Food For Thought

Some of my favorite Supermarket Shortcuts are on the shelves. With a little imagination, there are so many things that can help you get dinner on the table fast. Here are just a few ideas:

“Ready Rice”- These are an easy and convenient side dish as well as a meal-starter because they’re ready in 90 seconds. Add some sautéed meat and veggies and you have your own rice bowl. Uncle Ben’s and Comet both have several varieties that are really good.

Canned Stew- When homemade is not possible, with a little imagination these can be an acceptable substitute. Canned beef stew can be topped with mashed potatoes and baked in the oven for easy Shepard’s Pie, or topped with biscuits or a pie crust for a quick pot-pie. If you can find it, Mrs. Fearnow’s Brunswick Stew is pretty good as well. My family likes it served over rice. Remember to round out your meal with a salad or some fresh fruit.

Progresso Soups- There are several varieties that are great served over cooked rice or topped with biscuits or dumplings.

Packaged Dinner Kits- Like their frozen counterparts, these are both easy and convenient, especially for people who don’t like to cook. Not as good as homemade, but they can be doctored with some dried herbs or sautéed onion to make them a decent alternative. If you go this route, try to stick with the ones that allow you to add your own fresh meat. Also remember to look at the label on these if you are watching your sodium intake as they tend to have high sodium content (like Hamburger Helper).

Boboli Pizza Crust- These are almost a no-brainer! Add some jarred pizza sauce, fresh mozzarella and pepperoni and dinner is done! Your imagination is the only limit to the varieties of pizza you can make with these. They are also a great foundation for last-minute appetizers.

Angel Food Cake- A super-easy dessert idea (and the cake is fat-free!). Top it with fruit and ice cream, cut it in chunks and layer it with pudding and canned pie filling, or smother it with custard sauce and fudge. The possibilities are endless for a quick and delicious dessert using store-bought angel food cake!

These are just a few of the shortcuts to be found in your grocery store. If you begin the practice of looking at items and thinking of other ways to use them, you’ll be surprised at what you can come up with. Be creative, don’t be afraid to take chances and try new combinations. Not every one will be a winner, but some of the best-loved recipes of today began as accidents (ever hear of chocolate chip cookies?).

One last thing: remember to pay attention to the labels when using convenience foods, because they can be high in sodium and saturated fats. For a more well-rounded meal, try to combine convenience foods with fresh ingredients or serve them along with fresh ingredients like a salad or some fruit. I hope you find these shortcuts helpful and I hope they save you as much time, money and frustration as they have for me.