When it comes to prepping for a new baby, quick and healthy meals are key, which is why I’ve complied a list of the best vegetarian freezer meals. These meals are perfect any time of the year though, and are great because they can be made ahead of time, frozen, and then warmed up very easily.
When I was pregnant the first time, this wasn’t as high on my radar, simply because I did not yet have any idea of how difficult it would be some nights to prepare a simple and healthy dinner. Pre-baby, we used to spend literally hours in the kitchen concocting delicious feasts. While those days are on hold for the most part, we do still love to spend time cooking up healthy dinners. But with baby number two due any day now, my preparation this time around looks much different.
Way high up on the list is ensuring we have some food items stocked ahead of time and meals and snacks frozen that we can quickly thaw out. Along with making a couple batches of these nutty chocolate chip energy bars (better than Lara bars, in my opinion!), muffins (like these delicious blueberry peach muffins) and granola bars, we’ve been trying to add a few things to the freezer whenever we can. Items like soups, casseroles, veggie burgers and stews are perfect freezer meals. Plus, these are items that many new parents will really appreciate. I’ve gathered up a list of the best vegetarian freezer meals in this round-up from around the web. Enjoy!
The Best Vegetarian Freezer Meals
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- Healthy Broccoli Cheese Soup – This is one of our absolutely favourite kid-friendly soup recipes. It’s delicious, healthy and easy to make. It freezes really well. Just add some freshly shredded cheese on top once it’s thawed and warmed up on the stove.
- Jamie Oliver’s Aloo Gobhi – I’m a big fan of aloo gobhi and so is my little guy. Plus, you can’t go wrong with Jamie Oliver’s easy and healthy dishes. This one is a simple but delicious recipe that can easily be frozen and thawed out with no trouble. You can omit or decrease the amount of chile peppers used in this recipe to appeal to everyone.
- Kid-friendly Vegetarian Chilli – This is our absolute favourite veggie chilli recipe. It’s so simple, healthy, delicious, and super popular with the little ones. There’s also a vegan option!
- Teriyaki Quinoa – This dish from Dreena Burton is our go-to quinoa recipe. It’s easy to make and also delicious. Pair this with some steamed veggies and lemon-herb tofu and you have one awesome dinner. You can easily double or triple this quinoa batch to freeze ahead of time.
- Minestrone Soup with Quinoa and Kale – Minestrone soup has been my favourite since I was little, and this one from Food Matters does not disappoint. Packed full of hearty ingredients like beans, quinoa, veggies and kale, it is the perfect one-pot healthy dish that can be frozen and thawed out ahead of time.
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- Vegetarian Lasagna – This classic veggie lasagna from Ina Garten is mouth-wateringly delicious. You can’t beat a good vegetarian lasagna!
- Spaghetti with Mushroom Lentil Balls – These vegetarian meatball alternatives from Cookie and Kate are my favourite balls for spaghetti, ever! Not only do they taste great, but they’re hearty, hold up well when cooking and are full of healthy goodness. You can make a couple batches of these to freeze ahead of time and add them to a quick spaghetti dinner for a healthy meal. We’ve made a big batch of Oh She Glow’s immunity-boosting pasta sauce to freeze as well, which would go well with these balls.
- Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake – Two Peas and a Pod nailed it with this kid-friendly bake. It’s not too time-consuming to make, is healthy, and can be frozen easily as well.
- Smokin’ Pups Veggie Dogs – Looking for something easy and fun to eat in the summer but want to avoid the tofu and preservative-laden fake meat products? These veggie dogs from Meghan Telpner’s blog are easy to make and a big favourite in our house, especially in the warm months. They can be a bit sticky to work with right away so try popping them in the fridge for a few hours to harden up a bit before freezing.
- Mexican Quinoa and Sweet Potato Casserole – This casserole from Fit Foodie Finds is definitely a winner and be frozen beforehand, adding avocado to the top once you’re ready to eat it. I find it’s the perfect meal for any season.
- Vegan Sheperd’s Pie – This meat-free sheperd’s pie from Oh She Glows is delicious! While it’s good on its own, I also think adding a layer of beans or cooked lentils could really add a nice touch as well. We have a big dish of this waiting in our freezer for post-baby.
- Quinoa and Cauliflower Chowder – We made this chowder from Foodie Crush the other night and it was a hit with everyone. It’d be the perfect easy freezer meal to bring new parents.
- Baked “Fish” Cakes – One Green Planet nailed it with these fish cake alternatives. Using chickpeas as a base instead of fish, they are tasty and hearty. We also made the mayo to go along with them. Pair these with a nice quick salad or homemade potatoes with veggies, and everyone will be happy.
- Chickpea and Potato Curry – This curry dish from Popsugar Fitness looks divine. It’s on my list of things to make asap.
- Beet and Bean Veggie Burgers – The Kitchnn has a recipe for some delicious looking veggie burgers that can easily be frozen and thawed out before eating. We’ll be making these for sure!
- Asparagus Soup – Raising Generation Nourished has a great recipe for asparagus soup, which is perfect for spring and also a great one to freeze. You can easily substitute vegetable broth in for the chicken broth.
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For lots of other delicious meal ideas, follow our healthy meals board.
Picture credits: Veggie chili; One Green Planet’s fish cakes; Foodie Crush’s chowder
These sound SO good!! I need to get better at stocking my freezer.
Ill be adding the broccoli cheese soup to my military diet. Ive been searching the internet for additional meal plans as Ive ran out of ideas for next week. Thank you for sharing this! Such a perfect timing.
Amazing! It’s one our favourites. Glad to have you here:)