Whip up fresh meals with frozen food! 4 meal ideas that are quick and healthy

Frozen food is your dinner life saver!

When life gets busy, making dinner can feel like a chore you don’t have time for. But a well-stocked freezer is the key to preparing fast, nourishing, and flavorful meals.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Liz Weiss shared the surprising benefits of cooking with frozen foods, along with a recipe for a teriyaki shrimp and broccoli stir-fry made from a few frozen favorites!

When it comes to making quick, healthy meals, one section of the grocery store often gets overlooked: the freezer aisle. But, Liz said, “Frozen foods are the ultimate convenience food, and with a well-stocked freezer, nutritious and delicious meals and snacks are always within reach. Think of frozen foods as ‘nature’s pause button,’ locking in peak freshness, flavor, and nutrition in a wide variety of foods, from broccoli florets and chopped spinach to edamame, salmon, blueberries, mango, and even cauliflower-crust pizza.”

Why Choose Frozen?

Locks in Nutrition – Unlike fresh produce, which may sit in storage and transport for weeks, frozen fruits and veggies are flash-frozen within hours of harvest, preserving vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Research shows that frozen vegetables often have equal or even higher nutrient levels than their fresh counterparts.

Reduces Food Waste – When it comes to household food waste, fresh produce is the most likely food to be wasted while frozen food is one of the least. Since frozen foods last much longer and you tend to use only what you need, they help families cut down on waste and save money.

Budget-Friendly – Buying frozen is often more affordable than fresh, especially when purchasing out-of-season fruits and vegetables. A bag of frozen berries or shrimp costs less per serving and eliminates the risk of spoilage before you can use it.

Convenient & Versatile – Whether you’re short on time or looking for quick meal solutions, frozen foods help you whip up healthy meals in minutes, and don’t forget about snacks. Smoothies made with frozen fruit (and even frozen chopped kale or spinach), are easy to blend if you have a well-stocked freezer and a few fridge/pantry staples.

What’s Cooking? Easy Meals Using Frozen Foods

Frozen foods make it easy to put together fast, nourishing meals with minimal effort. Here are four simple meal ideas that rely mainly on frozen ingredients and a few pantry staples:

1. Teriyaki Shrimp & Broccoli Stir-Fry

INGREDIENTS

• • Frozen broccoli florets
  • Frozen peeled shrimp (so convenient)
  • Frozen brown rice
  • Frozen garlic and ginger cubes
  • Pantry item: Teriyaki sauce

METHOD

Sauté frozen (thawed) broccoli, shrimp, garlic, and ginger in a wok or skillet. Add teriyaki sauce and serve over heated frozen rice.

2. Mediterranean Chickpea & Veggie Bowl

INGREDIENTS

• • Frozen chopped spinach
  • Frozen roasted peppers and onions
  • Frozen brown rice or quinoa
  • Pantry item: Canned chickpeas, olive oil, and feta cheese

METHOD

Heat all the frozen ingredients in a skillet or microwave. Toss with drained and rinsed canned chickpeas, olive oil, and crumbled feta cheese.

3. Sheet Pan Lemon-Dill Salmon & Green Beans

INGREDIENTS

• • Frozen salmon fillets
  • Frozen green beans
  • Pantry item: Olive oil, lemon, and dried dill

METHOD

Arrange frozen (thawed) salmon and green beans on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and a sprinkle of dill. Roast at 400°F until the salmon is flaky and cooked through (about 15-20 minutes). Serve with frozen quinoa or rice for a complete meal.

4. Crispy Fish Stick Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa & Slaw

INGREDIENTS

• • Frozen fish sticks
  • Frozen corn
  • Frozen diced avocado
  • Pantry item: Lime juice, salt, coleslaw mix, mayonnaise, and tortillas

METHOD

Bake fish sticks until crispy. Meanwhile, mix thawed corn and avocado with a squeeze of lime juice and salt. Toss coleslaw mix with a bit of mayonnaise. Assemble tacos with fish sticks, slaw, and avocado-corn salsa.

Stock Your Freezer Like a Pro

Keeping a stash of frozen essentials—like vegetables, fruits, lentils, seafood, whole grains, cauliflower pizza crust, and chicken or beef meatballs—makes meal prep easier and helps cut down on waste. Plus, frozen foods ensure that affordable and healthy home-cooked meals are always within reach.

Teriyaki Shrimp & Broccoli Stir-Fry

Makes 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce (use low-sodium if available)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cubes frozen crushed garlic, thawed
• 2 cubes frozen crushed ginger, thawed
• One 16-ounce bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• One 16-ounce bag peeled and de-veined frozen shrimp, thawed
• One 2-cup pouch frozen brown rice, cooked according to package directions *
• Sesame seeds, optional

METHOD

1. Place the teriyaki sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (Be careful, because it may splatter a bit.)
3. Raise the heat to medium. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring often, until crisp tender, 3 minutes. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the shrimp and cook until golden, 2 minutes. Flip and cook 1 more minute.
5. Add the broccoli back to the skillet. Re-whisk the teriyaki/cornstarch mixture. Stir into the skillet until the broccoli and shrimp are well coated, completely cooked, and the sauce thickens slightly, 1 minute.
6. Serve over the cooked rice and top with sesame seeds, as desired.* If you can’t find frozen brown rice, swap for frozen Jasmine rice, frozen quinoa, or frozen cauliflower rice

NOTES FROM LIZ WEISS, RDN

Find more recipes from Liz on Instagram, @lizweiss, or on her website, lizshealthytable.com. Additional information at American Frozen Food Institute.