How often (if you do) do you serve prepackaged foods?

Liz342 · March 2011

As in, a side dish like boxed pasta/mac and cheese or rice type thing. I always see on here that people say they don't serve these or try not to. I would say maybe twice a week we will eat something like this as a side dish. I was feeling guilty as I pulled one of those new Kraft "Homemade" mac and cheese things out of the cupboard for dinner tonight. We're having chicken and green beans and will have that as a side. Don't get me wrong, I make home made mac and cheese all the time but usually when it's a main dish.

These types of foods come into play for us usually when I make something like a meat and then we have a veggie and need a side dish. Sometimes I will do baked potatoes, homemade french fries or something like that but often it's a boxed thing. It's easier to do without these when I make a pasta dish or a one dish meal like a stir fry or something but when I need a side, it's often prepackaged.

I feel a little guilty but since I cook a lot of things from scratch and make sure every meal is balanced I am trying not to feel as gulity. I guess I just want to know who else out there is with me? Or am I alone?

FirefightersBride · March 2011

i totally use these! Not all the time, I mean I will, a lot of times, try and make a dish that's an all in one type meal, but what's wrong with making these ready to go type sides? When you have a 20mo son who's into everything, i don't have time to make 10 things for dinner and make sure he's not sitting on the dog again.

AshleyEric609 · March 2011

I'd say that I do it about two times a week too. I used to do it more but then DD started eating with us and I try to feed her healthier things.

Of course, now that I'm pregnant its rare I cook dinner at all.

tabi_ja · March 2011

Wow. I feel like the bad mom on the block now. We eat packaged food a lot more often than twice a week. More like, once a day. . .

Stacyc625 · March 2011

I wouldn't feel guilty at all.

Especially if its just side dishes. Nothing wrong with that.

I use a lot of packaged side dishes- usually flavored rices- because DH loves them. I think they are meh. Gisele loves mac and cheese now (finally) and I buy boxed mac and cheese. I don't feel guilty about that stuff-

I don't do the whole prepackaged dinners in a box- that stuff (in my opinion) is ridiculously expensive and usually tastes like crap.

lms_bride · March 2011

I don't use a lot of prepackaged side dishes. The only thing that is prepackaged that I serve regularly is Kraft Mac 'n Cheese (probably once/week for lunch). Don't beat yourself up though, it's not the end of the world! It sounds like overall you have a good balance of foods that you prepare for your family.

HarrietNJMommy · March 2011

I CAN make quick stovetop mac n cheese, but my kids won't eat it. They will only eat the boxed stuff and are picky with that too.......UGH.

Once a week I'll make them Annie's mac n cheese.......

eaglesfan700 · March 2011

Probably like 2x a week, I wouldn't feel guilty!

I also keep some Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones on hand for days when I don't feel like making lunch for myself

jaemiller · March 2011

don't feel guilty at all!!! I use prepackaged foods atleast twice a week.......you do whatcha gotta do! Some days are better than others and everyone is still alive:) You are NOT alone!

dantemedema · March 2011

Does everyone use Kraft? Anyone using Annies or another organic alternative?

Liz342 · March 2011

tabi_ja:
Wow. I feel like the bad mom on the block now. We eat packaged food a lot more often than twice a week. More like, once a day. . .

Ok, if we're counting every meal, I do packaged stuff a lot more than 2 x a week. I was thinking mostly, like the side dish type ones for dinner.

Today both of my LOs had chicken nuggets (frozen and cooked in microwave), and easy mac. (they also had string cheese and grapes). And everyday for breakfast DD has either those microwavable pancakes or instant oatmeal. Ok, now I feel even worse! Haha

JaysonandKristin · March 2011

I don't use any prepackaged foods.

I am a CRAZY baker/chef. I LOVE cooking from scratch. I'm not above it, DH LOVES him some rice pilaf, and he'll request some RiceARoni every once in awhile.

Liz342 · March 2011

dantemedema:
Does everyone use Kraft? Anyone using Annies or another organic alternative?

(When I'm not making homemade) we have the kraft dinner things or sometimes velveeta shells and cheese as a side dish. Sometimes we have regular kraft mac and cheese or easy mac for lunch. I'd like to try the organic options but try to keep our grocery budget as low as possible and usually the Annie's ones are expensive.

lbaby08 · March 2011

I don't use any pre-packaged food regularly but that is mainly because I always think I can make it from scratch cheaper. However, I LOVE Rice-a-Roni and always request that it be shipped to us whenever someone sends a care package.

My MIL serves those microwavable frozen vegetables with sauce or pasta/rice with sauce packages almost every meal. We get burnt out on them when we visit!

mandymack · March 2011

Let's see...

We love oven-baking frozen tator tots once a week, Emily gets oven-baked chicken nuggets or fish sticks once a week and she'll ONLY eat Kraft Mac'n cheese once a week, and we have dried pastas/buns once a week so, about 4 servings per week, over the course of 15 meals.

Jerseygirl16 · March 2011

I definitely rely on these to round out our meals. More in the winter months than the summer since we tend to do more grilling and fresh veggie sides in the warm weather but I'd be lost without my boxed helpers!

Daisy77 · March 2011

We do prepackaged sides quite a bit. Kraft Mac and cheese for lunch sometimes.

I just have no desire to go all Rachael Ray and find my inner chef. Maybe someday when getting a meal on the table doesn't require playing referee at the same time:)

foreverMorgan · March 2011

We probably do pre-packaged once, maybe twice, a week. I buy Kraft Mac 'n' Cheese, Stuffing, and I'll buy Birds Eye or Green Giant pasta and veggie frozen sides that I will give to the kids for lunch on occasion.

babypuplove · March 2011

I make Annie's organic mac 'n' cheese a few times a month, but DD will eat homemade just as easily and it's simple to make, so we usually do that. Otherwise, we don't really do any prepackaged food for meals. I do buy a lot of snack foods that are prepackaged (Annie's fruity bunnies, organic Sesame Street bars, letter cookies and graham crackers from TJ's, etc), but that's about it.

I use plain boxed dried pasta and add my own sauces, etc. I don't ever buy flavored pasta or rice.

I'm by no means a gourmet cook, but I do make most things from scratch.

passar3588 · March 2011

HarrietNJMommy:

I CAN make quick stovetop mac n cheese, but my kids won't eat it. They will only eat the boxed stuff and are picky with that too.......UGH.

Once a week I'll make them Annie's mac n cheese.......

This. My kids eat boxed mac and cheese once a week for lunch. I've made homemade mac and cheese countless times and they won't eat it. They will only eat the Kraft in the box. I've even tried the boxed organic Annie's and they won't eat that.

Doesn't bother me at all. I cook from scratch a lot so I don't feel guilty about it at all!

MainelyFoolish · March 2011

I used packaged/convenience foods regularly, probably an average of one per day. I don't like to cook. This week's dinner plans include things like frozen waffle fries, cornbread from a packaged mix, frozen broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken breasts, and Wanchai Ferry frozen orange chicken (not all on the same day). Sure it would be better and probably cheaper to make everything from scratch but that just isn't going to happen in my house.

MainelyFoolish · March 2011

TobeMrs.Shavers:

dried pastas/buns once a week so

You count dried pasta and grocery store bread as convenience food? Really?

In that case, pretty much everything I eat would count as a convenience food. I do not make bread and pasta from scratch. I also buy most of my vegetables frozen. And my ice cream comes in a cardboard container. Etc, etc.

Mrs.Hizzo · March 2011

rmj80:
MainelyFoolish:
TobeMrs.Shavers:

dried pastas/buns once a week so

You count dried pasta and grocery store bread as convenience food? Really?

In that case, pretty much everything I eat would count as a convenience food. I do not make bread and pasta from scratch. I also buy most of my vegetables frozen. And my ice cream comes in a cardboard container. Etc, etc.

anything that isn't a packaged whole ingredient, is considered a prepackaged food. it doesn't mean it's all bad for you, or you shouldn't use it...that's just how food items are defined.

plain frozen veggies is not considered prepackaged, frozen veggies with sauce added is

bread and dried pasta are prepackaged because they are a composition of more than one whole ingredient. i.e. pasta is eggs and flour; bread is eggs, milk, flour and leavener.

Well, based on this definition, we eat pre-packaged food daily, multiple times. I don't bake my own bread, we always use dried pasta, I buy yogurt, use purchased canned tomatoes all the time, etc.

The stuff I really consider "pre-packaged" are things like mac n' cheese, frozen chicken nuggets, frozen waffles, that sort of thing. And we I do serve those several times a week.

matt&steph · March 2011

This week they are on the menu two times. Last night I made tater tots as one of the sides and on Friday we are having frozen pizza for our main dish at dinner. I don't feel guilty. I always try to have balance. Last night when I made the tater tots we had it with baked chisken, string beans, and salad. Friday when we have the pizza I will serve it with a salad with lots of veggies.

Liz342 · March 2011

Mrs.Hizzo:
rmj80:
MainelyFoolish:
TobeMrs.Shavers:

dried pastas/buns once a week so

You count dried pasta and grocery store bread as convenience food? Really?

In that case, pretty much everything I eat would count as a convenience food. I do not make bread and pasta from scratch. I also buy most of my vegetables frozen. And my ice cream comes in a cardboard container. Etc, etc.

anything that isn't a packaged whole ingredient, is considered a prepackaged food. it doesn't mean it's all bad for you, or you shouldn't use it...that's just how food items are defined.

plain frozen veggies is not considered prepackaged, frozen veggies with sauce added is

bread and dried pasta are prepackaged because they are a composition of more than one whole ingredient. i.e. pasta is eggs and flour; bread is eggs, milk, flour and leavener.

Well, based on this definition, we eat pre-packaged food daily, multiple times. I don't bake my own bread, we always use dried pasta, I buy yogurt, use purchased canned tomatoes all the time, etc.

The stuff I really consider "pre-packaged" are things like mac n' cheese, frozen chicken nuggets, frozen waffles, that sort of thing. And we I do serve those several times a week.

This. Exactly.

babypuplove · March 2011

Liz342:
Mrs.Hizzo:
rmj80:
MainelyFoolish:
TobeMrs.Shavers:

dried pastas/buns once a week so
You count dried pasta and grocery store bread as convenience food? Really?
In that case, pretty much everything I eat would count as a convenience food. I do not make bread and pasta from scratch. I also buy most of my vegetables frozen. And my ice cream comes in a cardboard container. Etc, etc.
anything that isn't a packaged whole ingredient, is considered a prepackaged food. it doesn't mean it's all bad for you, or you shouldn't use it...that's just how food items are defined.
plain frozen veggies is not considered prepackaged, frozen veggies with sauce added is
bread and dried pasta are prepackaged because they are a composition of more than one whole ingredient. i.e. pasta is eggs and flour; bread is eggs, milk, flour and leavener.
Well, based on this definition, we eat pre-packaged food daily, multiple times. I don't bake my own bread, we always use dried pasta, I buy yogurt, use purchased canned tomatoes all the time, etc.
The stuff I really consider "pre-packaged" are things like mac n' cheese, frozen chicken nuggets, frozen waffles, that sort of thing. And we I do serve those several times a week.
This. Exactly.

Same, except we don't really do frozen chicken nuggets or anything like that. I do like frozen whole wheat waffles from TJ's.

When I read the OP's question, I was thinking more along the lines of Kraft mac 'n' cheese and Riceroni, which we don't eat in this house.

juliane2004 · March 2011

EVERY SINGLE DAY. Every day, one of DD's meals is a Gerber Toddler Meal where you microwave it, and it has veggies & pasta or something like that.

I don't feel guilty at ALL, since I don't make veggies otherwise so this is how she gets her veggies.

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