Recs for "convenience" foods that you still have to cook

I used to use a lot of Stouffer’s meals when the kids were still home and life was busy. Lasagna, enchiladas, broccoli chicken bake, … I don’t remember if there are more, but those were a favorite. There’s a brand of frozen stuffed pasta that i bought that starts with an R. I’d add a jar of marinara or Alfredo sauce, toss in some shredded cheese, and pop that in the oven.

Add a bagged salad and it filled the corners Also, anytime I made something with a lot of prep, I doubled the recipe and froze one for later.

TJs is my go-to for partially prepped food to make in a flash.

I just started a new job this week so I stocked up on some ready meals that are fully cooked and you just have to heat them up. I knew I wouldn't feel like cooking this week.

I like TJ's marinated pesto chicken and bulgogi chicken. Their cacio e pepe gnocchi is also really good.

Rana Lasagna is so good I worked it into our so-called dinner rotation. A close second is Michael Angelo frozen lasagna.

There’s so much out there that I thought I’d share the best. Avoid Stouffers, avoid Costco, etc.

You’re welcome

I like to buy a big package of hamburger and precooked it, then freeze. It seems to make it easier to throw spaghetti, tacos, Sloppy Joes, chili together if the meat is already cooked.

There’s a chicken tikka masala at Costco that you just heat up. I serve it with the naan sold by Costco.

I'm not sure if you would consider them a convenience food, but some of our favorite recipes are made in our Instant Pot. Some do require a little bit of prep, but they're pretty easy and even I can't screw them up. 😂

I've mentioned this before, but Bertolli's Italian Sausage & Rigatoni (frozen aisle). We buy a 12-oz, fully-cooked, Polish kielbasa and cut it into slices, then cut the slices in half. Divide into thirds; freeze 2 for future meals and throw one into the last couple cooking minutes of the Bertolli's. Makes enough for 2 adults. We have a salad every dinner, so I almost forgot to mention that.

Another meal using another segment of the kielbasa--Add it to a large can of red kidney beans, some large-chopped green pepper, and a handful of cheddar cheese cubes. Heat until cooked through and melted. Can put over rice or noodles, if desired. Simple but satisfying.

I recently bought a frozen lasagna from Costco and it was actually really good, surprisingly so. I'd buy it again and I'm picky with lasagna.

For easy prep meals I love TJs as well.

Also just found some premade carnitas at Kroger that were a huge hit with staff for nurses week paired with nachos--El Real brand, and there are other prepped meats as well.

My aunt RAVES about the Costco frozen lasagna.


I've heard a lot about the TJs Orange Chicken.  I haven't tried it yet though.

I second the IP, makes a lot of non-convenient foods convenient.  We'd use it religiously after long chemo days for DH. 

I served Costco lasagna for lunch on Christmas day to 12 people and they all said that it was wonderful. (I have a dairy allergy, so didn't eat and and can't comment.) I was thrilled, as I had no time to make anything and the gathering (vs the meal) was the main event.

I love the already-prepared meals from Costco...stuffed peppers and pesto salmon are our favorites. But since you asked about *almost* prepared food... One of our favorites are the Indian simmer sauces from TJ's. I buy a bag of TJ's boneless skinless chicken thighs, put those directly into a large pan on the stove, heat them a bit until they thaw so that I can scoop out the liquid, then pour on the sauce and simmer until the chicken is cooked. Serve on rice, which you can buy frozen from TJ's. For a vegetable I usually serve green beans or cauliflower since both go well with the simmer sauces when some runs over onto the vegetable side of your plate. 

Another good one is to buy that roasted tomato soup in a box (I forget the brand) and add frozen tortellinis to it. Heat until the tortellini is cooked.

We keep that in the freezer for a quickie meal option.

We used to like the ravioli in the deli section from Costco but the last time it had a bad underlying flavor and I haven’t risked it since. Same with the frozen lasagna. We used to buy it for years and then 5 years ago or so maybe longer they improved it and we didn’t like the change.

We like the orange chicken and the tempura shrimp from Costco.

We have tried the taco kits from the deli and they were good. Love the rotisserie chickens. The gyros kit was good. We also like the different seasoned Mexican meats del rio brand in the deli section. It’s precooked and you just heat it up. Makes for easy tacos or burritos.

Trader Joe’s has a frozen Kung poa chicken that we like. I usually add extra peppers.

Costco has the Kevins’s sauces with the protein (chicken or steak)… we like the curry chicken.

We also love the carnitas from TJs.