Having convenience foods, like those meal-in-a-box dishes, in your pantry is a definite plus when you've got a busy family. Sure, it's convenient to grab a box, mix up the stuff, and have a meal ready, but the expense is really taking a bite out of the family budget.
How can you afford to have your meals conveniently prepared on a tight budget? By creating an inexpensive alternative to those store-bought pre-packaged foods. Stocking your pantry with your own homemade variety of these foods will save you an enormous amount of money and give you the opportunity to choose healthier ingredients to serve your family.
When you walk through your grocery store aisles, you'll be amazed at just how many of those pre-packaged meals can actually be duplicated at home. You can quickly and easily create "easy meal" counterparts in your own kitchen, using a few basic ingredients.
There are several classic dishes that are easily recognizable by most people, and just as easily duplicated. Let's just take a look at a few of these dishes for which you can create a ready-to-go mix that's easy and delicious.
Red Beans and Rice Mix: A traditional Southern dish, you can just add the beans to the cooked mix, or you can add other ingredients to create a real Cajun meal. Consider adding sausage, seafood, ham, chicken, vegetables, and the like to make jambalaya. Anything goes with this mix!
Suggested mix ingredients: 1 cup long grain brown rice, 1 tablespoon dry onion flakes, 1 tablespoon dry celery or celery seed, 1 tablespoon dry green pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 vegetable or chicken flavored bouillon cubes, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, 1/4 cup bacon bits. Of course, this is a suggested dry mix recipe. You'll want to experiment with your own ideas. Cook according to the rice instructions, then add your beans, sauteed vegetables, or whatever other ingredients you choose.
Rice & Roni Mix: This is another classic take on a favorite boxed meal. You can, of course, make this as it is, but adding diced chicken, meat, and vegetables is an option. Use this mix as the jumping-off-point for lots of good one-dish skillet meals.
Suggested mix ingredients: 3/4 cup long grain brown or white rice, 1/4 cup broken spaghetti or vermicelli, 1 tablespoon dry onion, 1/4 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning or a combination of dry thyme and dry sage, 1 tablespoon dry parsley, 3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes or 1 tablespoon powdered bouillon. Again, this is a basic suggestion for a dry mix recipe for a classic dish. Experiment with the flavors and the addition of meats and vegetables to create your own specialty.
Creamy Parmesan Rice Mix: Families need kid-friendly dishes that are quick and easy, as well as delicious and nutritious. This creamy and cheesy mix is possible because you are using powdered milk as opposed to fresh milk. That way, the milk is in the mix, ready to go when you are. Isn't it great to have a ready-to-use mix in the cupboard when your hungry family is relying on you for a quick and hearty dinner?
Suggested mix ingredients: 1 cup long grain brown rice or long grain white rice, 2 teaspoons chicken or vegetable bouillon, 2 tablespoons dry milk powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, dried (in canister) not freshly grated. When you prepare a dish using this mix, you may want to add some diced cooked chicken, and perhaps stir in some frozen sweet green peas just before serving.
The ingredients in the mixes and the cooking instructions for any of these mixes will vary depending on your tastes, availability of ingredients, and the amount of rice in each mix. Taste test your dry mix ingredients as you go. For preparing the meal, just follow your basic method for cooking the amount of rice used, then adding fresh ingredients as you desire.
Once you discover how easy it is to create some of your own boxed dinners at home, you'll want to start experimenting with some of your own ideas, creating your family's favorite dishes. These homemade convenience foods are perfect for expanding by adding meat, chicken, seafood, vegetables, or anything that makes your dish uniquely yours.
Pre-packaged meals are a big help on those busy nights when everyone is coming home after work, school, and all those other activities. Just a couple ready-to-use mixes in your cupboard is all you need to quickly mix up a hot, nutritious meal for your hungry family. Now you don't need to stock up at the grocery store on those expensive boxed dinners. Making your own homemade versions of your family's favorite meals is a shortcut that you can appreciate on a hectic night, not only because it's fast and easy, but because you made it with love... at a fraction of the cost!
How can you afford to have your meals conveniently prepared on a tight budget? By creating an inexpensive alternative to those store-bought pre-packaged foods. Stocking your pantry with your own homemade variety of these foods will save you an enormous amount of money and give you the opportunity to choose healthier ingredients to serve your family.
When you walk through your grocery store aisles, you'll be amazed at just how many of those pre-packaged meals can actually be duplicated at home. You can quickly and easily create "easy meal" counterparts in your own kitchen, using a few basic ingredients.
There are several classic dishes that are easily recognizable by most people, and just as easily duplicated. Let's just take a look at a few of these dishes for which you can create a ready-to-go mix that's easy and delicious.
Red Beans and Rice Mix: A traditional Southern dish, you can just add the beans to the cooked mix, or you can add other ingredients to create a real Cajun meal. Consider adding sausage, seafood, ham, chicken, vegetables, and the like to make jambalaya. Anything goes with this mix!
Suggested mix ingredients: 1 cup long grain brown rice, 1 tablespoon dry onion flakes, 1 tablespoon dry celery or celery seed, 1 tablespoon dry green pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 vegetable or chicken flavored bouillon cubes, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, 1/4 cup bacon bits. Of course, this is a suggested dry mix recipe. You'll want to experiment with your own ideas. Cook according to the rice instructions, then add your beans, sauteed vegetables, or whatever other ingredients you choose.
Rice & Roni Mix: This is another classic take on a favorite boxed meal. You can, of course, make this as it is, but adding diced chicken, meat, and vegetables is an option. Use this mix as the jumping-off-point for lots of good one-dish skillet meals.
Suggested mix ingredients: 3/4 cup long grain brown or white rice, 1/4 cup broken spaghetti or vermicelli, 1 tablespoon dry onion, 1/4 teaspoon garlic, 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning or a combination of dry thyme and dry sage, 1 tablespoon dry parsley, 3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes or 1 tablespoon powdered bouillon. Again, this is a basic suggestion for a dry mix recipe for a classic dish. Experiment with the flavors and the addition of meats and vegetables to create your own specialty.
Creamy Parmesan Rice Mix: Families need kid-friendly dishes that are quick and easy, as well as delicious and nutritious. This creamy and cheesy mix is possible because you are using powdered milk as opposed to fresh milk. That way, the milk is in the mix, ready to go when you are. Isn't it great to have a ready-to-use mix in the cupboard when your hungry family is relying on you for a quick and hearty dinner?
Suggested mix ingredients: 1 cup long grain brown rice or long grain white rice, 2 teaspoons chicken or vegetable bouillon, 2 tablespoons dry milk powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, dried (in canister) not freshly grated. When you prepare a dish using this mix, you may want to add some diced cooked chicken, and perhaps stir in some frozen sweet green peas just before serving.
The ingredients in the mixes and the cooking instructions for any of these mixes will vary depending on your tastes, availability of ingredients, and the amount of rice in each mix. Taste test your dry mix ingredients as you go. For preparing the meal, just follow your basic method for cooking the amount of rice used, then adding fresh ingredients as you desire.
Once you discover how easy it is to create some of your own boxed dinners at home, you'll want to start experimenting with some of your own ideas, creating your family's favorite dishes. These homemade convenience foods are perfect for expanding by adding meat, chicken, seafood, vegetables, or anything that makes your dish uniquely yours.
Pre-packaged meals are a big help on those busy nights when everyone is coming home after work, school, and all those other activities. Just a couple ready-to-use mixes in your cupboard is all you need to quickly mix up a hot, nutritious meal for your hungry family. Now you don't need to stock up at the grocery store on those expensive boxed dinners. Making your own homemade versions of your family's favorite meals is a shortcut that you can appreciate on a hectic night, not only because it's fast and easy, but because you made it with love... at a fraction of the cost!
About the Author:
Ready-to-mix dishes don't have to be expensive. You can make your own varieties of those "boxed" dishes using our Easy Garlic & Butter Rice Mix or our classic verion of Beef-a-Roni using a mix you make yourself. Use your own imagination, add any other ingredients you want, and create a real filling, and inexpensive, meal for your family tonight.
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