Are You a Smart Shopper?
Did you know that some of those cheap pre-packaged items at the store are actually as good as the homemade variant? You can save both money and time if you know what to look for. With that in mind, here are 20 grocery items to think twice about.
1. Pizza Bagel Snacks
Pizza bagels are a great snack, especially when you have the convenience of getting them pre-packaged. The amount of time it takes to make those tiny little bites doesn’t seem to be worth it when the ready-to-make package tastes almost identical to the meticulously made-at-home ones. Just pop them in the oven, and you’re good to go.
Shoeib Abolhassani on Unsplash
2. Chicken Nuggets
Everyone loves chicken nuggets, but not everyone is excited to prepare them from scratch. Cutting them down into bite-sized pieces, breading and seasoning them, cleaning up the mess—it simply isn’t worth the hassle when the pre-packaged ones are just as good. It saves time and tastes the same.
3. Basil Pesto Focaccia
Focaccia can be a pain to make, especially if you don’t have time. Buying a frozen, already baked basil pesto focaccia gives nearly identical results as the entire process of mixing, kneading, proofing, waiting, and spending time in the kitchen after a long day. The best part is that the ready-made one is consistently good without the hassle.
4. Frozen Veggies and Fruits
Frozen veggies and fruits are amazing and convenient. More often than not, they are frozen at their prime, meaning all the nutrients and vitamins are preserved in the freezing process. Not to mention the convenience of not having to chop or clean them for the exact same results.
5. Onion Rings
Onion rings are many people’s favorite side dish or snack, but not everyone enjoys the process of making them. From cutting the onions into perfectly sized rings to breading and coating them, and finally deep frying them just to have to clean up the whole mess, it doesn’t seem to be worth it. Frozen onion rings from the supermarket give you all the benefits of enjoying your favorite side dish without the annoying process.
Esperanza Doronila on Unsplash
6. Chicken Alfredo
While chicken alfredo isn’t the most complicated thing to make, it’s good to have a convenient alternative to making something from scratch. Being able to microwave a pre-packaged chicken alfredo in just minutes makes it so much easier, not to mention that it tastes almost identical to the homemade one. While you can customize the ones you make yourself, the taste of a pre-packaged one is not lacking, and neither will your free time.
7. Cooked and Peeled Shrimp
Shrimp is an amazing protein, but it can be annoying to clean, devein, and peel. Getting frozen, cooked, and peeled shrimp eliminates nearly all the work—all you have to do is cook or fry it. The best part about this is that the flavor doesn’t change at all; it just saves you time and makes no mess.
8. Calzones
Calzones are delicious, warm, and make you feel homey and happy. Making them from scratch, however, can be a bit of a headache. Pre-packaged calzones are an amazing alternative simply because the flavor and quality will be more or less the same, but you don’t have to deal with the dough preparation, cutting and filling to the exact amount, and cleaning up the whole floury mess.
Jarritos Mexican Soda on Unsplash
9. Garlic Bread
While garlic bread doesn’t take too long to make from scratch, many of the store-bought alternatives are just as good as the homemade ones. The best part about them is that they take no time at all to make and can last in your freezer until you feel like grabbing one and making it for yourself. On top of that, there won’t be any dishes to deal with after either.
10. French Fries
French fries are a classic side dish, or in some cases, they can even be part of a main dish. Pre-packaged frozen packs of French fries are an amazing and convenient option if you’re looking to save time without sacrificing quality. You can deep fry, air fry, or even bake them, and they will be just as good.
Now that we have talked about frozen and pre-packaged meals that are as good as homemade, here are 10 you should always make at home instead.
1. Steak Meals
More often than not, the pre-packaged steak meals don’t really have a steak, or they choose the lowest-grade one. If you are craving a good steak dinner at home, your best bet will be making it yourself. With so many amazing recipes out there, all you have to do is pick a good cut of steak, and you’re good to go.
2. Pizza
While frozen pizza is definitely convenient, it underdelivers in flavor and quality nine out of ten times. Making a pizza from scratch is always going to give way better results and a much more delicious pizza in the end. Another great thing about making it at home is that you won’t be limited by the options in the frozen foods aisle.
3. Mac & Cheese
Mac & cheese is a simple dish that is one hundred percent better homemade than any other way. From not overcooking the pasta to making your own cheese sauce, every aspect of a home-cooked mac & cheese is better than any pre-packaged ones. One thing to remember when making the cheese part of the dish is to not use the pre-shredded cheese.
4. Oven-Roasted Chicken
Everyone is familiar with Costco’s cheap rotisserie chicken. While it is definitely a great price for the amount of meat you get, it’s not the best quality and is often dry. Making an oven-roasted chicken at home beats the quality, flavor, and overall experience of this dish by an immeasurable amount.
5. Burgers
Pre-packaged, pre-cooked, or even frozen burgers are a disappointment almost every single time. The worst thing is that they don’t even save that much time compared to making a patty from scratch. Making a homemade burger gives you the freedom of adding spices and other ingredients to your meat and produces a way better end result and a much higher-quality burger.
amirali mirhashemian on Unsplash
6. Lasagna
While pre-packed lasagna does save time and has its place, nothing beats a homemade lasagna. From the beautiful texture, creamy sauce, and delicious flavor, there isn’t much more to be said when it comes to the comparison between the store-bought and homemade versions. Just remember to let the lasagna rest after you are done baking it for a more uniform and structured cut.
7. Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken pot pie is one of those dishes that is simple to make and takes no time at all. While there are many frozen or pre-packaged ready-to-heat options, they almost always come out soggy and unappetizing. Making one from scratch doesn’t take that much longer than unboxing a frozen one and heating it up, but it does deliver in flavor an immeasurable amount compared to the pre-packaged ones.
Jessica Kantak Bailey on Unsplash
8. Hard-Boiled Eggs
This seems like a weird one, but pre-packaged hard-boiled eggs are not even close to homemade ones. Being one of the simplest things to make, it makes no sense to sacrifice all of the flavor just to save ten minutes. Dishes like egg salads or deviled eggs simply get ruined if you use the premade hard-boiled eggs compared to the homemade ones.
Rachael Gorjestani on Unsplash
9. Mashed Potatoes
Pre-packaged mashed potatoes can’t hold a candle to the deliciousness of homemade ones. The powdery, watery, and flavorless ready-to-heat ones are a waste of money compared to the rich, creamy, savory, buttery, delicious mashed potatoes you can make yourself in a matter of minutes. Simply put, there’s no contest when it comes to store-bought versus homemade mashed potatoes.
10. Buffalo Wings
Buffalo wings are a well-known and overwhelmingly loved dish that deserves to be made the right way. While there are many brands and options that sell frozen, ready-to-heat ones, they can’t even come close to homemade ones. With basically the same amount of prep as the store-bought option, you get an incredible boost in flavor, quality, texture, and overall experience when making them at home.
