Buzz
Packaged, processed, and semi-prepared foods offer convenience and affordability, yet they’ve unfairly earned a bad reputation—labeled as 'cheap,' 'low-class,' or 'unhealthy' by some. My advice? Ignore those critics. These ingredients are accessible, easy to work with, and can be surprisingly delicious while still packing nutritional value. So grab your casserole dishes—it’s time to embrace the simplicity, versatility, and creativity that pre-packaged meal prep has to offer.
Let’s be honest—after a long workday, when takeout isn’t an option and making everything from scratch feels impossible, packaged ingredients can be a lifesaver. Semi-homemade meals are affordable, quick, and a perfect middle ground for busy nights. They also serve as a great introduction for beginners learning to cook or season their food without worrying about fancy techniques or culinary jargon.
Think heat-and-serve Madras lentils, boxed cake mix, canned chili, Spam, instant mashed potatoes, and condensed cream soups—the building blocks of easy, satisfying meals. These shelf-stable staples have sustained entire cultures and inspired countless creative dishes. Condensed soups dominate the casserole scene and transform into rich, Swedish meatball-style sauces in a slow cooker. A tub of Popeye’s mashed potatoes can create the breakfast of your dreams. Boxed muffin mix turns into black-and-white cookies, store-bought biscuit dough makes a killer sausage biscuit, and don’t even get me started on Spam—I might never stop.
Get Creative with Canned Soups
Canned soups come in countless varieties, but I like to categorize them into two main types: creamy and brothy. Both are fantastic for enhancing meals or whipping up a quick sauce. One of my go-to methods for stretching a single can into a hearty dish is adding a protein, a carb, and a vegetable (usually frozen). If I have leftover meatballs and some rice in the pantry, I toss them into a casserole dish with the soup and a frozen vegetable—any kind works, but matching the veggie to what's already in the soup is a nice touch.
Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350℉, checking every 20 minutes or so. The soup’s liquid will cook the rice and create a rich, flavorful sauce binding everything together. This method works with any carb—try sliced raw potatoes, pasta, or farro if you’re bored of rice. Depending on the soup’s water content and the heartiness of your chosen carb, you might need to add a splash of water or adjust the cooking time. If you're going low-carb, stick to creamy soups, as the proteins and veggies won’t absorb extra liquid.
Canned soups aren’t just for casseroles—branch out! Try using one for a quick chicken pot pie, or toss a can of beef vegetable soup into your slow cooker with a tough cut of meat and root vegetables for an effortless meal. Want next-level mac and cheese? Melt shredded cheddar and havarti into canned creamy potato soup. The soup’s thickeners will welcome the cheese like an old friend. Stir in cooked macaroni, and trust me—no one will complain about those little potato bits sneaking into their mac and cheese.
Remix Your Meals with Instant Carbs
My love for packaged food extends far beyond canned soup—I have a deep appreciation for instant dry bases as well. Since childhood, my go-to has been Knorr Pasta Sides and similar quick-cooking pastas. Anyone who scoffs, saying, 'just make pasta,' clearly doesn’t grasp the magic of the sauce that comes straight from this green paper package. The seasoning is already blended into the dry pasta, eliminating the need for a stocked spice cabinet or any guesswork. It’s perfectly portioned, preventing me from accidentally devouring six servings at once, and it’s incredibly versatile. Just boil with water—on the stovetop, or in my case, in a casserole dish with frozen spinach and leftover seared chicken thighs, baked for 20 minutes.
Instant carbs like mashed potatoes, canned biscuits, and dry pancake mix offer way more potential than their basic uses suggest. Mashed potatoes make a fantastic crispy baked chicken breading or a rich soup thickener. Canned biscuits transform with cinnamon and sugar into a decadent pull-apart dessert. Pancake mix can be hydrated just enough to create fluffy, savory chicken and dumplings. And let’s be clear—you should absolutely mix and match these ideas with canned soups and other instant carbs to level up your packaged food game. (I’m looking at you, creamy chicken corn chowder with Bisquick and shredded chicken.)
Cooking with fresh, unprocessed ingredients is great, and if you order delivery for every meal, more power to you. But don’t underestimate the creative possibilities that store-bought shortcuts offer. Ditch the food shame and proudly brag about that Vienna sausage ramen masterpiece you whipped up last week.
