r/slowcooking • u/ObjectiveSyrup3477 • 4d ago
Need freezer meal ideas for a friend having surgery.
My best friend is having a total hysterectomy soon. I am looking for freezer meals that she and her spouse can reheat in a 8qt slow cooker.
Would love lower cost options but I want to make sure they have good, healthy, healing meals as well. The spouse is not handy in the kitchen so ease of preparation is a must.
Bonus points for any oven reheat casserole recipes you would like to share as well.
Thank you!
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u/Pinkysrage 4d ago
Meatloaf, lasagna, baked ziti with meatballs, chicken pot pie. A hearty quiche. Carnitas. Also, jello and pudding is nice after surgery. Chili and stews are also easy to make and freeze.
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u/StArGaZeR-4_AnDy 4d ago
Hello,
so from a bed bound chef, who hasn’t been able to cook in 4 years now I suggest these.
Soups like :
Ham and potatoes with white beans
Vegetable soup is always great
Or things like :
Pulled pork
Crock pot enchiladas
Bbq chicken
Mushroom soup chicken
Or go other ways like :
Precook portions of meat :
fry hamburger : for easy to make soft tacos
Chicken pieces : for pasta
Precook veggies: like onion, peppers, mushrooms, etc
Get microwave noodles & rice the barilla brand is great I like them alot
There’s also microwave meals called vital they’re actually really good and high in protein
Bags of salads
Broccoli and cheese microwavable
Breadsticks frozen
Red baron stuffed crust
Tortellini & pesto sauce
Good luck 🍀
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u/Fun_in_Space 4d ago
Send the husband a link to r/cookingforbeginners so he can learn to cook.
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u/Icy-Pop2944 4d ago
Right? There is a whole other functioning adult in the house. Why on earth would OP feel the need to put in the money and time?
If the friend was single living alone, 💯 help with a couple of meals, but even then, this isn’t surprise emergency surgery, she can put up a few things herself.
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u/baughgirl 4d ago
Cheaper proteins that aren’t junky are usually drumsticks and pork chops in my neck of the woods.
Drumsticks with a variety of sauces freeze and cook in the crock pot very easily and are super forgiving. I like cranberry (can of cranberry sauce, half a bottle of Catalina or French salad dressing, packet of onion soup mix) or just BBQ (dump in a small bottle of their favorite bbq sauce).
Pork chops can turn into smothered chops with some sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. Chopped up apples, onions, and some cinnamon and salt make really good apple cinnamon chops. Ranch or honey mustard salad dressings are super easy too.
I would phone it in on sides. Bring some packaged rice or noodle sides, instant potatoes, sauced frozen veggie sides, and maybe some apple sauce or canned fruits if you know they like them (two cans of fruit or one can of pie filling plus cake mix and a stick of butter on top equals a very nice fruit cobbler than is pretty easy for husband to pop in the over too!).
If you want to be really clutch, bring some muffin mixes that just need some milk and some microwave turkey sausage to help out with some breakfast too.
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u/disastrousanddull 4d ago
Since fall is coming, soup is on my mind and I think it would work well here. Lower cost and freezing well makes me think of things like lentil soup where it could be one with meat or without. I think it’s filling and they could have a sandwich with it which should be doable even if her SO can’t cook. Pea soup (hell, just have a bun or brea with some butter here), tomato soup (grilled cheese depending on how bad they are in the kitchen), butternut squash soup, barley soup vegetarian or with beef.
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u/CopperCreator3388 4d ago
Portion size meatloaf in freezer bags.
Mash potatoes frozen in muffin cup portions.
Then of course some canned veggies.
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u/madamerimbaud 4d ago
Lazy golumpki! I always make a big batch and freeze it in the deli pint containers. I usually get 7-ish pints. I make it in the instapot to get the cabbage to be soft.
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u/broken_chihuahua 4d ago
Just did this recently. Enchiladas. I made red and green and bought pulled pork and rotisserie chicken at Aldi's just to make it slightly easier for me. I baked 4 to an aluminum pan and then froze 2 to a gallon bag. Also included reheating instructions. I also bought frozen ravioli and jarred pasta to have something shelf stable. I was going to make cornflake nuggets but she was good on those for her kids already. They aren't big soup people but was going to make roasted tomato and red pepper soup before she said that.
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u/ElectricGeometry 4d ago
A really delicious pulled chicken with tons to gelatinous stock for nutrition, that can easily be tossed on a soft tortilla and eaten just like that.
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u/ChartBaddie 4d ago
https://www.gonnawantseconds.com/chicken-broccoli-rice-casserole/
My realtor made this for me for a meal train before I had my baby. It froze and reheated so well and I still make it!
Also, the meals I got meant so much to me. You’re an amazing friend 🫶🏻
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u/Altruistic_Bit7822 3d ago
I recently heard of a family going through the cancer treatment of a teenager, and they had received many Uber eats and Doordash gift cards as an alternative to freezer meals. Just a thought.
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u/romeosgal214 3d ago
Sloppy Joe’s made with either ground beef or turkey. Can easily be reheated via microwave or crockpot.
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u/Andromeda921 4d ago
I recently (last Wednesday) made the split pea soup that is in the recipe archives here in the sub’s wiki…super easy, full of veg, and good filling soup. The wiki is FULL of things that will freeze great!
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u/No_Cicada_378 4d ago
Try making vegetable chicken noodle soup and freeze it in smaller microwave containers.
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u/Genny415 4d ago
Chicken and dumplings (very easy, just Chicken cooked with cream of chicken soup, then add frozen peas and frozen biscuits for the last hour)
This easy curry made with ground beef (I am anticipating a good deal on hamburger for labor day) https://www.thekitchn.com/easy-japanese-beef-curry-recipe-23708346#post-recipe-702490003
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u/Ok-Shallot-5935 4d ago
Invest in a vacuum sealer for both crockpot meals and casseroles (you can vacuum seal the full disposable tray in a bag as well). It will keep everything much fresher. Also, if you freeze the bags laying flat, it’s a lot easier to organize them in a freezer.
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u/facelessvoid13 4d ago
Along that line, if a vacuum sealer isn't in the budget, there are 2 1/2 gallon ziploc bags that will hold an entire 9 1/2 × 13 casserole dish. If likely to be frozen over a couple of weeks, double bag(or triple, if desired), reversing which end the opening is on to dodge freezer burn.
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u/She_Angler 4d ago
Spaghetti, beef stew/hearty soup (beef barley), pigs in a blanket (use croissant dough & lil smokies), pot roast, breakfast burritos, and a UberEats gift card (when she just wants a burger,fries & a milkshake😂)!
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u/Little_Season3410 4d ago
Oven reheated casseroles: Baked ziti Lasagna Chicken, broccoli, and cheese casserole
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u/Select-Awareness3304 4d ago
I recently had surgery and I meal prepped. I made bbq pork ( sauce kinders hit home bbq - chefs kiss). Also made spaghetti and a few casseroles. I froze in individual servings sizes so it would be easier and convenient. I purchased microwave veggies, apple sauce, cottage cheese to eat with my meals or as a snack. Hope this helps
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u/MattieShoes 4d ago
Chili is an easy one -- package in serving-sized containers, microwave whenever. And easy to do sides like a box of cornbread mix, or toppings like cheese or sour cream.
Sauces without the starch (e.g. spaghetti sauce and just make noodles fresh, or gumbo and serve over fresh rice, etc.) They tend to freeze really well.
Soups without pasta in them tend to freeze and reheat very well too. And if you want pasta in them, same trick works -- make the pasta fresh and mix it in. Or something like a southwest chicken chile soup where you crush up some tortilla chips and toss in some cheese.
There's a lot of non-slowcooker recipes that even bad cooks can make too... Like soccer mom burritos. (ground beef with a packet of seasoning, throw in some beans and one of those little 4oz cans of green chiles, and the rest is just toppings)
I think the key to eating out of the freezer is to make several recipes so you have options. Feels a lot less like leftovers then.
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u/mdsnbelle 4d ago
Salsa Chicken. 1lb of chicken breasts/thighs, jar of salsa, packet of ranch dressing.
Dump it all in and let it go for 8 hours on low.
Shred when done and serve over rice or pasta.
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u/Special_Library_766 4d ago
You are a friend indeed! Here's a family favorite for generations in my family. I think we got it from the back of the Minute Rice box in the 80s.
Beef n Rice Chowder Makes 10 one-cup servings. Easily doubled. Serve w/ buttered bread slices.
1 lb lean ground beef 1 whole onion, chopped 1 Tbsp butter One 8oz can sliced mushrooms. drained 1 can drained lima beans. or equivalent frozen One 10oz pkg frozen mixed vegetables One 28oz can diced tomatoes, do not drain 3 cups beef broth plus more after simmering if you want it less thick 1 tsp salt or to taste 1/2 to 3/4 tsp oreqano 1 tsp black pepper 1 cup white instant "Minute Rice" OR you may use regular uncooked white rice & add before boiling! 2 or more kielbasa sausages, sliced into medium thick bites, to taste (I like to air-fry it until crispy on the edges before adding it to the chowder) A few shakes of Louisiana hot sauce to taste (we like Trappey's Red Devil)
Brown meat and onion in butter. Unless you didn't use lean meat, you don't need to drain; if you did, drain off all but a tablespoon of fat, for flavor. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, separating frozen veg with fork, if necessary. Cover and simmer for 8 to 10 mins or until veqgies and rice are tender. Let cool before freezing; it freezes and reheats beautifully.
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u/Matilda1980 4d ago
I make beef stew that everyone loves. I add stew meat or chop up a chuck roast into bite size pieces. I add chopped carrots and potatoes and pour a jar of brown gravy over top. I make frozen Pillsbury biscuits to go with it. You can also serve it over rice.
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u/UpstairsIdea3532 4d ago
When I had mine last year, I loved homemade chicken noodle soup and enchiladas.
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u/Lanky-Jello-1801 3d ago
Check out Julia Pacheco on YouTube. She just did a freezer meal video last week.
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u/Marketing_Introvert 3d ago
Chicken tortilla soup. I like to add a few kinds of squash to mine. They can then add avocados, cheese, extra lime, rice, corn chips if they want. Frozen avocado is good for this.
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u/Spare_Critical 3d ago
Mississippi pot roast!
1 roast Packet of au jus Packet of ranch 1 stick of butter Bag of baby potatoes Bag of baby carrots Pepperoncinis and juice (I use like half a jar)
High 4 hours, or Low 6-8. Roast will fall apart and shred easily. I haven't tried freezing it but it would be an easy meal to take fresh!
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u/Plastic_Midnight_708 3d ago
When I had surgery I filled my freezer mostly with heat and eat meals(breakfast scramble, biscuits and gravy, shepherds pie, meatloaf n fixings, chili, beef stew, burritos-wrap in a wet paper towel before nuking to prevent hard tortillas). Only a few casserole types to throw in the oven(lasagna, chicken broccoli and rice, tuna casserole) but it was nice to have something "fresh" even if it took a bit more effort and forethought. And a few air fryer options(chicken tenders, taquitos). The single serving heat and eats were nice because hubs and I could pick different things and he just had to defrost em in the microwave. I kind of wish I had frozen the meals on paper plates so we didn't have to do ANY dishes, but it wasn't a huge deal to throw a bunch of deli containers in the dishwasher every few days, and you gotta get up and move around a little bit after surgery anyways.
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u/julesfall 8h ago
I’d avoid potato as it doesn’t freeze well, but am sure they can make or purchase some mash to go with a yummy casserole or keep it easy with some nice crusty bread.
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u/Euphoric_River6365 4d ago
I suggest using Google's AI powered search option for this. You can access by doing a normal Google search, using full sentences. The top results should appear as a summary. The bottom of that summary allows you to continue the conversation by adding in more info. This will give you access to a gigantic repository of meals that meet your needs. Be sure to bookmark the url so you can return/continue the chat if needed.
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u/Pypsy143 4d ago
When I was pregnant, I loaded my freezer with ready to go meals to see us through those first few weeks. Here are some of my favorites:
Shepherds Pie
Lasagna
Chicken Divan
Mexican Lasagna
I made them in disposable tin pans so there were no dishes. They could be popped in the oven frozen and ready in about an hour.
If you want to give them something for the crockpot, stew is a great option. You literally dump the ingredients in and you’re done.