Freezer staples are so essential to maintaining a frugal lifestyle in the kitchen. Without simple foods on hand to use in a pinch both in the freezer and in the pantry, grabbing some sort of convenience meal or just heading out for dinner is often the result. Like freezer meals, freezer staples can help you get a meal together fast and when you face times of emergency or crisis. Like me, you probably realize that emergencies can’t really be planned for. This is exactly why you need to be prepared for emergencies at all times. Freezer staples are an essential part of what it means to be prepared for any kind of crisis or emergency.

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Stop! Before you go any further, be sure to grab our list of pantry staples, also so important during this time. Just tell us where to send them!

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Emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. Emergencies and a crisis can be what would probably come to mind when you hear these words. Right now we’re facing a global pandemic. This is something you’d likely think of as a time of crisis. But in my mind, it’s also an emergency when I need a meal on the table and have no time to put one together. In world, it can be an emergency when someone eats the ingredients I had planned to use for dinner.

For all of these reasons and many more, having food in the freezer to create a meal with in a flash is key. In the midst of a global pandemic, it’s been hard to find what I need at the store. And it’s hard to make a meal without the foods I need.

And, during times of emergency or crisis, you’re likely going to be limited in what you can do. This is why it pays to be prepared.

Here are the essential freezer staples you need on hand in times of emergency.

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These freezer staples are all easy to prepare, and at first I wondered how much of a difference having these basic things made ahead of time would make, but it really is a huge load off dinner prep to have these things on hand.

If you’ve never tried having freezer staples on hand, you really must give it a try. Freezer staples will save you time, save you money, and save you if there is an emergency or crisis that makes buying food difficult.

Here are a list of the freezer staples you will always find in my freezer!

This is a list of things I have just as is (I’ve not done any sort of meal prep with them)

• ground beef
• ground beef made into patties
• ground turkey
• ground turkey into patties
• chicken breasts
• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• frozen fruits
• frozen bananas, out of the skin
• frozen vegetables
• juice concentrate
• french fries
• breakfast sausage
• lunch meats like ham and turkey
• cheese – it freezes beautifully

This a list of partially meal prepped freezer staples

• browned ground hamburger or turkey in portions that you will need for recipes
• I take this one step further and also make some with taco seasonings in it.  By the way, you can make taco seasoning on your own, too
• I also brown some hamburger and throw it in spaghetti sauce and then freeze.  This is how my family likes spaghetti sauce
• shredded chicken as I mentioned in my post It’s Chicken Day when I shared how I process up to 80 pounds of chicken when it is at a stock up price for me. Again, portion in the serving size you would need for recipes after you cook and shred it
• I also take this one step further and put some taco seasoning in for chicken tacos
• grilled chicken as I mentioned in It’s Chicken Day.
• twice baked potatoes.
• beans: kidney beans, black beans, refried beans, pinto beans

I do also keep some breakfast items in my freezer. They include:

• blueberry muffins
• waffles or pancakes
• breakfast sandwiches with eggs & cheese, sometimes meat
• homemade breakfast burritos

Other random items include various sweet breads like banana bread or Dutch honey cake, which is a recipe from my grandma. It is amazing and a family favorite.

It is amazing what having these staples in your freezer will do to lighten your load on busy days whether planned or unplanned.

In addition to freezer staples, having freezer meals on your hand is a life saver.

I will admit that I was hesitant to the idea of freezer cooking. I wondered how cooking to stock my freezer would ever end up saving me time or stress.

But, keeping food on hand and stocking my pantry and freezer with staples has saved my sanity more times than I can count. Plus, these staples allow me to feed my family in the midst of emergencies of all kinds.

Looking for more about food staples?

Read my list of pantry staples

Find more on freezer cooking below

Freezer meals for getting meals on the table