Oh, how I love my slow cooker. I drop some ingredients in, turn it on, go to work, and come back home to a hot, delicious meal. What more can you ask for? Indeed, the appeal of the slow cooker is that it’s the ultimate in convenience cooking without compromising on quality (I’m looking at you, microwavable dinners!). But here’s a smart trick that slow cooker veterans often use to make life even easier: freezer bag meal prepping!
Prep and put all of the recipe ingredients into a gallon-sized freezer bag, label it with the dish name, date, and cooking instructions, then store it in your freezer. Whenever you’re ready to use one, thaw it in the fridge overnight and pour the ingredients into the magical device that is the slow cooker. Awesome!
To get you going on this, here are 10 great freezer bag slow cooker recipes…
Chicken Noodle Soup
Freeze in bag:
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
4 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Other ingredients:
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup (4 oz.) uncooked egg noodles
Add ingredients from freezer bag and pour in chicken broth plus 5 cups of water. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Shred chicken and add noodles. Continue cooking until noodles soften (about 15-30 minutes).
Honey Glazed Chicken
Freeze in bag:
3 lbs chicken thighs
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp chili powder
3 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
salt and pepper to taste
Rub dry ingredients into thighs before freezing in freezer bag. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Beef Brisket
Freeze in bag:
3 lbs beef brisket
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1.5 cup BBQ sauce
Rub dry spices onto brisket beforeplacing brisket in freezer bag. Cook on low for 8 hours and make sure to cut across the grain. Serve with remaining cooked sauce.
Cheesy Broccoli Soup
Freeze in bag:
2 onions, chopped
3 cans of cheddar cheese soup
3 cans evaporated milk
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp pepperOther ingredients:
3 bags (40 oz) of frozen broccoli florets
shredded cheddar cheese
Mix together contents of freezer bag with frozen broccoli. Cook on low for 6 hours. Top with shredded cheddar cheese before serving.
Chicken Cacciatore
Freeze in bag:
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 zucchini, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion choppedOther ingredients:
noodles, rice, or pasta
Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve overyour choice of noodles, rice, or pasta.
Chicken, Beans and Rice
Freeze in bag:
1/2 lbs skinless boneless chicken breast
1 can black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomato
1 8oz can of tomato sauce
1 cup uncooked brown or wild rice
1 cup chicken broth (or water)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
Cook on low for 8 hours.During the last 30 minutes of cooking, shred chicken.
Enchilada Chili
Freeze in bag:
1 lbs ground beef, browned
1/2 cup brown rice
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 cup salsa
1 tsp minced garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (optional)
1 can (19 oz) enchilada sauce
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cuminOther ingredients:
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
Mix ingredients from freezer bagwith 3/4 cup of water and stir. Cook on low for 7 hours. Stir in cheese and cilantro before serving.
Beef Stroganoff
Freeze in bag:
2 lbs ground beef, browned
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package onion soup mix
3 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cans (10.5 oz each) condensed cream of mushroom soup
Other ingredients
12 oz of egg noodles
Cook ingredients from freezer bag on low for 6 hours. Serve over cooked egg noodles. Egg noodles can be cooked in slow cooker with 1/2 cup of water until they are soft.
Taco Soup
Freeze in bag:
1.5 lbs ground beef, browned
1 onion, diced
2 cans red kidney beans or black beans
1 can corn, drained
1 can tomato sauce
1 jar (14 oz) salsa
3/4 cup water
2 tsp taco seasoning
Cook on low for 4 hours.
Shepherd’s Pie
Freeze in bag:
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 carrots, chopped
1 package (10 oz) frozen peas
2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Other ingredients:
instant mashed potatoes
Cook ingredients from freezer bag on low for 7 hours. During the last 30 minutes, add enough mashed potatoes to cover the top of the dish. Cook until mashed potatoes are warmed through.
Let us know if you give these great recipes a try and don’t forget to share these with your family and friends!
