“Now that I have all of these freezer meals, what do I serve along side them?”
We get this question a lot. Many of our dishes already incorporate veggies or starches – casseroles, soups, one pot dishes, etc. – but others require some thought for side dishes. You may have time to throw them together at meal time, but why not make your life super simple by adding some freezer friendly side dishes to your cooking day?
“Can I really freeze that?”
You may not have ever thought to freeze some of these items. Items like potatoes, dairy, pasta, and even some vegetables are typically not thought to be freezer friendly. But we have found that this is simply not true, as long as you freeze them correctly, and we’re here to help you with that! Check out our post on what you can and cannot freeze.
“How do I choose?”
When you are pairing your meals and side dishes, you will want to balance the time and effort spent on your recipes. For example, if you have several dump and go main dishes (throw and go type recipes) you can afford to spend a little time on a fancier side dish. But if your main dish is more demanding, you will want to pick one of our simple sides, which you will see at the bottom of our list.
You could also choose to do your side dishes separately from your big cooking day. For instance you could knock out your big cooking day on Saturday, and quickly assemble one of our Side Dish Mini Menus on Sunday afternoon. We have a variety of seasonal side dishes available in these minis:
- Sides Freezer Recipes Vol. 4
- Sides Freezer Recipes Vol. 5
- Sides Freezer Recipes Vol. 7
- Sides Freezer Recipes Vol. 6
- Sides Freezer Recipes Vol. 1
We also have a list of recipes for you below, but it is in no way comprehensive. You’ll find we are constantly adding and updating our database with delicious and freezer friendly side dishes!
Freezer Friendly Side Dishes
Potatoes
- Freezer Mashed Potatoes
- Latkes
- Special Potatoes
- Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes
- Crispy Potato Skins
- Lightened Up Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Cheesy Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Oven Potato Wedges
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Creamy Cilantro Potato Salad
Veggies
- Confetti Corn Casserole
- Slow Cooker Summer Veggies
- Healthy Balsamic and Rosemary Grilled Vegetables
- Eggplant and Zucchini Chips
- Spiced Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Garlic Herb Green Beans
- Sauteed Vegetable Medley – Pineapple
- Sauteed Vegetable Medley – Seasoned Broccoli
- Sauteed Vegetable Medley – Baked Asparagus
- Sauteed Carrots with Sage
- Bread and Butter Pickles
- Pickled Beets
- Freezer Coleslaw
- Southern Squash Casserole
- Garlic and Bacon Green Beans
- Maple Bacon Acorn Squash ( Instant Pot Version )
Grains and Beans
- Summer Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Homemade Black Refried Beans
- Polenta Gratin with Spinach and Wild Mushrooms
- Italian Sausage Dressing
- Peppery Monterey Jack Pasta Salad
- Super Simple Pasta Salad
- Whole Foods Buttery Garlic Knots
- Tangerine Rice Pilaf
- Challah Bread
- Freezer Dinner Rolls
- Refrigerator Rolls
- Homemade Cheesy Rice ( Instant Pot Version )
- Easy Garlic Bread
- Baked Beans
- Buttery Balsamic Pasta and Asparagus
- Broccoli Cheese Cornbread
- Artichoke Bread Recipe
- Southwest Rice and Beans
- Cornbread Corn Casserole
- Sweet Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Slow Cooker Stuffing
Simple Sides
These recipes are super simple, but sometimes it is just nice to have something already planned. These are your time saving recipes to pair with your “fancier” dinners. Some of them make great use of seasonal sale items. And they are the perfect add on to single serving freezer meals or family meals.
- Zucchini and Summer Squash
- Pasta and Marinara Sauce
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Corn ( Instant Pot Version )
- Brussel Spouts ( Instant Pot Version )
- Cauliflower ( Instant Pot Version )
- Green Beans ( Instant Pot Version )
- Carrots ( Instant Pot Version )
- Broccoli ( Instant Pot Version )
- Peas ( Instant Pot Version )
- Brown Rice ( Instant Pot Version )
- White Rice ( Instant Pot Version )
So what are you serving with dinner tonight? Add some variety to your plate with our freezer friendly side dishes!