Lock in flavor, freshness and nutrients with frozen foods
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of American Frozen Foods Institute and the Frozen Food Roundtable for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
I have a love/hate relationship with cooking. I love eating delicious foods but I hate the time it takes to shop, create and cook meals.
Don’t get me wrong, I do cook from scratch as much as possible but there are days that I just don’t have the time or energy to cook that way. That is when I turn to convenient foods from my grocer’s aisles.
I keep my freezer fully stocked with frozen foods from my favorite brands.I have frozen foods for my entire family to enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. I also keep a lot of frozen vegetables on hand. As much as I love fresh fruits and vegetables it’s not always possible to keep them long for as long as I need to. Usually I purchase them from the farm when I need them so that they don’t spoil before I have a chance to use them. The last thing I want to do is toss out food. Sometimes there is no question between fresh vs frozen. Frozen is often better.
I like the convenience of having a pre-made meal ready to go for my family – or myself – simply by tossing it in the oven or microwave to warm up.
I recently started back to work. I’m still getting used to getting up, getting ready and heading out the door by a specific time. As a result I haven’t had much time to make myself a breakfast like I normally would prior to working outside of the home. Before I would make myself omelets, pancakes from scratch or a big bowl of oatmeal. I could get up earlier but frankly I like my sleep.
My kids are infamous for eating on the go, especially on school mornings. I’ve looked to them for on-the-go breakfast ideas.
Both of my kids LOVE to make waffles “sandwiches”. They take a couple of frozen waffles from the freezer (like Kellogg’s Eggo waffles), heat them up in the toaster, then smear a hazelnut spread or peanut butter and jelly on the waffles and enjoy them as a “sandwich”. It’s quick, easy, tasty and filling. I have to say that the waffles with hazelnut spread is a new favorite of mine.
My family loves breakfast sandwiches (eggs, cheese, sausage or ham on a biscuit or muffin). They are delicious but sometimes take a lot of time to put together. Especially because we currently have a two slice toaster (our four slice toaster stopped working so we’re using out two slice spare). Trying to make breakfast sandwiches for four people at one time with a two slice toaster is easier said then done.
Hillshire’s Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches are a great alternative. Jimmy Dean’s Delights Whole Grain English Muffins with Turkey Sausage, Cheese and Egg Whites not only taste amazing they also have only 250 calories which is probably a lot less then the ones I normally make.
Speaking of Hillshire’s Jimmy Dean you MUST try the Turkey Sausage Crostini using fully cooked Hearty Sausage Crumbles found in your grocer’s freezer section. My family went crazy for these! They are SO GOOD! You can find the recipe here - Delicious Sausage Crostini Recipe (please note that the giveaway is over).
Sausage Crostini made with Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles(/caption) Now that I back at work I need some lunch options to keep me full and hold me over until dinner time.
Stopping by our local deli is one option (they make a fabulous Italian combo) but it can get very expensive. Plus I don’t often have the time in the morning to stop by the deli to pick up lunch.
I do buy cold cuts to make sandwiches at home to bring from work, but that gets “boring” sometimes. I like to enjoy a variety of lunch options.
My favorite “go-to” lunches are Heinz’s Weight Watcher’s Smart Ones. They come in dozens of varieties and each one is perfectly proportioned for one. I don’t have have to worry about lugging around left over dishes. I just grab one of the meals, toss it in my bag and off to work I go. Then at work I just have to pop it in the microwave for around 5 minutes and I have a hot, delicious meal.
My favorite Heinz’s Weight Watchers meals are Three Cheese Ziti, Vegetable Lasagna and Meat Lasagna. Of course the Smart Ones desserts are a nice treat too. I keep several on hand in my freezer. I like to stock up on them when they are on sale too. Just recently I purchased them for around $1.88 each. Try buying lunch from a local restaurant, deli or pizza place for $1.88.
I have a Nestlé Lean Cuisine meal in my freezer too. I think that is what I’m going to have for lunch tomorrow. It’s Apple Cranberry Chicken. It sounds SO GOOD!
I’m not the only one who lives a variety of lunch options. My kids to too. They are home most of the time this summer since I am working and they can’t go anywhere without their “ride” (me!).
My kids are typical teens – lazy! When it comes to making lunch when I’m not home they usually take the easy route (PB&J or a bowl of cereal). This is why I like to give them options that they can put in the microwave and not have to worry about bothering with the stove.
Both of my kids love the products made by Kellogg’s Morning Star Farm brand. Their foods are made without any meat products. Plus they are low in calories, fat and have no cholesterol. They have the option of cooking them in the microwave or the oven. They tend to use the microwave because it’s quicker and easier.
I like to crumble the Turk’y burger into a salad. I’ve also made it for breakfast along side some scrambled eggs in place of a sausage.
My teenage son will eat us out of house and home if things did not come in portion controlled sizes. Offering him frozen meals options like the Morning Star Farms products, or frozen meals such as Smart Ones helps to control his portions so he doesn’t over eat.
Fresh foods are fantastic, but frozen foods are equally as good. Think of the freezing process as nature’s “pause button”.
There are benefits of frozen foods.
Most foods products that you find in your grocer’s frozen food aisle are made from real ingredients incorporated into real recipes. They are cooked or baked then quickly frozen to lock in their freshness. It’s the same flavor and nutrients from meals you create on your own. Frozen. How Fresh Stays Fresh
Frozen foods are quick and convenient for busy families. They also allow you to try out foods and recipes you might not otherwise be able to cook on your own. I love that you can find frozen foods in a variety of ethnic recipes too.
Frozen foods are also a good way to keep track of what you eat. Each one is labeled with nutritional content and calories. If you are looking to watch what you eat and control your weight it’s easier to read a box then weight and measure things.
You can also “jazz up” any frozen meal by adding your own ingredients or side sides.
How do you incorporate frozen foods into your family’s life? Do you have any favorite “go-to” products or meals? How does frozen foods make your life easier? Feel free to share your thoughts. I always love to hear from readers.
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