A well-stocked freezer is the answer to those quick, last-minute meals as well as those late-night munchies. Keeping your freezer stocked with healthy items that come together quickly— like frozen vegetables, ravioli and pizza crust—can help to take the stress out of meal planning and make your weeknights easier. To help you save time in the kitchen, we’ve compiled a list of the top freezer essentials to keep on hand for fast meals ready in 15 minutes flat.
See More: The 10 Best Frozen Foods at Trader Joe’s, According to Employees
Tortellini, ravioli, gnocchi and dumplings
Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto Credit: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD
Pasta is served at least once a week in most homes. It’s super convenient and a great way to whip up a delicious meal in a hurry. It’s also fulfilling and very satisfying. There are several different varieties that you can keep on hand. A few popular choices include, tortellini, gnocchi, and ravioli—there is so much you can do with these ingredients!
And don’t forget things like frozen dumplings. Dip them in some soy sauce and serve with a quick cucumber salad and you have a delicious dinner in no time at all.
15-Minute Recipes to Try:
Pesto Ravioli with Spinach & Tomatoes
Mediterranean Ravioli with Artichokes & Olives
3-Ingredient Cheese Tortellini with Tomatoes & Basil
fCauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto
Frozen fruit
3-Ingredient Tropical Tangerine Smoothie Credit: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN
Frozen fruit is always a great choice to keep on hand. It can be used to make a variety of recipes, such as smoothies, fruit tarts, cobblers and muffins. You may not realize this, but frozen fruit is just as healthy as fresh fruit. That’s right—it’s picked at the peak of ripeness and flash frozen, meaning that you’re still able to get all of those great nutrients. Some popular choices to keep on hand include strawberries, pineapple, mango, blueberries, cherries and blackberries.
3-Ingredient Tropical Tangerine & Kefir Smoothie
Berry-Almond Smoothie Bowl
Strawberry-Yogurt Parfait
Pie crust and puff pasty
3-ingredient mushroom & egg puff pastry rolls Credit: Carolyn Hodges
Ready-made pastry is one of the best shortcuts ever! Frozen pie crusts and puff pastry can be used to make desserts like pies, tarts and cobblers, but also savory dishes, like Skillet Chicken Pot Pie and—our favorite—quiche, which makes for a great breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
3-Ingredient Egg & Mushroom Puff Pastry Rolls
Asparagus & Feta Quiche
Caramelized Onion & Mushroom Quiche
See More: How to Make Easy 5-Ingredient Quiches
Breads
Feta, Egg & Olive Pita Credit: Ted and Chelsea Cavanaugh
Did you know that bread keeps longer in the freezer versus the refrigerator? And by keeping a loaf on hand in your freezer, you’re just a few extra ingredients away from easy sandwiches, toast topped with eggs and avocado or blackberries and goat cheese for a sweet take, and so many other meals. And it doesn’t stop at regular old sliced bread—you can stash away English muffins, tortillas, pita bread and naan for variety.To make sure that you are getting a great source of fiber and nutrients, try stocking up on whole grain or multigrain breads.
Apple & Cheddar Pita Pockets
Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
Garlic, Sausage & Kale Naan Pizzas
Feta, Egg & Olive Pita
See More: Make-Ahead Freezer Meals
Pizza dough or frozen veggie pizza crusts
Sausage, Mushroom & Pesto Grilled Pizza
Nowadays, pizza crust goes beyond your basic white or whole-wheat dough. You can also find frozen cauliflower pizza crust, broccoli pizza crust and other tasty options, which are not only convenient but also help to add an extra serving of veggies to your day. Top with a little tomato sauce or pesto, cheese and some veggies and your meal is done!
Sausage, Mushroom & Pesto Grilled Pizza
Buffalo-Chicken Cauliflower Pizza (use a frozen cauliflower pizza crust to speed up the recipe)
Thai Peanut & Herb Grilled Pizza
Shrimp
shrimp puttanesca
Frozen shrimp is a great choice to keep on hand. It can be used in a variety of dishes and it is a great source of lean protein. Most seafood is frozen immediately after it’s caught, which means you’re getting fresh, high-quality seafood. Frozen shrimp defrosts very quickly and can be easily served as a main course, with a veggie or quick-cooking whole grain.
15 Minute Recipes to Try:
15-Minute Shrimp & Coconut Curry with Eggplant
Quick Shrimp Scampi
Quick Shrimp Puttanesca
Frozen vegetables
Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas
No freezer is complete without an assortment of frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables are extremely versatile and can add important nutrients to any meal. You can serve them as a tasty side dish, or combine them with a few other ingredients to create a tasty soup or casserole.
A few great choices to keep on hand are broccoli, green beans, peas, corn and edamame—they hold up well in the freezing process and can be tossed into a delicious 15-minute dish such as this Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli. You can also customize this recipe and swap out the broccoli for any veggies that you have on hand.
Lentil Curry with Cauliflower Rice
Catalan Spinach Sauté (top with a fried egg to make it a meal)
Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas
Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara
Tortellini Primavera
See More: 24 Easy Recipes with Frozen Veggies
Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto Credit: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD
Cauliflower Gnocchi with Asparagus & Pesto
Credit: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD
3-Ingredient Tropical Tangerine Smoothie Credit: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN
3-Ingredient Tropical Tangerine Smoothie
Credit: Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RDN
3-ingredient mushroom & egg puff pastry rolls Credit: Carolyn Hodges
3-ingredient mushroom & egg puff pastry rolls
Credit: Carolyn Hodges
Feta, Egg & Olive Pita Credit: Ted and Chelsea Cavanaugh
Feta, Egg & Olive Pita
Credit: Ted and Chelsea Cavanaugh
Sausage, Mushroom & Pesto Grilled Pizza
Sausage, Mushroom & Pesto Grilled Pizza
shrimp puttanesca
shrimp puttanesca
Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas
Spanakopita Scrambled Egg Pitas
