Convenience Foods

Convenience Foods

It’s a busy day and you just don’t feel like making a meal from scratch but you stop and ask yourself should I use a convenience dinner product instead? Isn’t it more expensive?

Not always so don’t feel guilty in fact I am going to encourage you to have some of these products on hand.

Let me give you an example of why I say this and show you what you can do to make these foods cost effective.

I confess I love Hamburger Helper. I never buy the name brand product if I don’t find a great sale on it. Sometimes there is a two for one sale but not that often. I find the same type of product at the dollar store.

My favorite one is Stroganoff Hamburger Helper and I have found that the generic version is just as good.

I am again going to telling you it’s ok to think outside the box.  Literally this time.

 Just because the box instructs you to use hamburger it does not mean that you have to use it. Use what you have on hand it will be just as good when you are done and you will be getting the biggest bang for your buck  and that is what we want to achieve while  feeling we are still eating well at the same time isn’t it?

For example the last time I had a craving for this dinner I had no hamburger. So I used meatballs I had in the freezer from the dollar store instead. I prepared the stroganoff dinner and added the meatballs and a table spoon of sour cream and I can tell you it was delicious.  The sour cream makes all the difference in the world and it gives this dinner weather it is name brand or a generic product a homemade taste.

Here is another example of what you can do with this stroganoff dinner. 

Use an inexpensive cut of steak and cut it up into cubes (it is cheaper than buying stew beef) brown the steak as you would the hamburger for the dinner this time add a cup of red wine instead of a cup of water. Then continue making according to box directions. Once again add a tablespoon of sour cream. You have made an easy version of Beef Burgundy. It is an awesome dinner.

This of course is just one of the many Hamburger Helper dinners but I am sure you understand this can be done with all the other dinners they put out as well.

There are other meals that are great to keep on hand  such as the noodles packages that come in different flavors. These are great to make a main meal by adding additional veggies or protein such as beef chicken or Italian sausage to them or simply used as a side dish. What makes these a great value is that they are well flavored and you will have enough leftover to put away for another day.

 These products and others like them that you will find in the supermarket are cost effective items and you will want to keep on hand.

Other products I always have in my pantry is Bisquick or its generic version. I find the generic version from the Dollar General to be awesome and works just like Bisquick and for a much reduced cost. The one from the Dollar store works but you have to cut down on the suggested liquids they tell you to use when you are using their product so be careful and experiment first so you get the right consistency when you are making dinner.

Instant rice is another of those convenience food that I keep on hand at all times (no it does not have to be minute rice the generic version works fine).

I know you may prefer the longer cooking rice but I know you don’t always have the time to make it or the inclination to do it so that is when this product really comes in handy.

Here is an example of what you can do for a quick  easy meal such as  Spanish Rice. All you need to do for this dinner is make the rice brown some ground beef add some sauce stewed tomatoes and Franks Red Hot sauce. Add as much hot sauce as you enjoy using.

That’s it dinner is made. Weather this is enough for dinner or you add a salad will be up to you. But it is inexpensive and filling and more important an enjoyable meal that is fast and easy to make as well as cost effective.

I am not saying all convince foods are cost effective. You know better than that. Things like TV dinners are not cost effective. Yes they have all the main ingredients  for dinner and you may choose to have them on hand just in case this is all the time you have to prepare a meal. But think is this filling or do you have to add something to make is a satisfactory meal? I know I do especially if I buy the dollar dinners and that will take it out of the cost effective category.

I just don’t waste my money. What I do spend money on when it’s on sale is the Banquet sliced beef turkey or beef patties in gravy meals. Why? Simple when I get these packages home I let the dinners thaw out a little and divide into several meals. It’s OK to do this I did my research and you can refreeze twice safely. There are six to to eight pieces each box. You need to put away two per meal  plus gravy that gives you three to four  meat portions for your dinners.

 That makes the couple dollars I spend on these meals a real value.

One trick pony kind of foods are never a good value.] Canned goods such as Chili (also not that great taste wise) or Beef Stew  (again yuck) or pasta and sauce (are you kidding me?). These things just are not the best value for your shopping dollar. 

So can you get the biggest bang for your buck and still use convenience foods? Yes you can. So buy the ones that serve more than one purpose and enjoy!