What is your favorite convenience food shortcut?

[babetoo]

Since my hands tend to cramp if I chop and cut to much I buy already chopped onions, I love oven roasted tomatoes but buy canned in winter,Kraft dinners here are a must for quick lunches for my grand kids. I'd love to make my own stock, but being tied up with exchanges it is hard to do, so I buy stocks.And I'm know to purchase pastry dough but have resolved to try my hand at making my own.
kadesma,

i buy the chopped onion and also bell peppers that are sliced and frozen (three colors) i also use a lot of frozen fruit, otherwise it goes bad on me since i am just one. berries mostly.

 

[ChefJune]

Kraft Dinner is known as Macaroni and Cheese down here in the States, jet.

sorry. Kraft Dinner is known as "Kraft Dinner." It comes in the blue box and is HEAVILY advertised on commercial TV. It is popular with children young and old.

You don't want to analyze it or you would have to flush it down the toilet. Trust me.

 

[Janet H]

Did you try Googling Kraft Dinner? I get actual pictures and a Wiki article. Doesn't matter though, you know what it is now right?

Here ya go...

 

[merstar]

Swanson low sodium chicken broth, canned San Marzano tomatoes or Bionaturae Tuscan tomatoes, Eden canned chickpeas, black beans, pinto, and navy beans (they're all salt-free), Harris Teeter brand salsa (low sodium), canned black olives, Harris Teeter Tomato Basil frozen pizza, which I dress up with fresh tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, black olives, Parmigiano Reggiano, and herbs and spices.

 

[jet]

Did you try Googling Kraft Dinner? I get actual pictures and a Wiki article. Doesn't matter though, you know what it is now right?

We're good, thanks.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Canned beans, canned tomatoes. Instant Risotto, by Lundberg...very quick! I also keep a selection of canned soups on hand, for those days when I'm hungry but don't want to cook.

 

[Andy M.]

I guess I look at this differently.

A convenience food shortcut to me is canned soup, mac and cheese or a rice dish in a box. Any prepared food that can be heated and go on a plate.

I don't consider canned San Marzano tomatoes or canned beans a convenience food shortcut. They are ingredients that I consider legit foods you can use to prepare a dish "from scratch". In the case of the canned tomatoes, they are the only show in town for 10 months of the year here in MA.

But that's just me...

 

[jabbur]

Rice-a-Roni 4 cheese and pilaf flavors. Tyson chicken cordon bleu frozen. Frozen chopped onions, hashbrowns, mire poix. Also Idahoan Instant potatoes.

 

[ChefJune]

I guess I look at this differently.

A convenience food shortcut to me is canned soup, mac and cheese or a rice dish in a box. Any prepared food that can be heated and go on a plate.

I don't consider canned San Marzano tomatoes or canned beans a convenience food shortcut. They are ingredients that I consider legit foods you can use to prepare a dish "from scratch". In the case of the canned tomatoes, they are the only show in town for 10 months of the year here in MA.

But that's just me...

In that case, my response is Near East Couscous.

 

[kadesma]

i buy the chopped onion and also bell peppers that are sliced and frozen (three colors) i also use a lot of frozen fruit, otherwise it goes bad on me since i am just one. berries mostly.

They are nice aren't they? Makes things so much easier.Fruit I usually get fresh, as I have several grand kids during the week and Ethan comes here every day after kindergarten. Fruit flies out the door.
kades

 

[kadesma]

I guess I look at this differently.

A convenience food shortcut to me is canned soup, mac and cheese or a rice dish in a box. Any prepared food that can be heated and go on a plate.

I don't consider canned San Marzano tomatoes or canned beans a convenience food shortcut. They are ingredients that I consider legit foods you can use to prepare a dish "from scratch". In the case of the canned tomatoes, they are the only show in town for 10 months of the year here in MA.

But that's just me...

I agree Andy, but here Romas are available year round so at times I use canned to start my pasta gravy instead of taking the time to roast the romas.Shortcut
kades

 

[FrankZ]

In that case, my response is Near East Couscous.

Yes! I use this a lot. Love the mushroom one and the chicken one.

 

[luvs]

frozen stouffer's meals,- macaroni/cheese & veggie lasagne, tinned tomato varieties.

 

[bigdaddy3k]

If I am feeling tired after work and theres nothing in the freezer, I will be known to.....

... snatch a box of KD from the cupboard I know.... let the flaming begin.

KD?

Kraft Dinner. And Saphellae, no flaming allowed. KD rocks HARD.

My kids still request it even though they have had homemade. I recently started using fat free yogurt instead of butter to make it and it turns out great!

 

[babetoo]

They are nice aren't they? Makes things so much easier.Fruit I usually get fresh, as I have several grand kids during the week and Ethan comes here every day after kindergarten. Fruit flies out the door.
kades

yep the kiddles will eat it up. i don't like cold fruit so it gets bad even quicker. sometimes i buy one pear, etc but can't buy one berry. kiss em for me.

 

[kadesma]

yep the kiddles will eat it up. i don't like cold fruit so it gets bad even quicker. sometimes i buy one pear, etc but can't buy one berry. kiss em for me.

If I find berries are getting close, I either make a batch of smoothie for the kids or I freeze them for later.
I'll give em all a big from you...
kades

 

[Max Sutton]

chopped onions

I buy those small cartons of chopped onions because I hate to chop onions.

 

[jabbur]

I don't like chopping onions either. I HATE to dice things up. I bought one of these https://www.chopwizard.com/ and it really is easy to use. It even chops celery! I keep the frozen onions on hand for when I'm out of regular onions and don't want to go to the store.

 

[jet]

I buy those small cartons of chopped onions because I hate to chop onions.

There are places that sell pre-chopped onions?!?!

 

[Claire]

I, too, consider canned tomatoes and beans and frozen vegetables to be staples rather than convenience; when you live somewhere with real winter "fresh" can be a joke. Once it is seasoned or in a sauce (hence the Del Monte diced tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano) I consider it a convenience or short cut (for my personal use, convenience means I just heat and eat, short cut means it just cuts a few steps out of the prep time). I, too, love Near East products, both couscous and taboule (haven't tried the rice products). I especially love them in the summer because my kitchen is not air conditioned and it makes for a fast and easy starch without having to do more than boil water. Instant mashed potatoes I use for thickening or breading and they are great. Rather than making them from scratch, I often use bottled Asian sauces, either for dipping or in roll ups and stir-fries. Around here House of Tsang is my go-to for peanut, Szechuan, Vietnamese sauces.