Make Ahead Casseroles: Tips

• Make sure you cook all of the meat before freezing! While the actual baking takes place after the casserole has been thawed, you want to make sure all your meat is cooked before you put it in the freezer. Also, be sure to let anything cooked ahead of time cool completely before freezing, otherwise, the casserole won't freeze evenly.

• To prevent the dreaded freezer burn, wrap all of you make ahead freezer meals tightly in plastic wrap. 

• If you're looking to save freezer space, line your baking dish with aluminum foil and cooking spray. Prepare your casserole as normal, and once it freezes, just lift the frozen meal out of the casserole dish and place it back in the freezer until you're ready to eat it.  Make sure you place the contents back in the casserole dish to bake it!

• Always label your make ahead freezer meals. This will help you identify them when you're hankering for something specific.  Frozen make ahead meals taste best if you cook them within 2-3 months, especially if the casserole calls for any kind of dairy product like cheese or even cream-based soup, but most will last for up to 6 months.

• Make sure to defrost your make ahead meal before throwing it in the oven. We recommend defrosting it in the fridge for several hours.

Did we mention casseroles are perfect make ahead meals?  Check out 10 Frozen Casserole Recipes You Need