No time to cook when you get home? Stock up on these fridge- and freezer-friendly meals ahead of time, and you’ll never go hungry again.For more family-friendly meals you can prepare in advance, check out these 20 make-ahead recipes.
Spiced Braised Beef With Sweet Potatoes
Cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne give this comforting stew plenty of warming, spicy flavors. Make a batch and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Baked Penne With Spinach
The whole family will love this cheesy, gooey pasta casserole with wilted spinach and sweet sun-dried tomatoes. The unbaked pasta can be frozen, tightly sealed, for up to 3 months.
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Dijon Salmon Cakes With Couscous
Form these tasty patties—made with salmon, scallions, bread crumbs, and mustard—up to a day in advance.
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Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili With Sweet Potatoes
This spicy chili is bursting with so many filling ingredients, including peppers, black beans, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes, you won’t even miss the meat. Serve topped with sliced radishes, tortilla chips, and a dollop of sour cream. The chili can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
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Chicken and Potatoes With Mustard Vinaigrette
A hearty meal on a plate, the salad can be prepared (without the watercress) and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Fold in the watercress before serving.
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Tomato, Olive, and Scallion Pizza
You can make and bake this cheese-free pizza a day in advance. Simply cool to room temperature, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
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Sausage and Potato Pockets
Portable pastries filled with meat and potatoes make a fun and satisfying meal. Bake the pockets and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Farro Soup With Chorizo
Farro is a wheat variety popular in Italian cuisine; it adds a pleasantly chewy nuttiness to this hearty soup, which can be refrigerated for 3 days.
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Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meat Loaf
Mix the meat loaf ingredients together, without the egg, a day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to cook, mix in the egg, shape, and bake.
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Steak Fajitas
You can prep all the ingredients for this Mexican meal in advance and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Chicken and Pepper Stew With Olives
Briny olives and golden raisins lend savory-sweet flavors to the tender chicken and sauce. You can freeze it for up to 3 months, so make a big batch and save the leftovers for another night.
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Eggplant Lasagna With Herbed Ricotta and Asiago
This meatless casserole can be baked, then wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
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Beef Quesadillas With Watercress and Corn Salad
These quick quesadillas can be assembled up to a day ahead. When ready to eat, simply broil until crisp and the cheese melts; serve with a fresh, bright salad on the side.
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Chicken, Ham, and Swiss Roulades
This quick and easy take on Chicken Cordon Bleu is sure to be a hit at the table. The roulades can be refrigerated, uncooked, for up to 1 day.
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Chopped Steak Salad
This lively main-course salad can be prepared without the dressing and refrigerated up to a day ahead.
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Cannellini Bean Stew
Overflowing with carrots, spinach, and white beans, this healthy stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
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Turkey and Corn Enchiladas
If you don’t have turkey, you can also use shredded roasted chicken. The unbaked enchiladas can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
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Roasted Tomato Spaghetti
The flavorful sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
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