convenience food that you've only recently discovered

[startingtolooklikemother]

I've only just discovered that you can buy frozen chopped onion, frozen mash and frozen roast potatoes. They honestly have (vaguely) changed my life! What else am I missing out on, what have you discovered.

recently in convenience foods which has (vaguely) changed your life?

Schwartz Biryani and Chilli and Shepherds Pie packets. Reliable spot on flavour every time. Cook double and freeze the extra. Removes all that 'will it won't it' taste lovely worry, also so quick :) [NB not the cottage pie one prefer my own recipe]

Frozen sliced onion, and ready prepared Mediterranean vegetables sold by Waitrose and Sainsburys. Lightly chargrilled, they can be cooked in minutes for a quick pasta or pizza, and save hours of peeling washing and chopping. Also, grated cheese. What a time saver, and it's no dearer than buying a block and then slicing your fingers to shreds on the grater.

Grate butter from frozen for pastry or creaming.

Oxo Herbs and More - they are weird gell things but I just add it and it does wonders.

Sharwoods has a sweet and sour gell thing and that has revolutionised pork chops!

DH has fallen in love with these packets of frozen rice and vegetables - 2 1/2 mins in the microwave - yum.

Frozen peppers! Great value and so useful! I always buy them.

Frozen broad beans. Cheaper than fresh, and easier to peel.

Also frozen okra for curries.

@Rosina, I also love the chargrilled frozen vegetables - you can have a ratatouille on the table in minutes!

Easy, convenient pudding that looks a bit flash:
Ready made sweet pastry case, tin of carnation caramel, 2 x bananas, whipped cream - assemble = banoffee pie!
Also not food but I freeze dregs of tonic into ice cube trays for G&Ts and wedges of lemon & lime that aren't going to last another day.

grated cheese, I dread to think what they treat it with, but it doesn't go mouldy.

lljkk It's potato starch.

Hang on, Nigella's 'pancake mix' that you just have to add egg and milk to? Isn't that just a bag of flour then?

Yes, I was wondering that?

Flour, baking powder and sugar if it's American pancakes. I can't imagine it saves any time or effort at all - I often make her American pancake recipe and it takes no time at all.

I'm not too keen on frozen roast potatoes but I do get the prepared chilled ones in a foil tray. They're fab

Frozen lemon or lime slices are good for g&t.

I got a nutribullet recently and love the of bags frozen berries, carrots, spinach and mango that come in nice little portions from the supermarket. They're perfect as I like the smoothies really cold. I'm definitely going to look out for frozen avocado! That sounds fab!

I also take the packets of spicy Mexican microwave rice to work and mix them with a tin of mackerel in brine for a quick, reasonably healthy (although prob a bit high in salt) lunch. I often don't get more than about 20 mins the whole day so that really keeps me going.

As well as for the nutribullet, I love frozen veg for stews, soups, etc.

Bags of pre-prepared salad: I know they're expensive but they're just so easy and there's no chopping or waste.

Boil in the bag / microwave fish in butter sauce - my DCs love this mixed up in a bowl with mash and peas. Quick, easy and total comfort food.

This thread is ace! Needs to be in classics. Sure I've got more as I'm a right lazy cow

Shamelessly place holding so I can read later. Thank you all!

Tesco white and wild rice with mixed veg. Frozen courgettes.

I used to have a big jar of Nigella's pancake mix and then found Jamie Oliver's pancake recipe from Ministry of Food that was even easier - just mix a cup of flour (plain for crepe-type pancakes, SR for American-style), a cup of milk, an egg, a pinch of sugar and a tablespoon of oil. No pre-planning required.

Frozen garlic, herbs, onions all brilliant.

Frozen avocado has a weird texture when defrosted but is good in guacamole or smoothies.

I've recently discovered the joy of frozen chapattis - you cook them in a dry frying pan and they are delicious.

BUT the best ever are the Waitress frozen breads and pastries. They do baguettes, pains au chocolat, pains aux raisins, and croissants. You stick them in the oven from frozen and in 20 mins they are perfect. Particularly good if you have people staying over and you want to give the impression that you have made a MASSIVE EFFORT with breakfast when in fact all you have done is shove them in the oven.

Iceland do frozen Quinoa and bean mix. It's lovely and I can't see anything unhealthy about it. You stir fry it from frozen. brilliant.

Cauldron do tofu in chunks, which is brilliant for vegetarian stirfrys.

If you like curry, Patak's jars of curry pastes (not sauces) are awesome. Just try onions, garlic and ginger (all frozen), add a couple of dollops of paste, fry for a bit then add meat, then add stock/tinned tons and simmer for a while. Add more frozen veg at the end (peppers, spinach) et voila.

The Patak's pastes work well with coconut milk (instead of evil tinned tomatoes) too.

Get a pressure cooker. It's brilliant for so many things, including pastas and rice (4 min and you have perfectly steamed rice :-)). It's really cut down a lot of cooking time for me.

Ooh coconut milk! Will try that, thanks. (But why are tinned toms evil?)

OK obviously I've not just discovered them but I have just discovered that you can cook potato waffles in the toaster. Total revelation to me!