Healthy freezable meals to get you through winter

Winter is officially here bringing with it cooler days, long dark nights and comfort food cravings. Unfortunately for many of us, it can bring more coughs and sniffles too.

Thankfully, it’s easy to satisfy those cravings and reward your future self by having healthy meals that can help support your immune system ready-to-serve straight from your freezer!  

From soups to pasta bakes, ratatouille to falafel, nutritious frozen meals are perfect for those nights when you’ve no time to cook, are feeling under the weather or simply don’t have the energy to make dinner (let alone think about what to make).  

Our top tip for meal prep success is knowing what to freeze as well as how to freeze, so your hard work isn’t wasted.  

Here are five of our favourite healthy, freezable meals to get you through winter:  

1. Roast broccoli and Brussels sprouts slaw 

Salad may not seem like your idea of winter comfort food, but this warming recipe is packed full of flavour and nutrition, and will add a good source of iron and vitamin C to your diet too. Vitamin C, known for its role in supporting the immune system, has long been linked to citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, but is also found in Brussels sprouts and broccoli, which both feature in this recipe.  

Bonus? Even though it’s a salad it’s freezer-friendly! Be sure to cool the dish completely before transferring into a freezer-safe container. Defrost in the fridge (ideally the night before) and then warm up in the oven at 180°, ready to serve immediately.  

2. Rainbow falafels

Falafel is a family favourite and is a great way to get more legumes into your diet. Legumes are a delicious, budget-friendly and versatile ingredient to add to winter meals – they contain important nutrients such as B vitamins, iron and zinc to help with dwindling energy levels during the cooler months.  

Served in wraps, ready to eat or in a salad, these rainbow falafels are perfect to have on hand in your freezer for any time of day.  

Freezer hack: Place the cooked falafels individually on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Simply reheat in the oven at 180° and enjoy.  

3. Eggplant and sweet potato dahl 

This veggie-packed dahl is high in fibre to support your gut health and help stave off some of those winter sugar cravings. You can easily double this recipe to make a larger batch (don’t forget to double the quantities) and freeze the leftovers for future lunches or dinners.  

Tip: Don’t have sweet potato on hand? Simply substitute for pumpkin, potato or another affordable and available veggie, or even frozen vegetables will work.  

4. Oat, barley and corn risotto 

Packed with wholegrains, this risotto is fibre-rich and full of nutrients. Including more wholegrains in your diet in winter can help you feel fuller for longer. Wholegrains like oats can also help to support your gut health and provide essential nutrients like iron which help support your immune system.   

Find more easy, affordable and healthy recipes like these in our latest Easy Eats cookbook.  

5. Lentil ratatouille with cauliflower cheese crumb 

A deliciously good mix of two family favourites – cottage pie meets cauliflower cheese to create the ultimate winter warmer that’s also budget-friendly. This yummy, filling and nutritious dish is made with lentils and Vegie Delights Savoury Mince to provide over 30g of protein per serve. Lentils are also low in saturated fat and high in fibre, making them a real nutrition power-house! 

Tip: Prep ahead by dicing the vegetables and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge until you’re ready to cook. Once the ratatouille is made, leftovers can be frozen in single serves for a quick reheat at lunch or dinner without any waste.