4 EASY Instant Pot Recipes for FREEZER Grab and Go Lunch Prep {plus tips and tricks}
Use your Instant Pot to make these easy recipes that will fill your freezer full of lunches to Grab and Go. Perfect to take to the office, or just when you have a busy day.
In Airdrie, Alberta it is an epic deep freeze and my motivation to leave the house is slim to none.
I figured I could spend a few hours and get some lunches prepped for back to work next week. I get a strange amount of satisfaction about filling up my freezer to make my work week a bit more organized.
I love all of these recipes as the ingredient lists are quite small and I have most of these things on hand most of the time.
When turning recipes into pre made lunch prep bowls, I use a few tricks to make things easier:
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Batch cook your carb and use it in all of your bowls.
For me, this time, I used rice. Quinoa is another go to for me.
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Use frozen veggies to round out your meals.
Zero prep required to get the veggies ready.
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If you use fresh veggies – par boil them so they freeze better.
I actually use a microwave steamer and cook them so they are still a bit crunchy because I know they will cook a bit more on re heat.
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Label Everything
I promise you won’t remember what everything is. Label it all.
I use this freezer tape – it doesn’t fall off once frozen!
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Invest in good freezer storage containers.
I am loving these glass divided containers that have a great seal! I have to admit, they are pricey to get in Canada so I waited for a sale, but they have been worth it.
The 2 compartment containers are here and here for Canadians, and the 3 compartment containers are here and here for Canadians.
So for this prep day, I batch cooked rice – which you can do in you Instant Pot. For white rice, measure rice and water with a 1:1 ratio and select the rice button. For brown rice, also use 1:1 ratio, but use the manual button and set for 22 minutes. Both should have a 10-minute natural release.
As for the recipes I used for this prep day:
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Indian Tomato Coconut Soup
I added boneless skinless chicken thighs and increased the time to 10 minutes. I pulled the chicken out, then blended the soup, shredded the chicken and added it back in.
Greek Chicken with Lemon Dill Pilaf
I didn’t want to mess around with skewers so I just added whole boneless skinless chicken thighs and increased the time to 10 minutes.
Curried Coconut Sweet Potato and Chickpea Stew
All of these recipes are freezer friendly to make lunches as simple as grab and go for a busy week!
Looking for even more meal prep inspiration? Come join the Confessions of a Meal Plan Addict Community!
Do you actually freeze in these containers? Don’t they shatter either in the freezer or when you microwave reheat them?
I do freeze them. I haven’t had one shatter yet. I always thaw over night. If it went from the freezer to the microwave – it could. I also cool the contents before they go into the freezer.
How long are these meals good in the freezer? 1 month? 2?