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!

*quorn mince! You can also add a veg/meat stock cube to add a bit more flavour. Worcestershire sauce also good!

I just wouldn’t call that cooking from scratch.

Cooking from scratch is chopping onions and not using packs or jars.

And ready made pizzas!

Frozen pizza, frozen mushy peas and frozen pastry. And I have been known to buy the odd fajita kit.

DD is the cook in our house, makes home made pesto etc. The two things she no longer home makes is curry sauce (she insists that made under the Aggra label is better and small Yorkshire puddings (Aunt Bessies are better, apparently

Tinned tomatoes / puree / passata. YEs, I know I can blanche my own and peel the skins and stuff, but seriously, it's cheaper and quicker (and nicer) to buy the tinned stuff

I make shortcrust pastry but buy puff pastry (as does Mary Berry)

sevendown was that meant for me?
Those things I listed are the 10% of things i don't cook from scratch. The packet mash or rice is usually to accompany a frozen Cook meal I might have once a month or so. I always avoided them before but they're fine if you really don't have time to stand over a hob.

Garlic puree, I hadn't thought of, but I hate crushing garlic and picking the bits out so I might try it.

I don't actually mind chopping onions!

George yep dd was cooking properly from scratch at 11, using recipe books.

She was a more adventurous eater though and interested in discovering new dishes. DS1 needs more of a push. Will coach him a bit over the holidays I think.

Part of the problem is he'd rather eat sandwiches, toast or porridge than most cooked meals except pizza... He's happy to make everyone sandwiches, toast or porridge

Stock. Life is waaaaay to short to roast bones and veg, boil, reduce, strain etc etc so I buy Knorr stockpots.

Pastry. I’ve got ‘hot hands’ so i’m completely useless at making it.

Chickpeas/ kidney beans/ butter beans. Again, life’s to short to soak, boil, refresh, chill etc etc.

Mayonnaise.

Ice cream.

Bolognaise- slow cook, start on the hob and then put in oven on low for 2hrs. Just makes it much nicer.
I chop 2 onions, 2 carrots and garlic in a food processor, sometimes celery if I have it. Cook in olive oil for 10mins. Then add tomato purée and cook that with them. Add two tins chopped tomato and one tin water and a stock cube and bay leaf.
Brown off 500g mince and sometimes break up ( squeeze out of skins) a few sausages and brown them too. add to veg/ tomato mix and then sometimes use a glass of red wine to get bits off meat pan and add that.
Then oven for 2hrs.

In terms of what I don't do from scratch- have just started having frozen chopped herbs and shallots, ginger and garlic but as back up- so still do fresh.
Things like pizza- I buy ready made.
Puff pastry keep frozen.

I don't have children so have more time that most PPs.
I sometimes use dried pasta (the Tesco tri-colour one) and sliced bread, but usually make my own.
I tend to have frozen chips, pizzas, some kind of veggie burger in the freezer to make if I'm sick or exceptionally tired, but feel like I should be making more of these myself and freezing in advance for such emergencies.
I was able to get pre-sliced frozen mushrooms in the Tesco where I used to live. They were great and cheaper than fresh mushrooms! I can't get them here though.
The frozen chips there was also cheaper than potatoes but that's not the case here.
I used pre-made jams, chutney etc but would like to learn to make those too

I usually have those packets of microwave rice in as a quick alternative to faffing around with a pan of water

I have one of these instead of both the above scenarios: www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/all-gadgets---utensils/sistema-microwave-rice-steamer

I buy puff pastry.
Spice mixes (although I do sometimes make my own up as I need them).
Tomato ketchup, brown sauce, vinegar, soy, all that kind of stuff.
Marigold stock powder.
Tinned tomatoes.
I used to buy tinned beans like chickpeas but haven't since I bought an Instant pot pressure cooker. I still buy tinned kidney beans as I haven't yet found them dried.

Sacla pesto (the chargrilled aubergine one is amazing)

Yes yes yes

I never make from scratch pesto and the sacla aubergine one is divine.

Not what you are looking for, but gravy from scratch is really easy and so much better than Bisto!

But what if you wan bangers and mash with gravy? How do you make gravy if not from bisto?!

I always buy thai green or red curry pastes - way cheaper and no worse than any I male myself.

I usually indian curry sauce jars - I bloody love a pataks balti - tastes just like 'English Indian takeaways'.

Filo and puff pastry. The turkish supermarket near me has about 36 differnet kinds of ready made filo.

Frozen ginger and garlic.

Stock cubes/pots.

Several people have listed tins of beans as a short cut - that is an ingredient in my eyes!

Spice mixes (although I do sometimes make my own up as I need them)

I make up my own spice mixes because I have a stupidly large stock of all standard (and not so standard) 'single'spices so makes sense to do my own batches of fajita seasoning, ras al hanout etc

Another one for garlic puree - I find it doesn't have that 'raw' garlic taste and it's much harder to burn too, which is great.

Frozen spinach, which comes in wee balls and can just be dropped into sauces, etc.

I'm a huge fan of curry pastes. Also pesto and sundried tomato puree. I use ready-made puff pastry and pre-cooked puy lentils, which just makes anything with lentils much quicker and easier. Marigold stock. Frozen chips but we don't really eat chips, they're there for exceptionally lazy days.

I make my own soup except tomato soup, which must be Heinz cream of tomato.

I cook from scratch most days but I use stock cubes, gravy powder, mixed herbs, frozen chopped onions, tinned tomatoes, tinned chickpeas/kidney beans etc

Usually have frozen pizza, instant mash, microwave rice etc in the house for running late/not feeling well - i like having a back up!

I love those pouches of rice...i can never cook rice properly! Always comes out mushy and gross no matter how many different methods i try it! I just add my own veggies and seasonings...

I make my own soup except tomato soup, which must be Heinz cream of tomato

This is me too. I once made a massive batch of my own tomato soup using my own home grown tomatoes and it was so disappointing!

I'm a pretty good cook but there loads I don't make from scratch.
-hummus. I've tried to make it many, many times. Soaked peas, tinned ones, jarred ones, tahini, no tahini, more garlic, less garlic, more lemon, removing the shell fro the chicken peas. .....Every shop bought one I've ever bough has been better than every homemade attempt!

• stock, ice cream, baked beans. Just can't be bothered.
• Fish fingers. Kids prefer birds eye anyway.
• Chutneys and jams

-All condiments, mayonnaise, ketchup, mint sauce etc.

• Aldi do a Tomato and Mascapone jar of sauce that the kids love.
• Guacamole. I used to make it when we used to buy very cheap, very ripe avocados from the market but I can't be bothered now.

Probably more that i've forgotten about!

Yes to rice too. Microwave rice all the way after many failed attempts to cook it better failed.

Puff Pasty
Stock

Tinned tomato’s for sauce
Tinned chick peas for Hummus
Tinned mixed beans in water for a bean bake.
Tinned tuna

I go through loads of tinned tomatoes.

I bought a bag of frozen chopped onions when I'd had my hysterectomy*. And frozen mushrooms.

• I realise this sounds a bit Victoria Wood

Curry sauce and jams/ chutneys are the only things I don't make. Also chips.

I make Bolognese, cheese sauce, stuffing, gravy, cranberry jelly, guacamole, etc.