PrintPre-packaged meals
I am afraid of instant potatoes, quick rice, hamburger- helpers, etc. It always seemed like cheating to me. I think my prejudices are about 20 years out-of-date though, but I am reluctant to try anything that's not from scratch now. I know there is some good stuff out there but hate to experiment. Any suggestions on some good tasting pre-packaged products?
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12 Comments:
Chow just gave Bertolli's new line of pouch-packaged sauces pretty high marks. I have tried a couple of their frozen pastas--the orecchiette with broccoli sauce and the gnocchi with tomato sauce--and they were really tasty. I love the chewiness of the orecchiette especially, and haven't found a suitable version in dried pasta. For all I know, maybe it's technically a bad thing, but I like it.
But we've really cut out the amount of packaged foods in our house. I'll pick these up on rare occasions for an emergency backup.
This may be a childhood thing, but I love, love, love Uncle Ben's wild rice, in the original version (I don't like the quick-cooking or pre-cooked versions at all). I cannot duplicate the flavor at home, but I wish I could. I've tried other mixes and they were all way too salty. I also have a weakness for chicken-flavored Rice a Roni.
I also really like Easy Mac. Sounds ridicuous, but the pasta is more tender and the sauce is much creamier and, I think, a little sweeter than the standard. It's nursery food, for sure, but I'm a fan.
Frozen potstickers or other dumplings definitely fall in this category as well. I don't have a preferred brand, but I enjoy eating them much more than I enjoy making them from scratch.
Not a fan at all of the instant potatoes, it's like bad cafeteria food or KFC to me, immediately recognizable as not the real deal. Hamburger Helper I can only do in the cheeseburger flavor but it's been years, and I'm sure that, objectively, it's not that good. However, I probably had it once or twice a month until I went to college. Quick rice and especially Minute Rice are terrible approximations of the real thing. However, I see more and more supermarkets carrying frozen, precooked rice (both white and brown), which may be better.
renzata at 5:05PM on 04/21/08
I made a shift to quick cooking brown rice after one too many batches of burnt but under cooked "normal" rice. The only difference is in texture and I absolutely love not having burnt pots to clean up. :) And what I found even more wonderful is the 10 minute brown rice has more fiber than the regular. Of course it doesn't work in all applications, but for most recipes it can be substituted.
Carosone at 5:35PM on 04/21/08
Amy's makes this Mango and Black Bean vegetarian entree that is really tasty. And Stouffer's Mac and Cheese is ridiculously delicious.
chisai at 5:37PM on 04/21/08
I love the frozen Indian and Asian meals at Trader Joe's - they're delicious and really inexpensive.
Another vote for Amy's frozen meals and burritos - they're yummy, but definitely more $$ than the TJ brand items.
Oh, and the frozen gyoza at TJ are great, too, and a steal for $1.99 for a bag (and get the $1.99 bottle of dumpling dipping sauce to go with it!)
charm city cupcake at 6:07PM on 04/21/08
I buy Archer Farms rissoto boxes at Target and then embellish them to make them my own... try this one.
Madelyn.
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 6:20PM on 04/21/08
I think that I will have to third that Amy's mention: her meals have gotten me through many a late night working/studying!
Traveller at 6:20PM on 04/21/08
I'm one of the loudest critics of "flavored" rice, but...
Tony Chachere's red beans and rice isn't bad, especially when you add andouille sausage. It's way too salty/saucy for me, so I have to eat plain white rice with it. :P
Konriko wild pecan rice is great.
S&B Japanese curry in a pouch is actually quite good. Not too different from making it from "scratch" using their curry bricks w/o the meat.
Cassaendra at 6:34PM on 04/21/08
Most resaurant and wholesale distributors have a cash & carry where you can buy commercial products. Many of the packaged goods are really good, and attractIvely priced, although they're often available only in large sizes.
For instance, these mashed potatos are so good I save the packages to show people who don't believe they'rE really "instant".
Lots of the commercial products are also available on web sites.
srhcb at 6:38PM on 04/21/08
Annie's Mac and Cheese!
When practice was in session, I could eat the entire box for dinner.
jazzinx at 6:50PM on 04/21/08
Kashi frozen entrees and pizzas are excellent--and healthy.
beth1 at 7:03PM on 04/21/08
I have to agree with Renzata. I don't do the whole hamburger helper, quick mac and cheese thing, but Bertoli has really good pre-packaged sauces and ravioli.
PumpkinBear at 2:57AM on 04/22/08
I've eaten a lot of Mac and Cheese -- seriously. From homemade recipes to Kraft boxes, I've pretty much tried it all, and I have to Trader Joe's frozen mac and cheese is the best I have ever had.
Skythe at 4:09PM on 04/23/08