The grocery store shortcuts that make weeknight dinners easier

The grocery store shortcuts that make weeknight dinners easier A food editor’s go-to buys for quick flavor, from frozen chicken cutlets to saucy canned beans Published November 5, 2026 10:30AM (EST) Grocery bags (Ashlie Stevens) A version of this recipe first appeared in The Bite, Salon's food newsletter. Sign up for early access to articles like this, plus recipes, food-related pop culture recommendations and conversations about what we're eating, how and why. There is a particular little sequence to my autumn evenings that I’ve come to adore. I finish work, head to a dance class or the gym, and come home ready to cook. I pour myself a little cooking-time spritz — my current favorite is ginger-flavored sparkling water mixed with iced green tea and a squeeze of lemon — put on an old sitcom Halloween episode and open the refrigerator to see what we’re working with. I love this part of the day. I love gathering ingredients, turning on the stove, deciding what sounds good. I especially love sitting down to something delicious afterward, knowing I’ve fed the muscles I just worked. What I don’t particularly love? Dirtying three separate bowls to bread chicken cutlets on a Tuesday night. Or peeling and chopping a pile of vegetables when I’m already hungry. Or washing an enormous stack of dishes by hand, which has become an especially relevant consideration since my dishwasher gave up the ghost over the summer (and its replacement is currently in apartment maintenance limbo). Which brings me to one of my more firmly held beliefs about home cooking: We can’t be domestic goddesses for everything, you know? And over the past several months, I’ve received a handful of emails from readers asking what packaged, prepared and otherwise convenient foods I actually buy. As it turns out, I have surprisingly strong opinions about groceries. So, a little disclosure before we get into it: Nobody is paying me to recommend these products, and neither Salon nor I will earn money from these recommendations. These are simply the things I buy, use and genuinely enjoy. Some are specific brands; others I’ll happily buy from whichever label happens to be on sale. For me, eating well right now means a dinner that takes less than an hour, includes at least two vegetables and some protein, ideally gives me a little more fiber, doesn’t leave the kitchen looking like a crime scene and, above all, tastes really, really good. And if spending a little extra on a convenience ingredient keeps me from placing an impulsive takeout order? Well, that’s a pretty good investment, too. Here’s what’s earning its keep in my kitchen lately. The things that do the heavy lifting Whole Foods frozen fried garlic breaded chicken breast fillets: I cannot overstate my affection for these things. Frankly, they’re better than the breaded cutlets I usually make myself, and they eliminate the entire flour-egg-breadcrumb production, along with its accompanying dishes. I’ll serve them over pasta and vegetables, chop them into Caesar wraps or turn them into absolutely gorgeous fried chicken sandwiches. A box in the freezer is several possible dinners. Frozen miniature meatballs: Any brand, really! I love these little guys for their versatility. For a quick stroganoff-ish dinner, I’ll simmer them with mushrooms, frozen aromatics, a gravy packet and fresh thyme, then finish everything with sour cream. Spoon the result over egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice. They’re also excellent browned and added to Mediterranean-inspired bowls with rice, lemon hummus, feta, olives and a chopped cucumber-tomato salad. And when I want something comforting, I’ll toss them into pastina with finely diced vegetables for what I think of as “tiny everything soup.” Heyday Canning Saucy Beans: Oh, how I love these. The beans come swimming in almost velvety sauces that are good enough that I’d aspire to make them myself. The cans suggest simply heating and eating, which I wholeheartedly endorse. In fact, I’ve been known to sneak a cold bite of the tomato alla vodka beans straight from the can. No regrets. That variety is especially good as the foundation for a cozy skillet dinner, while the enchilada-flavored beans are excellent warmed and spooned over a rice bowl. Laoban Popcorn Chicken with Soy Garlic Sauce: This freezer find really does scratch the takeout itch. The chicken pieces cook up light and crisp, while the sauce is a little bit of sticky heaven. I love serving them over rice with whatever vegetables I have waiting in the freezer, perhaps some steamed edamame, corn and shredded cabbage. Jenny’s Tofu Organic Smoked Five Spice Tofu: Jenny’s tofu is made about 10 minutes from my Chicago apartment, and interviewing Jenny herself a few years ago helped convince me that many people who think they dislike tofu have simply never had really good, fresh tofu. The smoked variety is particularly wonderful for sandwiches. I love a barbecue smoked-tofu wrap with shredded red cabbage and corn relish, or a bánh mì-inspired sandwich with crunchy vegetables. Frozen scallion pancakes: Again, I’m not especially brand-loyal. I like to treat these almost like tostadas, crisping them up and piling them high with toppings. One favorite is a sesame-scented chicken salad made with Kewpie mayonnaise, plenty of scallions and a little sesame oil. Spoon that over a hot scallion pancake for a delightful contrast of crisp, creamy and savory. The “Why the hell not?” vegetables I once heard a piece of advice about eating more vegetables that I’ve never forgotten, although I wish I could remember who said it: Find the vegetables you can add to a meal almost automatically. The ones that make you say, “Why the hell not?” For me, those are pre-shredded cabbage and carrots. Pre-shredded red and green cabbage: I put this on practically everything. Tacos, rice bowls, steak chili, prepared grain salads — anything that could benefit from a little crunch, color or freshness. I also love tossing green cabbage with miso butter, roasting it until the edges begin to brown, and finishing it with lemony, toasted panko breadcrumbs. It’s inexpensive, keeps beautifully in the refrigerator and requires very little effort to turn into something special. Pre-shredded carrots: These get tossed into stew bases, pasta sauces and curries, particularly anything I’m planning to blend. They’re also the foundation of my current obsession: hibachi-style carrot-ginger dressing, which becomes almost laughably easy when you use frozen ginger and onion cubes, too. Then there’s my increasingly substantial frozen vegetable collection. Fire-roasted corn, peas and carrots, mixed vegetables, edamame, spinach and cubed butternut squash: These are all regulars in my freezer. A note: Frozen vegetables are best with a little love. I’ll make compound butter to toss with them before roasting, whip up a herby sauce to coat them after steaming or finish them with a drizzle of brown butter, which is, in my opinion, king of nearly everything. I’ve also become a fan of using prepared specialty cheese spreads to make indulgent broccoli. Break the florets — fresh or frozen — into small pieces, coat them with a good cheese spread (smoked Gouda and whipped Asiago have both been winners), and bake until bubbly, adding breadcrumbs if you like. The philosophy is pretty simple: I’d rather spend my energy making vegetables taste wonderful than spend all that time chopping them. Want more great food writing and recipes? Sign up for Salon’s free food newsletter, The Bite. The things that make everything taste better Now, here’s where I’m willing to get a little spendy. I will not pay a premium for a bag of frozen vegetables that I’m going to zhush up anyway. Generic peas are perfectly fine by me. But sauces, pastes, condiments, good jams? That’s another story. I’ll pay a premium for potions. Sauz Lemon Pepper Pesto: One of my current favorites. It’s creamy, acidic and provides a really distinct little lift to almost anything I spoon it over. I love tossing it with cubetti pasta, peas and canned white beans for a quick pasta salad, but it’s also fantastic smeared on sourdough toast and piled with olive oil-marinated vegetables. Sun-dried tomato pesto: Another little jar of concentrated goodness. I love its deep, savory tomato flavor in pasta, sandwiches and vegetables. It also happens to be a key player in one of my favorite semi-homemade chicken sandwiches, which we’ll get to shortly. Curry paste: A good curry paste is an invitation to improvise. Add protein, vegetables, some coconut milk or stock, and you’re already well on your way to something fragrant and satisfying. Mekhala Lemongrass Turmeric Paste: Just this week, I stirred a spoonful into a soup base of frozen onions, garlic and ginger, then added coconut cream, frozen mushrooms, shredded carrots, leftover rice and shredded rotisserie chicken. I finished the bowls with scallions, salted roasted peanuts and lime. The paste gave the whole thing an aromatic depth that would have required considerably more shopping and chopping to achieve from scratch. Pacific Foods chicken miso ramen broth: The foundation of one of my favorite recent semi-homemade dinners. I like to doctor it with a little additional miso and coconut cream for richness, then pile on noodles, protein, vegetables and toppings. Brown or mushroom gravy packets: Listen. I know how to make gravy. I also know that sometimes a packet of gravy is exactly what a weeknight cottage pie or a skillet full of meatballs needs. There is absolutely no shame in that. Frozen ginger, onion and garlic cubes: Perhaps the least glamorous but most indispensable items on this list. They eliminate chopping, cut down on dishes and make the first few minutes of cooking almost frictionless. I’m happy to buy whichever brand happens to be available or on sale. Some meals I’ve actually made with these Of course, a grocery list is only so useful without a little inspiration. Here are five dinners that show how these ingredients make their way onto my table. These aren’t formal recipes. Think of them as invitations to improvise. Semi-homemade ramen night This one is a little more ambitious, but it’s an excellent example of how convenience ingredients can leave more room for creativity. I started with Pacific Foods chicken miso ramen broth, adding extra miso and coconut cream for richness, then used chicken I’d already grilled earlier in the week for protein. While the broth heated, I tossed frozen mushrooms, ginger and onions with oil, soy sauce and red pepper flakes, then roasted everything until the edges were almost charred. I steamed frozen corn and edamame, and tossed a generous pile of shredded red cabbage with sesame oil. Into the bowls went noodles, broth, chicken, vegetables and roasted toppings, along with soy sauce eggs I’d marinated earlier that day. I served a salad with homemade carrot-ginger dressing alongside. Not exactly a five-minute dinner, but a beautiful one. And because so much of the prep was already done, I could spend my time on the little details that made the meal feel special. Weeknight cottage pie This is the dinner for when I want something cozy and substantial but do not want to peel a single potato. Brown ground beef or chicken in a skillet with frozen onions, garlic and mushrooms. Once everything has developed some color, stir in a brown or mushroom gravy packet, a splash of stock and a generous quantity of frozen mixed vegetables. Let the filling simmer until thick and savory, then transfer it to a baking dish (or keep it in an oven-safe skillet, if you have one). Spread deli-counter mashed potatoes over the top and bake until the filling is bubbling and the potatoes are golden in spots. Hearty, comforting and full of vegetables, without having to peel, chop or mash a thing. Tomato alla vodka saucy bean skillet This is one of those dinners that started with a can and became something much more interesting. I browned a little hot Italian sausage in a skillet, then added sun-dried tomatoes, a can of tomatoes, Heyday’s tomato alla vodka beans, a splash of cream and frozen spinach. Everything simmered together into a rich, savory, slightly spicy skillet situation. I served it with toasted sourdough tips for scooping up all that lovely sauce. The beans bring both flavor and fiber, the sausage adds richness and heat, and the spinach practically disappears into the sauce. I would happily eat this again tomorrow. Lemon-pepper pesto pasta salad This is the sort of thing I love making when I want something fresh, bright and satisfying without spending much time at the stove. Cook some small pasta — I’m fond of cubetti here — and add frozen peas and carrots, cooking them just long enough to heat through. Drain, cool slightly and toss with canned white beans and a generous amount of Sauz Lemon Pepper Pesto. You can eat it slightly warm or chill it for later. Either way, the creamy, lemony pesto ties everything together, while the vegetables and beans make the whole thing more substantial. Sometimes you just need one very good sauce. The ridiculously good frozen-cutlet sandwich Remember those Whole Foods chicken cutlets I was raving about earlier? Here’s one of my favorite things to do with them. While the cutlets cook, toast some soft potato buns and make a quick lemon-garlic mayonnaise. I use Kewpie, into which I stir freshly grated lemon zest and one of those handy frozen minced-garlic cubes, thawed. When the chicken is nearly done, melt a slice of Muenster cheese over each piece. To assemble, spread sun-dried tomato pesto on one half of the bun and the lemon-garlic mayo on the other. Add the cheesy chicken cutlet, then pile on an almost unreasonable quantity of fresh arugula. My beloved shredded cabbage would also be wonderful here if you’re in the mood for extra crunch. The result is creamy, tangy, savory, crunchy and a little peppery. It’s the sort of sandwich I’d happily pay a cute restaurant a slightly unreasonable amount of money to make for me. Instead, I’m standing in my own kitchen, feeling very pleased with myself. This story originally appeared in The Bite, my weekly food newsletter for Salon. If you enjoyed it and would like more essays, entertaining guides and recipes sent straight to your inbox, subscribe here. Related Topics ------------------------------------------ Related Articles