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Make ahead meals are your secret weapon for stress-free weeknights. Prep dinner ahead and reclaim your evenings from the kitchen chaos!
We LOVE Easy!
We, like most, have a busy family and often find dinner-time is stressful. We too, have had cereal for dinner on many occasions! That’s why we LOVE make ahead meals.
These favorites can be prepped in the morning (like slow cooker Fiesta Chicken and Chicken Corn Chowder) or are great for freezing (like Turkey Tetrazzini) for a stress-free evening that includes a delicious home-cooked meal!
We’ve included our go-to classics and a few extras, so there’s plenty to keep your family fed and make dinnertime a breeze.
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Our Top 10 Make Ahead Meals
Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Easy, creamy, and utterly delicious cheesy chicken tetrazzini is a family favorite that takes minutes to prep!
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Crock Pot Pot Roast
This crock pot pot roast recipe is tender and flavorful. It takes only 3 minutes of prep time and then the slow cooker does the rest!
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Easy Lasagna Recipe
Our family's favorite lasagna recipe – not only because it's delicious but because it's so EASY! With beef, Italian sausage, three cheeses, and tons of seasonings, you know this recipe is going to be a hit!
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Cheese Enchiladas
These authentic red cheese enchiladas are a family-favorite recipe—deliciously cheesy, saucy, and loved by all!
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Hearty slow cooker beef stew is a family favorite that we've enjoyed for years!! Your crock pot does all the work!
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Easy Baked Ziti
Easy baked ziti recipe is a meaty baked pasta smothered in a cream cheese tomato sauce. It's ready in 30 minutes and feeds a crowd!
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Pulled Pork Recipe
This deliciously easy pulled pork recipe is made in the slow cooker and takes just minutes to prep making it a go-to dinner idea!
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Chicken Enchilada Casserole
A simplified version of a family favorite, this chicken enchilada casserole preps in 10 minutes for an easy crowd-pleaser!
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Green Chile Burritos Recipe
The easiest Green Chile Burritos require just a few ingredients, including a seasoned chuck roast and 505 green chile sauce!
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Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Recipe
Our Cafe Rio sweet pork recipe tastes just like the restaurant version. With quick prep and sweet and savory flavor, it's a favorite copycat!
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More Make Ahead Meals
Turkey Tetrazzini
Simple turkey tetrazzini is a flavorful pasta casserole, perfect for using leftover holiday turkey, but tasty year round!
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Pasta Bake Recipe
Pasta Bake is a deliciously cheesy meal, perfect for any night, and one that the whole family will love and devour in no time!
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Chicken Alfredo Bake Recipe
Cheesy Chicken Alfredo Casserole is a simple twist on a family favorite! It's an easy dinner, perfect any night of the week.
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Crockpot Lasagna Recipe
This delicious crockpot lasagna recipe is just like the classic everyone loves, but made simpler in the slow cooker.
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Stuffed Shells Recipe
Stuffed Shells is simple, cheesy and bakes in only 30 minutes. It's a perfect busy weeknight meal the entire family will love!
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Cheesy Tortellini Pasta Recipe
Cheesy garlic tortellini pasta is covered in a delish homemade sauce, and is ready in 20 minutes! It is perfect for busy weeknights.
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Chicken Stroganoff
Creamy chicken stroganoff is perfect for dinner any night of the week. It's full of flavor and is made, start to finish, in under 40 minutes!
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Baked Spaghetti Recipe
This cheesy baked spaghetti is filling and flavorful. It's a simple dinner recipe the entire family will love!
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Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
One-pot chicken bacon ranch pasta is a creamy and deliciously cheesy dish that is on the table in under 30 minutes!
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Crockpot Spaghetti
Crockpot spaghetti is prepped in minutes and cooked low-and-slow for a quick homemade dinner any night of the week!
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Italian Sausage Pasta Recipe
Easy cheesy Italian sausage pasta is creamy, delicious, and perfectly spiced. It's a family favorite ready in only 20 minutes!
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Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Chicken Spaghetti is a new twist on your favorite pasta dinner! This dish is creamy + cheesy, making it the epitome of comfort food.
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Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
Our famous green chili chicken enchiladas are prepped in 20 minutes and packed with flavor – perfect for busy nights AND freezer-friendly!
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Beef Enchilada Casserole
A simple twist on a favorite, our layered beef enchilada casserole is prepped in 15 minutes for a comforting classic, perfect for weeknights!
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Beef Enchiladas
Quick and simple beef enchiladas are a family favorite dinner. This Mexican dish is delicious and on the table in only 30 minutes!
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Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
With just 5 minutes of prep, our hot and cheesy crock pot chicken enchiladas make dinner a breeze! Just let the crock pot do the work.
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Baked Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
Baked Chicken Chimichangas are like a crispy burrito, stuffed with chicken + cheese. Everyone will love this simple restaurant-style recipe!
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos are flavored with salsa and prepped in minutes. You'll never find an easier way to enjoy tacos!
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Bean Burrito Recipe
This is Great Grandma's famous bean burrito recipe, filled with amped up creamy beans and on the table in 30 minutes!
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Carnitas Recipe
This carnitas recipe takes minutes to prep and is great in tacos, bean burritos, quesadillas, chimichangas, and more!
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Cafe Rio Chicken Recipe
Copycat Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken – a simple and delicious chicken recipe that is perfect for salads, burritos, quesadillas and tacos!
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Pork Tacos Recipe
These simple pork tacos are flavorful, easy to make, and a big crowd-pleaser. Top with all of your favorite taco toppings!
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Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken Recipe
Slow Cooker Creamy Fiesta Chicken is such a simple, flavorful crock pot recipe! It is a tasty crock pot meal made with pantry staples!
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Slow Cooker Barbacoa
With only 5 minutes of prep, this beef slow cooker barbacoa is tender, savory, and perfect for filling tacos or burritos!
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Carne Asada Recipe
Make an authentic carne asada recipe right at home! Easily create perfect Mexican-flavored meat to add to tacos, burritos, and more.
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Mexican Casserole
Cheesy Mexican casserole is flavorful and filling, packed with layers of chicken, Spanish rice, and a creamy sauce!
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Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
Chicken noodle casserole is filled with veggies and topped with a buttery cracker crust making it a flavorful family favorite.
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French Onion Chicken Casserole Recipe
Just 10 minutes of prep time and you have a delicious creamy concoction of chicken, celery, and cheese topped with crispy fried onions!
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Chicken and Broccoli Casserole
Chicken and broccoli casserole is loaded with veggies and cheesy flavor – a simple family favorite for generations!
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Hamburger Tater Tot Casserole Recipe
Homey & delicious hamburger tater tot casserole is layered with flavors everyone will love! It is kid-friendly, easy, and freezes perfectly!
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Chicken Asparagus Pasta Bake Recipe
Deliciously Cheesy Chicken asparagus pasta bake a favorite dish topped with panko and baked to crispy perfection!!
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Cheeseburger Casserole Recipe
Hearty cheeseburger casserole is filled with ground beef and pasta, and oozing with cheese! It really is everything but the bun.
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Crock Pot Mongolian Beef Recipe
Delicious Crock Pot Mongolian Beef loaded with carrots and asparagus is SO simple to make. Your crock pot does all the work!!
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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is one of our family’s favorite Asian recipes! You can add pineapple and peppers and serve with rice or noodles to complete this flavorful dish!
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Italian Meatball Recipe
This homemade Italian meatball recipe is sure to rival your favorite Italian restaurant. They are juicy, soft, and full of flavor!
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Easy Swedish Meatballs Recipe
Easy Swedish meatballs made from both pork and beef are smothered in a creamy gravy. It's the perfect dish for holiday entertaining!
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Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Recipe
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken is juicy, flavorful. and preps in minutes! This simple dish is great for holidays, parties and potlucks!
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Crack Chicken Recipe
Crack chicken in a crock pot is simple and tasty. Everyone is sure to love this creamy, cheesy chicken dish.
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Sloppy Joe Recipe
This sloppy joe recipe is quick and easy, perfect for feeding a crowd! You'll make these meaty sandwiches from scratch every time.
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French Dip Sandwich Recipe
This low-maintenance French dip sandwich is made with hearty beef and melted provolone cheese on a buttery toasted bun, and dipped in au jus!
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Kalua Pork Recipe
This kalua pork recipe is a classic Hawaiian favorite, made easily in your slow cooker with just a few ingredients!
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Crock Pot Brisket
Try this effortless crock pot brisket recipe for delectably juicy and tender meat that will melt in your mouth.
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Chicken Taco Soup
Our favorite chicken taco soup is a dump-and-go slow cooker favorite, it's perfectly spiced and easily doubled!
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Ham and Potato Soup
Try this creamy, comforting ham and potato soup for a quick and easy soup that's on the table in only 30 minutes!
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Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup
Thick and cheesy Chili's chicken enchilada soup tastes just the original! With mostly shelf-stable ingredients it's our favorite go-to soup.
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Broccoli Cheddar Potato Soup
Thick and creamy broccoli cheddar potato soup is packed with veggies and flavor for a hearty favorite in under an hour!
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Chicken Corn Chowder
Creamy chicken corn chowder hits the spot, brimming with tender chicken, sweet corn, and a rich broth – all in under 30 minutes.
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Mexican Beef Stew Recipe
This Mexican Beef Stew is a twist on a classic stew recipe. It's hearty, comforting, and filled with vegetables and tender beef.
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Best Chili Recipe
You're going to fall hard for this spicy, hearty homemade beef chili. This best chili recipe is not only simple, but delicious!!
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