Not all convenience foods are created equal. These nutritious options can be found at your local grocery store, and can help you put delicious meals on the table—fast.
Home-cooking doesn’t have to exclude convenience foods! These nutritious and convenient foods can help save you time when making meals at home.
Ready-to-eat salad greens
Keep ready-to-eat salad greens in your fridge as the base for a super-quick meal. Just top the greens with nuts or chickpeas, shredded or crumbled cheese, some sliced veggies, and a simple dressing. Serve your salad with a slice of whole grain bread and glass of milk for a an easy, balanced meal. Ready-to-eat greens like spinach and kale, are also handy for adding to smoothies, pastas, soups and stews.
Frozen berries
It’s a great idea to keep your freezer stocked with frozen berries all year round; they’re both nutritious and delicious! Whirl them together in a blender with milk, yogurt, and a handful of greens for a quick, energizing smoothie.
Microwaveable rice
Rice is pretty easy to cook from scratch, but for those times when you’re in a real rush, having pre-cooked, shelf-stable rice in your cupboard can be a big help. Serve rice alongside a delicious curry, or use it to make fried rice. For a fun, interactive meal option, try serving a grain bowl buffet.
Pre-cut stir-fry vegetables
A simple stir-fry is one of the quickest meals to prepare, and pre-cut vegetables can really help save time when making your favourite stir-fry recipe. Don’t have a recipe? Check out this handy cheat sheet for cooking a perfect stir-fry.
Cottage-cheese containers
Individual servings of cottage cheese are really convenient to keep on hand for a protein-packed snack. Add some fruit and nuts for a sweet and nutritious snack, or dried seaweed and chopped green onions for a quick, savoury bite.
Canned salmon or tuna
A more budget-friendly option than fresh fish, canned salmon and tuna are perfect convenience foods to keep in your pantry. When you need a super-fast meal, add canned fish to a salad, make a tasty tuna sandwich, or throw together some healthy salmon burgers.
Muesli
Muesli is a mixed cereal, usually made of rolled oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruits, making it a nutritious and convenient meal. Simply mix muesli with milk, and enjoy it either hot or cold. Ready-mixed muesli is available in most grocery stores, or you can make your own when you have the time, and keep it on-hand in your pantry.
Frozen Edamame
You may be familiar with edamame (aka young soybeans) as a popular appetizer at Japanese restaurants, but did you know you can easily prepare edamame at home? Simply boil them in their pods for 5 minutes, drain, and sprinkle with salt for a tasty and satisfying snack. Look for edamame in the freezer aisle of your grocery store.
Interested in other ideas for cooking at home?
Check out the Better Together website – a hands-on approach to family, food and fun! This website is loaded with tools to encourage and support your family meals.