If you mainly cook from scratch, what ready-made stuff do you use?

[masterstef]

I cook about 90% of my meals from scratch (no, I don't make my own sausages, bake my own bread, make my own pasta or smoke my own salmon but you know what I mean).
Generally I think it tastes loads better but since having kids I have resorted to microwave rice, pre-made mashed potato, pre-prepared meat and potatoes on the odd occasion.

I've even made my own hummous in the past (not particularly worth it except if weaning) and guacamole (totally worth it)

However, I've always used some stuff from jars, like:
Dolmio bolognese sauce (always thought it was full of crap but it's not, only quite sugary)
Sacla pesto (the chargrilled aubergine one is amazing)
Ambrosia custard/rice pudding (I did make my own custard when I lived abroad and it was lush, but no time for that now)
Stuffing from a packet
Bisto gravy (would love to make my own gravy one day)
Spice Tailor curry kits
The odd stir-fry sauce although my own one is awesome, just a bit time-consuming

That's about it, I think, but would be interested in other shortcuts that work well!

[Birdinthetree]

Puff pastry, jams and chutneys, spice pastes, gluten free bread.

[Weenurse]

My girls started cooking at 7 and 8. Same meal every week initially, then branching out. Number 1 did chops with French onion soup mix, pillowed in alfoil and cooked low for an hour with baked spuds and salad. Advantage was she could prepare it and put in the oven for an hour and get on with her day.
Daughter number 2 did spag bol with garlic bread and salad.
Both are good cooks now.
We have had a chore chart on the kitchen door since then with everyone’s night to cook listed. Even though they are grown now.
I buy pastry, gravy and pasta and jams and biscuits.

[BillyWilliamTheThird]

Filo pastry, Quorn nuggets and fillets for emergency meals, oven chips ditto. Usually have a jar of curry paste - never sauce, I make my own - knocking about.

I've never made jam as I deffo cba with the mess. I make my own hummus, pastry, pesto, yoghurt and bread though as they're (a) cheaper and (b) part of our effort to use less plastic. I have attempted making my own sausages, but it was NOT a success. And I occasionally make our own fruit squashes too - so much nicer than shop bought. But I do like cooking though...

[Moomicorn]

Aivar
Tinned potatoes for quick sauté potatoes
Plain cooked rice for quick fried rice

[TryingtobePrepared]

octopurus the naydia bake me a story book is great dd7 does a mean goats cheese and red onion tart and her flapjack are pretty good. It has some good short cuts but the recipes are really well written for a child to follow.

[octopusrus]

Thanks for your replies! Lots of good ideas, thank you. Got him peeling and chopping veg for their dinner tonight which he seemed pleased with so will start with cookbook shopping next 👍

[blueskiesandforests]

Sorry, so many typos in my post and you haven't said whether DC is DS or DD, I just projected. Hope it still makes sense!

[blueskiesandforests]

This is one of the ones we have:

usborne.com/browse-books/catalogue/product/1/2145/first-cookbook/

[blueskiesandforests]

My youngest is 7 and has started cooking this holiday Octopusrus - I guilty realised that DD is a bloody good cook already but I've let it slide with dc2 and 3, which is doubly bad because they are boys.

Dc1 made strawberry tarts (including a sweet, biscuity flan case like shortbread) a few days ago, and dc3 made pancakes yesterday and profiteroles today! I've never even made profiteroles myself but he chose them from a kids cook book.

I'm doing with the boys what I did with DD years ago and letting them choose a recipe, then we shop for ingredients and they cook it. It doesn't matter if it's sweet recipe at first.

Once you can follow a recipe and by following recipes have learnt basic methods (what it means to grease a tin, how to separate eggs, what gold means as opposed to beat, what the names of kitchen equipment are, weights and measures etc) you can experiment and improvise, but essentially the first thing is to follow a receipe.

A good kids wipe clean spiral bound, illustrated step by step children's cook book is invaluable, we have 3, one is Usborne, one is old, and one is not in English... We also have some Usborne baking cards.

Let your Ds browse a good children's cook book and pick a recipe.

[mathanxiety]

Start with something like couscous salad, Octopusrus.

There are lots of recipes online.

[OneEpisode]

octopusrus it doesn’t matter what they cook as long as they enjoy the first experience. Making pasta is easy but takes ages so I wouldn’t recommend that. You want quick payback Something like a salad they’d enjoy eating- Waldorf if they like the components? Or cookies where the mix of ingredients (nuts, cranberries, choc is up to them.

[hallamoo]

Any recipes for making veggie gravy from scratch?

[octopusrus]

Can anyone recommend any first recipes for a totally new 9yo cook? I've been a bit lax with letting the DC help as it always takes so much longer and I'm scared they'll cut/burn themselves, but I need to get over it and get them cooking!! Youngest is still a bit young but I'd love some help or tips in getting the 9yo started.

[Hizz]

I mostly cook from scratch.
I no longer bake so buy muffins and biscuits.
I only make bread occasionally.
My main cheats are; frozen garlic puree, frozen Yorkshire puddings, stuffing mix and jars of curry sauce.
I don't often cook meatballs but discovered the supermarket ready made ones are good quality and save a lot of faff.
I can make curry but it's never great and not worth the effort.

[DollyDayScream]

I couldn't cope without a tablespoon of bistro gravy for thickening up my own thin gravy.

Good quality pasta sauce, plus veg, pulses, pasta and stock make a good quick cheats minestrone.

Pancakes, I can't be arsed making them because I don't like them much myself so I buy the chilled ones as an occasional breakfast treat for the kids.

[maxelly]

I like ready made packets of ravioli/tortellini with fresh pasta, delicious and so quick. I can and have made my own fresh egg pasta and filling but the mess, he rolling, cutting, crimping, too much effort normally! Also regularly use oven chips, ready made hummus and dips, occasionally ready rice, very rarely make my own bread or pastry (only for a special occasion). I love to cook from scratch but am absolutely not snobby about prepared foods, they really aren't the devil and make life so much easier! Read The Angry Chef blog for more on this...

The secret to a good Bolognese sauce is a long slow cook after you've added the tomatos/liquid. So many recipes say you can eat after 10 mins or simmering but although it's technically edible then it's 100x better after at least an hours gentle simmering, and IMO better still if you cook, chill overnight and eat the next day! I add a pinch of sugar, dash of Worcester sauce and plenty of seasoning (to taste) before cooking also...

[serbska]

I made gnocci once - never again. Same for pasta! Total waste of my time.

[PaulMorel]

Puff pastry or the spice paste is the usual thing.

[1frenchfoodie]

Puff pasty, sometimes even shortcrust. Baked beans, gnocchi and bisto gravy - I make my own gravy with roasts but use packet if If I am doing for e,g sausages and want onion gravy. Pasta too, I make ravioli from time to time but I’m not about to produce my own spaghetti.

[QueenOfMyWorld]

Frozen fresh chilli
Frozen chopped onions

[serbska]

Oh also sometimes I use the dried risotto mix from Waitrose (either saffron or mushroom) because it genuinely is ready in 12 mins although despite what the pack says you do still have to stir it.

Oh and another shirt cut - sometimes I use the packs of couscous with flavourings already rather than using normal couscous and adding my own.

[RiceandBeans]

I find it doesn't have that 'raw' garlic taste and it's much harder to burn too, which is great

I've found that all the pre-minced/pureed garlic/ginger stuff tastes a bit tinny - or not fresh, at any rate.

I just bung a whole head of garlic in the oven every now & again. Bakes it into lusciously sweet squeezable cloves. Gorgeous - if it weren't for the fact that I work closely with other, I'd use it as a spread on toast. I

[ASatisfyingThump]

I use pre-made mash, jars of pasta sauce, instant gravy, stock cubes and pre-crushed garlic. I also buy regular bread but like a pp will sometimes make a loaf if I fancy it. DS2 literally can't be left alone for more than two bloody minutes right now, so any shortcut is worth it to me!

[Justinonmybroomstick]

I hadn't even considered that tinned beans and tomatoes aren't 'from-scratch' ingredients!

Nor did I but this is MN afterall.

[masterstef]

I hadn't even considered that tinned beans and tomatoes aren't 'from-scratch' ingredients! But I definitely use them. I admit to frozen Yorkshire puddings too.