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39 Simple and Delicious Pantry and Freezer Recipes

March 30, 2020 by Erin Hendrickson, RDN Leave a Comment

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Easy and healthy pantry and freezer recipes are crucial to have on hand, especially now. But they’re helpful in so many different situations as well including:

  • in times of crisis or food shortages
  • when you’re trying to save money
  • to use up what’s on hand and reduce food waste
  • when unexpected company arrives and you need a quick meal

I love doing a No Spend Month every now and then to use up all the inventory on hand and limit grocery store trips. It gets my creative culinary juices flowing, and helps save a lot of money as well.

Related: Clear Kitchen Clutter with a Pantry and Freezer Challenge

If you need a few ideas to use up ingredients on hand, I’ve rounded up a comprehensive list of pantry and freezer recipes from my Registered Dietitian friends and foodie experts from across the internet.

Every single one of these recipes is customizable depending on what you have on hand, as well as what your food preferences are.

Jump Ahead To...

  • Simple Pantry and Freezer Recipes Perfect for Breakfast
  • Lunchtime Pantry and Freezer Recipes
  • Easy Pantry and Freezer Recipes for Dinner
  • Simple Pantry And Freezer Recipes for Dessert
  • Snackable Pantry and Freezer Recipes

Simple Pantry and Freezer Recipes Perfect for Breakfast

pantry and freezer recipes
image via The Nutrition Adventure

These simple breakfast ideas are packed with fiber and protein to hold you over until the next mealtime.

Homemade granola is so easy to make from pantry staple items. It’s easy to throw together oatmeal, mixed nuts, nut butter, dried fruit, and any other random items that need to be used.

Here a few more breakfast ideas:

Berry Almond Butter Overnight Oats
Chelsea Dishes

Pistachio Cranberry Granola
The Nutrition Adventure

Lunchtime Pantry and Freezer Recipes

pantry and freezer recipe idea, butternut squash mac and cheese
image via Kara Lydon Nutrition

All of these pantry and freezer recipe lunch ideas are super simple to make with ingredients you probably have on hand right now. These would all work for lighter dinner time meals as well.

Some meals may feature fresh produce. These can all easily be substituted with canned or frozen versions. Also feel free to sub out whatever beans and grains you have on hand.

Quick and Easy Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Chelsea Dishes

3 Ingredient Everything But the Bagel Turkey Burger
The Meal Planning Method

Black Bean Veggie Tacos
Nourish Nutrition

Roasted Veggie Quinoa
Foods with Judes

Green Bean Medley with Tuna Salad
Sarah Koszyk

Black Bean Bowl with Pumpkin Chili Sauce
The Nutrition Adventure

Canned Tuna Pasta Recipe
Create Kids Club

Vegetarian Rice Bowl with Chickpeas, Tomato, and Okra
Amy Gorin Nutrition

Black Bean Pasta Salad with Spicy Cashew Romesco
Kelly Jones Nutrition

Coconut Fried Rice
Nutrition a la Natalie

30 Minute Pantry Pasta Meal
KeyVion Miller Nutrition

Instant Pot Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Kara Lydon Nutrition

Simple One Pot Wonton Soup
The Meal Planning Method

Easy Pantry and Freezer Recipes for Dinner

pantry challenge recipe lemony chicken and orzo soup
image via Sweet Cayenne

Dinner doesn’t have to be super complicated. These recipes are perfect for last minute guests and can be pulled together in a pinch. Save any leftovers for lunch the next day!

Again, feel free to substitute out any ingredients you have on hand. Canned veggies, beans, and grains, and proteins can all be mixed and matched for similar recipe combinations.

Homemade Vegetable Broth from Food Scraps
Fork in the Road

Shrimp Scampi with Spinach
Jenny Shea Rawn

Vegetarian Rice and Bean Casserole
Make Healthy Easy

Crockpot Vegetable and White Bean Soup
The Nutrition Adventure

Simple Split Pea Soup
Jenny Shea Rawn

Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Salmon with Brussels Sprouts
Nourish Nutrition

Instant Pot Ribolita (Italian Bread Soup)
Sweet Cayenne

Italian Broccoli, Barley, and Beans
Kelly Jones Nutrition

Instant Pot Chicken Stew
Leanne Ray

Southwestern Stuffed Quinoa Bell Peppers
The Oregon Dietitian

Italian Lentil and Rice Pantry Casserole
Being Nutritious

One Pot Chili
The Meal Planning Method

Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup
Sweet Cayenne

Last Minute Black Bean Soup
Liz’s Healthy Table

Freezer Friendly Poppyseed Chicken Casserole
Sweet Cayenne

Kale and Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
Bucket List Tummy

Instant Pot Chicken Posole Verde
Sweet Cayenne

Simple Pantry And Freezer Recipes for Dessert

pantry and freezer recipes
image via Bucket List Tummy

No crazy, intricate cooking techniques required for these dessert recipes. These are ultra easy, tasty, and on the healthier side.

Chocolate Chip Banana Baked Oatmeal
Simply Nourished Home

Vegan Chocolate Chip Coconut Cream Pudding
Bucket List Tummy

Dark Chocolate Flourless Brownie
KeyVion Miller Nutrition

Zero Waste Cinnamon Apple Chickpea Cookies
No Waste Nutrition

Snackable Pantry and Freezer Recipes

pantry and freezer recipe ideas
image via The Kitchen

Energy balls are the perfect snack anytime. They’re especially great before or after a workout, and can even double as dessert!

Chocolate Almond Butter Protein Balls
Amy Gorin Nutrition

No Bake Healthy Energy Bars with Prunes
Amy Gorin Nutrition

Coconut Snowballs
The Kitchen

We hope you’ve found a few meal ideas to make use of your pantry and freezer contents.

For more easy meal and meal prep ideas to help save money and reduce waste, check out my 5×5 Meal Planning Method!


Filed Under: Zero Waste Recipes

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Meet the No Waste Nutrition founder:

Erin Hendrickson is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and freelance writer. She lives a low waste lifestyle with her husband in Nashville, TN.

There you'll find her tweaking the budget, planning the next adventure, and learning how to actually cook! Find out more!

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