals.
Cooking whole grains takes time, so make several servings at once. Try using your Instant Pot for cooking your whole grains, this can make it even more simple.
How to Make Ahead:
-
Cook a large batch of the rice of your choosing (or quinoa).
-
When cooled, freeze one-cup portions in freezer bags.
Later, You can thaw out what you need for:
-
A batch of Wild Rice Meatballs (recipe calls for exactly one cup wild rice).
-
A side dish. (one baggie would be two servings).
This can be a huge time-saver when dinner time comes around, especially during the week when the whole family is so busy with work, school and activities.
Bonus tip: To give the rice or quinoa extra flavor, cook it in stock or broth instead of water.
3. Make a Quick, Healthy Stir-Fry with Frozen Vegetables
Freezer Meal Tip: frozen veggies can be as nutritious — or more — than fresh!
Buying fresh vegetables means getting to the grocery store at least once a week, which doesn't always happen. I always keep lots of frozen vegetables on hand in case I don't have fresh vegetables available.
Frozen veggies work great in stir fry recipes. I love these recipes because they are a one-pan meal (fewer dishes to wash!) and an easy way to get a balance of healthy fat, protein and carbs (veggies) all in one tasty dish!
My Go-To Frozen Veggie Stir-Fry Recipe (and How to Get the Best Texture)
1. Preheat your pan or wok.
Start by heating a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. The key is to have the pan hot andnot overcrowded — this helps the veggies sear instead of steam.
2. Add oil with a high smoke point.
Once the pan is hot, add 1–2 tablespoons of coconut oil or avocado oil. These oils hold up well to high heat and won’t burn as easily as olive oil or butter. Swirl the oil around so it coats the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the frozen vegetables.
No need to thaw them first! Add your veggies straight from the freezer to the hot pan. Let them cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring only occasionally. You want them to get a nice caramelized exterior while keeping the inside firm and crisp-tender.
4. Add the sauce at the end.
Once the veggies are cooked to your liking, lower the heat slightly and pour in your favorite stir-fry sauce or Braggs Liquid Aminos®. (Adding it too early can cause the veggies to steam and get soggy.) Stir everything together and cook for another 1–2 minutes, just until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the vegetables evenly.
Bonus tips:
-
If your frozen veggies release extra water during cooking, don’t worry! Push them to one side of the pan and tilt the pan slightly so the liquid pools on the other side. Spoon off any excess water before adding the sauce — this helps keep your stir-fry flavorful, not watery.
-
Try our Beef Stir Fry recipe and make it with different proteins for variety (chicken and shrimp both work well!).
Simple Ways to Use Frozen Veggies
I’ve mentioned some of these ideas elsewhere in the article, but it’s worth keeping them all in one spot as a quick reminder of how easy it can be to use frozen veggies in everyday meals.
-
Add to eggs or omelets:
Frozen spinach, peppers, or broccoli make eggs more filling and nutrient-dense — they thaw quickly right in the pan. -
Mix into stir-fries or skillet meals:
Combine frozen mixed veggies with your favorite protein and healthy fat for a quick, balanced meal. -
Stir into soups or stews:
Beyond tossing into soup, add frozen vegetables to chili or slow-cooker meals to boost fiber, color, and flavor. -
Sauté for an easy side:
Heat a little avocado or coconut oil, add frozen veggies, and cook until warmed through and lightly browned — simple and nourishing. -
Blend into smoothies:
Frozen spinach or cauliflower blend smoothly and add nutrients without affecting flavor.
Are frozen veggies as healthy as the fresh stuff?
I often get the question, “Are frozen vegetables as nutritious as fresh?” The answer is yes! In fact, you might actually be getting more nutrients.
Frozen vegetables are picked when ripe and flash-frozen to maintain the color and nutrients. Sometimes fresh vegetables are picked before they're ready and may take days to get transported to grocery stores, especially during the winter months.
Another bonus to choosing frozen over fresh is that frozen vegetables can be more affordable.
4. Toss frozen veggies in a soup
Freezer Meal Prep Shortcut: great for texture and easy nutrient boosts.
Another option for frozen veggies is to toss them into a soup, stew, casserole, or chili. Because frozen veggies can have a different texture than raw, using them in an application like a soup where they'll be soft already is a quick and easy way to get those servings of vegetables in without feeling like you're eating soggy produce. This saves time and money!
Bonus Tips:
-
Soups and stews are very nutrient dense dishes because all the nutrients in the veggies, meats, and grains are held in the broth after the cooking process.
-
For a timesaver, use your slow cooker as a hands-off method. You can even prep all of the ingredients in the insert the night before, stick it in the fridge, then just pull it out and turn it on in the morning to cook all day long.
5. Frozen muffin tin egg bake
Healthy Freezer Breakfast Tip: make-ahead mornings made simple.
If you're like me, you're probably rushed in the morning and you may not have time to make breakfast. A quick solution to try is making an egg bake on the weekend. You can even make extra and freeze portions for a grab-and-go breakfast the following week.
How To Make Ahead:
-
Make our Crustless Spinach Quiche (double it for extra).
-
Grease the muffin tin or use paper cup liners and bake according to directions.
-
Let cool and store in the freezer in freezer bags.
-
Pull out two egg bake “muffins” the night before you need them and let them thaw in the fridge. They'll be ready for you the next morning.
-
Eat them cold or warm them slightly and you're ready to go. Eat two - three “muffins” for a meal and one for a snack serving.
Bonus tips:
-
Use a slice of nitrite-free deli meat as your liner in the muffin tin.
Additional Breakfast Freezer Meal Recipes to try:
-
Try our Muffin Tin Meatloaf recipe. It's a delicious recipe and another one to double and freeze for quick and easy meals and snacks.
-
Banana Muffins. We add protein powder to this recipe for that extra morning protein boost.
-
Classic Egg Bake. This recipe makes good use of frozen hashbrowns to help keep it simple and fast.
-
Ideal for on the go, these breakfast burritos are as delicious as they are handy.
6. Make extra and freeze leftovers
Freezer Cooking Strategy: double your batch and save.
This might seem like a simple tip, but even if you're cooking for one or two, double (or triple!) the batch of whatever you're making for dinner and freeze the extra for later. Your kitchen is already messy and it doesn't take much extra effort to make more.
Some ideas of freezer-friendly meals are:
This way you'll always have something you can pull out for family dinner or have for lunch and can avoid stopping and spending the money on take-out.
Bonus Tip:
Freeze extras in smaller portion sizes so it's easier to grab and go or for portion control that you don't have to think about. You can freeze in silicon muffin tins first and then pop them out into baggies or Tupperware once they are frozen. Make sure to mark on the containers of what's inside and the date to keep track of all the goodies you have on hand.
7. Prep Your Freezer Storage
Freezer Meal Storage Tip: use safe, sustainable materials.
I mention baggies for storing, but if you want to eliminate your plastic use (which is ideal), there are many other environmentally friendly and food-safe storing options. The most important step is simply getting your food prepped and into the freezer — start there.
If you have the ability to uplevel your storage tools, here are some options to try:
-
Glass jars or glass containers are great options if you leave a little room for food to expand as it freezes.
-
Freezer paper, which is similar to parchment paper, has a specific coating that locks out air while keeping moisture in and is great for freezing meats.
-
Reusable silicon bags, like Stasher bags, come in a variety of sizes and fun colors (fun for kids!). These are a great option to start swapping into your line-up as your budget allows.
The freezer can be your friend! Try these tips to save you time and money. I promise, you will thank yourself later when you have a freezer stocked with prepared food.
Do you have some time-saving freezer tips that have helped your family eat healthier? Please share what's worked for you in the comments below.
Sherry Proulx
I prepare a large batch of smoothies in the blender, pour individual portions into disposable cups with covers and keep in the freezer. I just grab in the morning and by the time I'm ready for a snack, it's thawed out.
November 9, 2022 at 4:02 pm
admin
Great idea!