5 Back To School Crockpot Freezer Meals

I don't really want to think about  school time while it is sunny and summer outside, but I know it is important to to prepare BEFORE Back-To-School Busyness begins.Each recipe below last for three months in freezer, so you can prep for those first few months getting back into school routine.  

5 Easy Crockpot Freezer Meals (recipes below)

All of these recipes are easy to assemble, and no cooking involved day of prep. My friend and I made four of each of the recipes, 20 meals total with each of us taking home 10 meals. 

1. Sweet and Sour Meatballs (a.k.a. Hawaiian Meatballs) 
2. BBQ Pulled Pork
3. Mediterranean Pork Chops
4. Cilantro Lime Chicken with Black Beans and Corn
5. Teriyaki Chicken

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

(a.k.a. Crock-pot Hawaiian Meatballs) 

 Ingredients:

• 20 oz can pineapple tidbits or chunks 
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup peeled and cut carrot (about half size of baby carrots)
• 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts (drained)
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar

  Day of Cooking

• 28 oz package frozen meatballs (use day of cooking)

Materials needed:

• Sharpie
•  gallon-sized freezer-grade ziploc bag
• measuring cups & mixing bowl
• can opener

To freeze

1.Label Freezer Bag with cooking directions & date.

2. Drain Pineapples into mixing bowl, set juice aside.

3. Place  pineapples, carrots, pepper, and water chestnuts in bag.

4. Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl with pineapple juice and pour over veggies & fruit in bag). 

5. Remove as much air as possible, freeze flat for up to 3 months.

To serve: 

1.Thaw in fridge overnight. 

2. Place Frozen Meatballs (can also use chicken breasts instead)  in bottom of crock pot. 

3. Pour contents of bag in crock-pot.  Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

4.. Serve over rice.

Crockpot Pulled Pork

 Ingredients 

•1- 2-3 pound pork shoulder (also called pork butt or Boston Butt)

•Sea salt & pepper

•1/2 TBSP Minced Dried Onion

•1 cups barbecue sauce

•1 cans Root Beer

•1/2 tablespoon seasoned salt

 To Freeze:

1.Label your bags with cooking directions & date.

2.Rub meat with sea salt and pepper; set aside.

3.In medium bowl, whisk together barbecue sauce, Root Beer, & seasoned salt until smooth, then add onion.

4. Place meat into gallon-size Ziploc bag. 

5. Pour sauce over meat; freeze until needed.

To serve:

1         Thaw in refrigerator; pour contents into slow cooker and cook on LOW  heat for 8 hours.

2         Remove pork, Trim fat and pull meat apart with fork.

3         Serve on it's own, or on Hawaiian Rolls or Hamburger Buns.

Crockpot Mediterranean Pork Chops

• 4 to 6 Pork chops, thin cut
• 1/8 c. olive oil
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• ¾  tsp. poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• ¾ tsp. dried basil

   Materials needed:

• Sharpie
• gallon-sized freezer-grade ziploc bag
• measuring cups

To freeze:

1. Label Bag with instructions & date.

2. Combine all ingredients into a Ziploc bag and freeze flat.

To serve:

1         Thaw overnight in fridge

2         Cook on low in Crockpot for 8 hours.

3         Serve with rice or noodles, or mashed potatoes, and a vegetable side.

Crockpot Cilantro Lime Chicken 

with Corn and Black Beans

Ingredients  

• 2 chicken breasts                                
• 4 TBSP of lime juice              
• 1 to 2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped            
• 1 bags (16 oz) bag frozen corn           
• 2 minced garlic cloves                        
• 1 TBSP dried minced onion  
• 1 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 tsp cumin                             
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive  oil         

 Materials needed:

• Sharpie
•  gallon-sized freezer-grade ziploc bag
• measuring cups
• can opener

Directions:

1.Label your bags with cooking directions and date.  

2.Trim all fat off of chicken breasts and cut in half to have a total of four pieces of chicken per bag

3.Place ingredients in a gallon-sized freezer-grade ziploc bag. Mix together and zip closed, make sure all air is out and seal tight. Lay flat to freeze

To Serve

1.When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge overnight.

2.Put contents of bag in Crockpot, and stir in 2 Tbsp of Olive oil (optional).

3.Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours).  

4. Shred Chicken with Fork. .Serve with tortillas and toppings such as with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and cheese.

Adapted from Over The Moon

Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken 

• 2 chicken breasts                                          
• 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots (optional if you don't plan on using the stir fry vegetables below)              
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion                            
• 2  minced garlic cloves                                 
• 1 (26 ounce) undrained cans pineapple tidbits (or a 1/2 cup of pineapple juice if your kids don't like pinapples)        
• •1/2 cup teriyaki sauce                                   

Day of Cooking:

• 1 bag of Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables  (I buy the Steam-able ones that I can throw into microwave)

 Materials needed:

• Sharpie
•  gallon-sized freezer-grade ziploc bag
• measuring cups
• can opener

To freeze

1. Label your bags with cooking the directions and date .

2. Trim all fat off chicken breasts and cut in half to have a total of four pieces of chicken per bag. Add meat to bag

3. Add remaining ingredients to each bag.

4. Let out air, seal bag, and lay flat in freezer. Can be used within 3 months.

To serve.

1. Crockpot on High 4 hours or Low for 6-8 hours
2. Shred chicken with fork. 
3. Serve with Steamed Stir Fry vegetables & over hot rice.