By Lisa

Here it is, the list of the things I have come to rely on in the last month for fast meals. I have never stocked or relied on so many frozen things, and even now, I don’t think I have enough, but my erratic schedule, deadlines, and many evening events have meant a lot of paring back.

Because I haven’t been to the farmers market much lately, and when I have the fruit has been largely last fall’s apples and loads of citrus, I’ve bought a lot of frozen fruit. Between our orange tree and the following list, we’ve avoided scurvy:

  • frozen mango
  • frozen blueberries (eaten nearly daily for breakfast)
  • frozen mixed berries
  • frozen pineapple (used largely in smoothies)
  • frozen chocolate covered bananas (a treat, yes, and full of sugar, yes, but also a banana for dessert. could be worse)
  • frozen edamame (for snacks, lunches, side dishes with storebought sushi)
  • frozen french fries
  • frozen green peas (kids hate these, but I use them for somethings)
  • frozen corn (K & I eat this on herbed pizza dough w/red peppers)

Sadly, I’m the only one who will  eat garden burgers, but I’ve kept on hand:

  • frozen middle eastern flatbread (nothing beats falafel mix for a quick dinner)
  • Frozen, breaded, pre-cooked tilapia (great for fish sandwiches, crumbled for fish tacos, or eaten whole with fish and chips)
  • Frozen pre-cooked, batter-fried cod (see above, I don’t buy this oftens since it’s less sustainable than the tilapia)
  • frozen pie shells (quiche can nearly make itself, and it keeps well & can be served at room temperature)
  • frozen, pre-cooked sausages (great baked with apples and potatoes. Mess free and fast.)
  • frozen crab cakes
  • frozen ravioli (even easier if you just serve with butter and cheese)
  • lots of breads: tortillas (for fast bean and cheese tacos); pizza dough (for fast pizza); hamburger buns (for fish sandwiches or panelle); italian bread (because sometimes just a little bit of warm garlic bread makes a boring spaghetti more palatable)

I’ve made other fast things, too, and as you can see–not a whole lot of range in ingredients, but from one kind of fish, I can get three different kinds of meals. We survived.

I’d love to know what frozen foods you rely on. What do you love? Your family? What’s healthiest, fastest, most satisfying? What do you splurge on?