I tried dump meals for the first time a couple months after getting married to Robin. We were both in college full time plus working and we started eating out way more than we should have. I wanted to find a solution that worked with our busy schedule and tight budget.
Dump meals ended up being the perfect solutions. All the prep was done ahead of time and then when a busy day was coming up I moved one bag to the fridge to defrost. The day of, one of us simply dumped the prepped bag into the crockpot and dinner would be ready when we got home.
We made ten meals the first time which lasted us, a family of two, a few months. We only used them on the really busy days and the leftovers usually lasted us an extra day or two of dinners.
Well, now I am pregnant and as part of the baby prep I want to have meals pre-made and ready to go. These recipes come from bloggers all over and I’m sure that you can find several that will work for your families taste buds!
Whatever your reason is for wanting easy meals on hand and ready to go, happy cooking!!
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Supplies & Utinsels
The majority of these meals are cooked in an Instant Pot or Crock Pot which are such helpful kitchen tools to have on hand!
Chicken Dump Meals
Orange Chicken
I am always a sucker for an asian inspired flavor to my meals and this orange chicken is the perfect way to do that. This recipe from The Magical Slow Cooker will last up to a month in the freezer, perfect for making ahead of time.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
If you’re feeling soup on a chilly day then this tortilla soup served up with tortilla chips is the perfect recipe from Food, Wine, Sunshine.
Chicken Tacos
An easy meat base for a delicious taco meal is a classic. This recipe from Living Lou is simple to throw together and freeze for a later date.
Chicken Alfredo Sauce
I am a huge fan of alfredo sauce in any situation and this one from Eating on a Dime could not be any easier. I would cook or serve with broccoli to make it a complete meal!
Chicken and Rice
This meal looks deceptively simple but really it is full of flavor and a definite crowd pleaser. This easy dump meal from This Old Gal is a good one.
Crack Chicken
An easy chicken recipe that can be used as a dip, a sandwich or in a wrap like this one from Wholesome Yum is beautifully diverse. Just beware this is a make ahead meal not a freeze and then make meal.
Chicken and Broccoli
I love that this meal has veggies cooked right into it. This dump meal is from Little Sunny Kitchen.
Related Posts: Dinner Recipes
Beef
Taco Soup
This taco soup from ketofocus happens to be keto friendly but it also happens to be absolutely tasty and a perfect freezer meal.
Roast Beef
A delicious roast is a classic meal. This one from Fearless Dining is freezer friendly and perfect to dump into the crock pot and go. I personally would replace the tomatoes with carrots and potatoes, YUM!!
Teriyaki Beef
A great dinner option on a busy day is this yummy teriyaki beef from The Magical Slow Cooker.
Swiss Steak
This swiss steak recipe from Food Meanderings uses a less expensive cut of meat making it budget friendly as well as delicious!
Make Ahead Meatballs
These meatballs are great to make ahead and have on hand for a variety of meals. I think I would use them first with gravy and mashed potatoes. Recipe is from Sula and Spice.
Lasagna
Who knew that lasagna made in a crockpot could be so good. Plus this is a freezer friendly lasagna recipe from Pink When.
Carne Asada Bowl & Mango Sauce
Make sure you try this great carne asada recipe from The Oregon Dietitian.
Pork
Green Beans, Ham and Potatoes
This meal looks absolutely divine! Plus you can eat it without having to make anything on the side which is a huge win! This meal from Savory with Soul is a must try.
Turkey
Turkey Chili
This chili is a healthy option because it also includes butternut squash. The blogger behind Hungry Hobby includes a whole post on how to make this meal ahead for the freezer!
Leftover Turkey Stew
A great way to use up leftover turkey (especially after thanksgiving) is this yummy stew from Low Carb Yum. I would do her creamy option by adding heavy cream before serving. To use as a freezer meal I would freeze everything except the broth. Then add in the broth right before cooking.
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Meatless Dump Meals
Cauliflower Tikka Masala
This cauliflower meal is great for a really busy day because you make it completely ahead of time, freeze and then reheat it when it is time to eat it. That makes this dinner from Champagne & Coffee Stains a great choice!
Vegan Chili
A hearty chili like this one from Melissa Traub is my go to on rainy and chilly days! It doesn’t specify freezer instructions but all ingredients are freezer safe and should work well!
Enchilada Rice Bowl
Another great dinner option that is make ahead and simply reheat is this enchilada rice bowl recipe from Profusion Curry.
Prepped and Ready Dump Meals
It just feels so good to know that when you’re too busy to cook, there is a back up dinner in the freezer that will save you time and money! These dump meals are the perfect solution.
Good resource, saving for later , thanks 🙂
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading.
Saved this to my Pinterest board. Thank you so much for this list. I love the variety of the chicken recipes. My favorite!
Thanks for sharing! Yes I love a wide variety of recipes so that nothing gets boring.