I buy the refrigerated Nestles cookie dough. It's so handy to just cook one or two of the chocolate Turtle and oatmeal raisin cookies, instead of whole batches.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nestles refrigerated doughs

We eat more then we should. Sometimes I don't have any time and with a toddler underfoot I need fast!

DH doesn't like the way I make rice (more aldente-he wants mush!), so I get him the instant stuff or Uncle Ben boxes. He loves Kraft Mac and Cheese in a box.

We also like some of the ready made dough-DD loves the shape ones and it's easy for her to help me make them a few at a time, with little clean up.

One dinner we like is Homestyle Bakes-Chicken and Biscuits. Everything is in the box. Basically like a chicken pot pie-sometimes I add more veggies to it, but it's a great meal in a pinch (just don't look at the soduim level!)

I'm sure there are more.

I'll just fess up to say that I fix quite a few things out of boxes and bags.

This week I found (for the first time) Betty Crocker instant SWEET Potatoes. I'm off to fix and try them now and will try to remember to report back on my findings.

Sue

I think the only thing I buy is Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Brown rice. Oh and Campbell's Tomato Soup.

I made a Gingerbread cake from Betty Crocker mix just last week. Then, I topped it with cream cheese icing. We had a Xmas potluck at work and everyone loved it. Why work too hard if these store bought products are almost just as good.

As a Matter of Fact....Gordans Fish Sticks tonight. I might even have Kraft Mac, Hushpuppies, and canned green beans. Only 20 minutes for the whole meal.

I usually cook from "scratch", because I watch Sodium Intake. This is an off-night.

I washed rugs and throws today. Several loads of laundry and I'm pooped. With Dogs...little bitty hairs...need I say more.

Gayle

I don't buy many "boxed" items but there are a couple of items that I do like.

I love the Stove Top Stuffings - Turkey Stuffing with cranberries. I will make a box of that instead of having potatoes or another starch and there are enough leftovers to last a couple of days. I even like to eat it cold.

I rarely buy it but I've got to say I love Kraft Dinner. I buy the Sharp Cheddar one. I sometimes doctor it up with canned tuna or a some stewed tomatoes. I have it maybe 3 times a year.

I try to keep low-sodium broths in my cupboard to make risotto. My sister buys a packaged risotto mix and I tell her it is just as easy to make your own with arborio rice and broth.

I'm not much of a soup eater but I do have some canned soups on hand. My brother always puts a couple of packages of Lipton Noodle soups in my Christmas stocking. I have 3 large tins of Habitat Soups in my cupboard right now for when it gets really cold out.

Frozen pizza now and then. I like Dr. Okters Ristorante pizzas. Small and thin crust but usually not a staple.

I like cooking and I really have to watch my sodium intake (have had to all my life) so pre-packaged foods are just a treat now and then or when I need something fast. They are not necessarily cheaper either. I fall off the wagon at certain times of the month and have to have something with salt so I eat large stuffed olives. LOL

My oldest sister rarely cooks anymore so she lives on Stouffers Lean Cuisines or other dinenrs like that. I would get so tired of eating those.

I also like to know what I am eating. I look on a the side of any one of these packages and I don't know most of the ingredients listed. Something so simple as a cookie can have 40 ingredients listed.

You will catch me eating a convenience food now and then but my homemade food is far superior and I enjoy preparing and cooking it - even for 1.

Anne

The California Pizza frozen pizzas are really good.
Also, Hormel Vegetarian Chili.
I do try to limit these types of things, by cooking batches of things like red beans and freezing 2/3rds for future meals. But, sometimes you just need a quick meal and not all convenience foods are awful or awful for you.

Those frozen pilsbury biscuits are way better than any I've made from scratch (hangs head in shame)(so they're still on my shopping list for Christmas dinner ;-) lol) Every few years we splurge and buy canned corned beef hash, or tamales, or hot dog chili. Can't do it often due to the sodium. I've never been able to equal the flavor of the canned product for these items.

Blue-box mac & cheese is not a "convenience food" in my house, it *is* the way mac & cheese is made!

I always keep handy a couple of those frozen pie crusts that you thaw and unroll.

We do like the frozen Pillsbury biscuits, Stove Top stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, canned soups. Zantarin (sp) rice mixes are pretty good too. The frozen Bertolli meals are really good and easy! I buy a few things from the Schwann's guy. The meatloaf is pretty good - tastes like Salisbury steak which I love.

Sue, the Betty Crocker instant SWEET Potatoes are good. My DD liked them so much she talked me into buying her a few boxes to take back to her dorm in January.

About 3 months ago, I discovered Banquet frozen dinners for a buck. I buy a few for myself and the boys, usually about 10 once month. I like the salsbury steak and chicken-fried pork. They love the nuggets and pizza. Sure are a lot cheaper than those lunchables they always ask for.

We really like several of the Birds Eye Voila complete dinner products. The Garlic Chicken and Three Cheese Chicken are favorites. I buy Stouffers Vegetarian Lasagna for a treat now and then. And I really enjoy Krafts Easy Mac and Cheese with a bunless burger.

I made the Betty crocker mashed Sweet potatoes, and they were like nothing I have ever tasted b4. They sure didn't taste anything like sweet potatoes. I think I will call or write them. They have a Red Spoon promise, which is they promise great taste, quality, and convenience.

I wonder if my furbabies might like what is left of the 3 servings the one pouch made. If they do, I'll maybe make the other pouch for them later on.

Lydia, do you like them also? I was so disappointed.

Sue

Tonight we had spaghetti and meat sauce. I browned the meat, added onion and garlic and a jar of Ragu. We had store-bought Texas Toast with it and a salad. But, hey, I did make my own blue cheese-dill dressing.

When I'm tired I will order a pizza...or buy a broasted chicken from the store.

But I don't do boxes....

Oh wait..I do use Ragu for my speg.

patti

If it's convenient I buy it. I very seldom cook anything "from scratch" anymore there is usually only me to eat it and I always cook too much. Eating out and a quick throwing of something in the microwave is for me.

We don't eat many potatoes and they start to sprout before we use them up.When everyone is here I use Idahoan brand instant flakes.They are the best instant potatoes in my opinion.I doctor them up sometimes by cooking a real potato or two,depending on how many people I'm cooking for.I use the water I cooked the potato in for the water called for in the instant instructions,use my stick blender to mush up the potato then add the milk,butter(real butter),salt and pepper then add the flakes.I also add a little cream or sour cream.My family raves over the potatoes.The real potato gives them the consistency of regular mashed potatoes.
Instant sweet potatoes......Hmmmmm. I'll have to look for those.I love sweet potatoes but DH doesn't care for them so I rarely fix them unless all the family is here.That would be good to have on hand if they taste good.

ANYTHING from Trader Joe's! We just got one a few weeks ago. I'm amazed. Great food. Cheap prices. Organic. I'm relying upon frozen foods and jars of sauces for the first time in my 50-something years! We've stopped going out so much now that I can have a break in cooking by eating at home!

Cameron

I like Stouffers Single Serving Lasagna, and also their French bread Pizza. Almost any of the Birdseye or Green Giant mixed vegetables. Buying a variety of fresh vegetables is too wasteful for me.

Yesterday I went to Krogers and stocked up on everything I needed to make the Taco Soup ad the Chicken Enchilada soup, plus a lot of other things I needed. I had such good coupons this time and a Kroger coupon that was $5 off if you spent as much as $30. Great savings!

Sue

One thing I can't do without is Krusteaz Pie Crust Mix. I know how to make pie crust on my own, but this Krusteaz stuff is da bomb! It's so good I could (but don't) eat it without anything for filling. It's so flaky and I get more compliments on "my" pie crust. LOL I order it by the case.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.krusteaz.com/brands/krusteaz/Baking_Mixes__Hot_Cereal/pie_crust_mix/

I love the boxed rice dishes. I also like the Pasta Roni and the Lipton Pasta Side and Rice Sides. I have always like Rice a Roni.

I don't really like the boxed potatos. I'd much rather use fresh. Spoiled, I guess, by a mother who always cooked from scratch.

I absolutely LOVE Gorton's Seafood Sensations! The Lemon Pepper Shrimp and the Shrimp Scampi are luscious! I only buy them on sale, though.

And my big weakness...Marie Callendar's Pot pies. O..M..G!!! I could eat a ton of those.

I bought the Pillsbury pie crust from the diary case to try for Christmas this year. I don't cook too much any more and I am sure these pie crusts will taste better than what I can make.

I love to cook, but I use all sorts of convenience foods. Progresso soups and Near East rice pilaf, the occasional box of Kraft mac & cheese, jars of spaghetti sauce, salsa, salad dressing. For that matter, I buy bread and pasta and tortillas already made, instead of making them from scratch, and I often use beans from a can instead of soaking and boiling them myself. And I agree about the Pillsbury rolled pie crusts. They're better than the vast majority of pie crusts I've made and/or eaten.

Sue, I thought the instant sweet potatoes were pretty good. Not something I'd make weekly, but once a month maybe. My Daughter really really liked them, but then again she is used to eating cereal a couple meals a day! lol

I use cake mixes, but I make my own frosting. My DD#1 particularly likes a mocha frosting I make. I whole heartedly agree on the Pillsbury rolls and biscuits. I think they're delicious. My sweetie pie used to like the Kraft mac and cheese until I introduced her to homemade. Probably shouldn't b/c the Kraft is so cheap. I also love the instant grits that are the Wal-Mart brand.

I cook a lot from scratch and I enjoy it but convenience foods are sometimes, well, convenient. It's a shame they've added so many additives to them because the concept is great.

I like to keep canned soups on hand, especially in winter. I can grab them to take for lunch and if I decide to eat something else, they can sit in my desk drawer until I need them.

I use instant potatoes! Truly for convenience but I actually like instant potatoes. DH and Nick don't seem to care for any mashed potatoes so why go through more trouble when I like instant. I like the Yukon Gold variety.

I'll picked up canned biscuits or crescent rolls on occasion to round out a meal.

I often used jarred spaghetti sauce. I love Bertolli's Organic Tomato and Basil and some local brands. I used jarred pizza sauce even though my dough is from scratch.

For Nick I keep Murray's Chicken Sticks and SpaghettiOs and Meatballs on hand for back up and sometimes school lunches (he has two days they will heat up food for him). He's pretty good about eating what I make but I can't blame him for not liking everything.

I have to admit that while suffering from first trimester fatigue recently I've made Stouffer's Chicken Alredo (good but rich and saucy), frozen meatballs in Prego, Kraft Mac and Cheese and some other convenience products and I was very grateful that they were there for me to buy.

Geez, a lot of what you guys list as convenience food IS home cooking to my hubby! LOL!! Canned and frozen veggies, soups, pre-shredded cheese, bagged salad, even things like frozen country fried steak and cordon bleu. I love to cook but seldom have time to do so from scratch, I really rely on convenience foods. I too love the refrigerated biscuits and rolls, and the pie crusts. I couldn't make a decent pie crust to save my soul!

Frozen parathas with all kinds of stuffing - potato, spring onion, cauliflower or just plain ones. Go well with Indian pickles and yoghurt. Spicy roasted chicken from the supermarket is a favourite too. Sometimes I pick up frozen breaded shrimp and fish fillets; love that stuff with a glass of wine.

A must-have: Batchelor's soups - I like Rich Woodland Mushroom the best.

I should try the Pillsbury frozen biscuits, those sound good!

This thread just tickles the heck out of me! LOL

I must 'fess up... I use a lot of convenience items and I have much experience in justifying there use.

"What? I thought you didn't want me to get a job? You don't like boxed mac and cheese? But I got this for 'buy one get one free'. Two side dishes for 99 cents. To make mac and cheese from scratch would cost ten times that! What? Did you just say you don't like stove top stuffing? Do you know how much a bag of pepperidge farms costs? Not to mention onions, celery, etc.? Guess I'll be looking for a job after all."

"Huh? You don't like stouffers lasagna? But I have to take my mom to get her hair done then take your mom to the grocery store and pharmacy. But, that's ok... you take them both and I'll work on the lasagna. What did you say? No? Ok, turn the oven on then."

"Did you say you're DRIVING to the store???? It's less than a mile away so why not put on a coat and hiking boots. Shouldn't take more than a half hour to get there and back. And when you get back, put those tea bags in a jar outside. Why waste electricity when solar power is much better economically and environmentally when walking is better for your health?"

*hehe*

So, to my grandmother a wringer washer was a convenient item. To her grandmother, a washing board was convenient. To hers, just living close to a creek.

Is flour a convenient item? A loaf of bread? Ground beef?

And, in time, what's going to be convenient? Companies where you place your weekly menu to be delivered and served in your home at exactly 5:30 PM?

Hmm... maybe I just found the start of a new career! Thanks, angelaid! :)

I love the Pillsbury biscuits cause I can take out one at a time and don't have to cook the whole package. I also like the rice I found that cooks in the package in the micro in 90 seconds (the brand name won't come to me right now, but our Brookshire's carries it.)

I often wonder if my mother would use all the packaged or frozen convenience foods available now.

All of the above. I use to cook everything from scratch, now that the family is smaller and I am older, quick and easy is the name of the game. So many convenience items these days are almost as good as scratch, so why not.
My favorite-chicken and rice-I use to do the scratch thing and it would take half the day to make, now I use Rice a Roni and Swanson's canned chicken breast, chop up some onion and throw in and it is almost as good as homemade. A lot less work and cheaper too.
I am almost ashamed to admit this but a few weeks ago at Wally World they had small red potatoes in bags that you just pop in the microwave for a few minutes. I bought them. How lazy am I that I can't even wash my own potatoes now. Hey they were real and they were good and all I had to do is toss it in the micro. I loved it.

Let's see, there's the Ore ida instant potatoes.I have arthritis in my hands and it's hard for me to peel and cut potatoes anymore.

Always use Pillsbury biscuits,and frozen pie crust.I can't make a decent pie crust to save my soul,so ready made ones are the way to go.Love rice a roni,but only use it once in a great while as it has far too much salt.

Can't live without instant oatmeal as i eat oatmeal everyday.

We also like stouffers lasagna,and i personally like the budget gourmet sczechewan chicken dinner,for those days when we are in a hurry or don't feel like cooking,which for me could be everyday.LOL Thank goodness dh likes to cook,so i let him do his thing.
Kathi

Does anyone remember box noodles romanoff? Haven't seen it in years, DM always made it and I really miss it.

Geez, all I could think of was Ragu and Texas toast originally, but the more I read the more of those things you all use, I do too. I love Stouffer's lasagne. And their scalloped chicken with noodles is the best. I don't use a lot of canned soup because of the high sodium, but do keep it around for days I can throw in a can of tuna and a can of veg-all and top with cheese and potato chip crumbs and have dinner in 1/2 an hour. (Besides that's comfort food for me.)

As far as potatoes, I buy the Country Crock mashed potatoes in a plastic container in the meat department. Man, you can't tell the difference. They even have a few lumps in them. I won't mash another one, believe me. There are other brands but I haven't tried them.

Don't think my daughter would've eaten anything if it weren't for Spaghetti-O's, paula_pa. She was/is a picky eater.

I do remember the noodles romanoff, nycefarm, but I haven't seem them either. I'd forgotten about them. They were pretty much a staple in my house--haha!

This came up before when I admitted to buying frozen chopped onions. They are wonderful and only cost about $1.29 for a bag.

I do use bagged salad on occasion.