twinsmommy31
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Do you use these? Do you feel they are a step up then what they use to be?
Skillet boxed meals
- Thread starter twinsmommy31
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Rosyrain
Veteran
I ate enough of the boxed dinners in my younger years that I will not touch them now unless I am desperate for a quick meal. I think the quality is a little better than it used to be, but they are still very much processed and full of sodium.
I use to use them when I was younger and in college. They were so quick and easy. The taste is not bad either. However, now that I have more time, I avoid them because I feel that the contents are not very healthy. It is always best to cook from fresh.
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What are they out of curiosity?
winterybella
Guru
http://www.amazon.com/Annies-Homegrown-Organic-Stroganoff-6-5-Ounce/dp/B000Y2CI9U
http://www.amazon.com/Annies-Homegrown-Organic-Stroganoff-6-5-Ounce/dp/B000Y2CI9U
SarNavSaysStraight,I am guessing it's a meal in a "skillet" or possibly a box meal with an added word. The original poster might be able to elaborate. It looks like the kind of meal I prefer not to prepare as I like all of my cooking from scratch. I have had the odd box meal when I was traveling some years ago but it's not really my thing.
http://www.amazon.com/Annies-Homegrown-Organic-Stroganoff-6-5-Ounce/dp/B000Y2CI9U
SarNavSaysStraight,I am guessing it's a meal in a "skillet" or possibly a box meal with an added word. The original poster might be able to elaborate. It looks like the kind of meal I prefer not to prepare as I like all of my cooking from scratch. I have had the odd box meal when I was traveling some years ago but it's not really my thing.
Shimus
Veteran
I still eat "Boxed meals" (Complete meals is their title here) they come with precanned fillings, and all the ingredients needed to prepare a casserole like final product. They're kind of nasty but in a pinch they are cheap and often handed out.
I used those and ramen a lot to get by and little and less money. I also like to prepare my meals from scratch so the idea of premades is ugh to me. But unfortunately some of us aren't allowed a choice in the matters.
I used those and ramen a lot to get by and little and less money. I also like to prepare my meals from scratch so the idea of premades is ugh to me. But unfortunately some of us aren't allowed a choice in the matters.
OhioTom76
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I have started to occasionally make Rice A Roni once in a while. I hadn't eaten it in decades up until about a year ago, and had forgotten that they were pretty good. They're really not that bad, especially if you add some fresh meat and fresh or frozen vegetables to them to give them more substance. In addition, one small box makes a really large pan of finished product - I have to use the largest frying pan that I have to make it, and it nearly fills up the whole pan. I usually get the chicken one, then add some cut up chicken tenders that I've sauteed already in the same pan, along with some frozen mixed veggies or frozen broccoli and carrots towards the end for some color and nutrition. Then I top it off with a big sprinkle of parmesan or romano cheese. They're very filling.
The other thing is you can make many of these boxed meals with simple pantry ingredients that you already have. For example, you can make a simple creamy chicken sauce to go over pasta with just some cream cheese, chicken broth, butter and parmesan cheese all simmered together in a pan until everything incorporates and thickens into a rich sauce. Alfredo is just heavy cream, butter and parmesan. Even if you simply keep some chicken and or beef bullion on hand, a few sprinkles of that along with some butter and a little water plus maybe some corn starch is all you need to make the "sauce" that many of these skillet box recipes create.
Initially I thought this thread was about those frozen skillet meals that come in bags at your grocery store. My folks love them, but I can't get past the fact that they are basically just frozen TV dinners re-packaged in bags instead of serving trays. One of those bagged meals is just basically the equivalent of two TV dinners in a bag.
The other thing is you can make many of these boxed meals with simple pantry ingredients that you already have. For example, you can make a simple creamy chicken sauce to go over pasta with just some cream cheese, chicken broth, butter and parmesan cheese all simmered together in a pan until everything incorporates and thickens into a rich sauce. Alfredo is just heavy cream, butter and parmesan. Even if you simply keep some chicken and or beef bullion on hand, a few sprinkles of that along with some butter and a little water plus maybe some corn starch is all you need to make the "sauce" that many of these skillet box recipes create.
Initially I thought this thread was about those frozen skillet meals that come in bags at your grocery store. My folks love them, but I can't get past the fact that they are basically just frozen TV dinners re-packaged in bags instead of serving trays. One of those bagged meals is just basically the equivalent of two TV dinners in a bag.
DIna00
Veteran
I do use boxed meals - that is if you mean things like rice a roti, knorr pasta mixes, or mac and cheese. I don't use them all the time but when I'm in a hurry I will use one and add some meat or vegetables to it if possible.
When my husband and I were childless I would never in a million years consider using prepackaged boxed foods. I made everything from scratch and thought how can people feed their children that kind of food? Well 5 years later and I'm one of those people! It is really just so simple and convenient when you're in a rush and kids are screaming and husband's hungry.
When my husband and I were childless I would never in a million years consider using prepackaged boxed foods. I made everything from scratch and thought how can people feed their children that kind of food? Well 5 years later and I'm one of those people! It is really just so simple and convenient when you're in a rush and kids are screaming and husband's hungry.
Shimus
Veteran
That's true, convenience often kills the ability to make huge-scale custom dishes, especially if you're the mom tasked with watching all the kids to begin with (unless you sick hubby on them, but good luck with that right?) lol.
I use Mac and Cheese and things like that a fair bit because of ease of cheapness (broke college kid) and Mac and Cheese and Ramen are about two of my staples. Probably will keel over from sodium abuse or the starch may make me walk a straight line very straight legged...
But the box meals I've considered a "True" box meal, we had a Chicken and broccoli insta-casserole. Tasted horrid. But time.
I use Mac and Cheese and things like that a fair bit because of ease of cheapness (broke college kid) and Mac and Cheese and Ramen are about two of my staples. Probably will keel over from sodium abuse or the starch may make me walk a straight line very straight legged...
But the box meals I've considered a "True" box meal, we had a Chicken and broccoli insta-casserole. Tasted horrid. But time.
Lullabelle
Midlands, England
Anything prepared in advance and put in a tray, has a shelf life and can be heated using a microwave cannot be good for you, high levels of fat, salt and sugar. I know there is a big push to make these things healthier because not all working parents have a lot of time to prepare a meal at the end of the day.