Take a cooking shortcut

They can be your best friends in the kitchen. We’re talking about the grocery products that will help you save prep time, so you can have that ever-elusive spare moment to yourself every once in awhile. Here’s what we suggest you have on hand.

Meat

• Pre-cooked beef roast, roasted whole chicken, fried chicken pieces and smoked salmon
• Canned salmon, clams, tuna and shrimp
• Frozen meatballs, chicken nuggets, fish fillets, minute steaks and pre-formed hamburger patties (meat and freezer aisles)
• Skinless, boneless chicken breasts and thinly cut beef and pork for stir-fry (meat aisle)
• Pre-cooked shrimp (seafood case)
• Thick-sliced deli ham, turkey and roast beef (deli aisle)

Try: Impossibly Easy Ham and Cheddar Pie

Alternatives to meat

• Frozen meat substitutes, including some that are like ham, steak, lamb, chicken breasts and nuggets, hot dogs, turkey, pork chops, BBQ ribs, bacon, sausages, beef chunks, ground beef and egg-less fried eggs
• Frozen seafood, including salmon, tuna, crabs and shrimp
• Tofu and tempeh (soy-based)
• Shelf-stable meat substitutes, including vegetarian turkey and chicken (soy-based)

Try: Asian Soup Bowl with Chicken

Vegetable

• Pre-cut vegetables and stir-fry vegetable packages from Green Giant
• Minced garlic in a jar
• Bagged salads and lettuce
• Canned, seasoned tomatoes (diced, stewed, and whole)

Try: Linguine with Vegetables & Cheese.

Sauce & seasoning

• Dry packets of seasonings, such as Old El Paso taco seasoning, sauces and salad dressing mixes
• Bottled sauces, marinades and salad dressings
• Tomato sauces

Try: Taco Seasoned Chicken

Dairy

• Pre-shredded cheeses
• Pasteurized eggs

Try: Bean and cheese quesadillas.

Bread & pasta

• Quick-cooking meat- and cheese-filled pasta in dairy aisle
• Old El Paso tortillas for fast meat and veggie wraps (can be frozen)
• Pocket pita bread and submarine sandwich rolls (can be frozen)
• Instant rice, Betty Crocker potatoes, couscous and Hamburger Helper mixes

Try: Party mashed potatoes.