15 Store-Bought Foods That Make Weeknight Dinners Quicker

Frozen stir-fry veggie bags spare you lots of chopping time, and the Birds Eye Recipe Ready Tri Color Pepper & Onion Blend doesn't come sauced, so you can control the sodium level.

Add cooked chicken or shrimp to refrigerated Cedar's Mediterranean Lentil Salad or Aegean Edamame Salad, and a high-fiber dinner is on the table in less than 10 minutes.

These golden fries deliver full-on sweet potato flavor. With a crisp snap reminiscent of something that's been deep-fried, each baton is a perfectly balanced bite of crunchy exterior and creamy interior.

We love Amy's brand microwavable 6-ounce non-dairy bean and rice burrito or black bean vegetable burrito for a light meal when there's a time crunch.

RiceSelect Royal Blend Light Brown Rice with Quinoa will be on the table in no time, offering a nutritious mix of whole grains like red quinoa and freekeh. What's not to love? Pair with a quick-cooking protein to round out a fast but healthy meal.

Lemony and full of heat with a backbone of cumin, coriander, and cardamom, Archer Farms Vindaloo Simmer Sauce makes a quick meal when paired with pork, beef, or chicken. Coconut milk and butter provide creaminess (and 4g sat fat).

Cooking quick? Whole wheat pastas by Gia Russa, including the sweet potato gnocchi, will be ready in just a few minutes.

Keep boxes of Innovasian Cuisine Chicken Potstickers in your freezer. Build a fast dinner around them with steamed broccoli and rice noodles. They come with a sauce, but you can make your own lower-sodium dipping sauce.

Praised for its pleasant roast chicken flavor and aroma, Swanson Natural Goodness Chicken Broth is fat free and contains 1/3 less sodium compared to its alternatives. This broth will perform well for quick chicken noodle soups, simple pan sauces, as cooking liquid for couscous or rice, or gravy for roasted meats. Full disclosure: This is our Test Kitchen’s go-to option for recipe testing.

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Using Sunshine Organic Black Bean South West Burgers, you can put a meatless meal together in a hurry. What's more, they're low enough in sodium to leave room for whole-grain buns and a little cheese on top.

Combine just the right blend of zesty spices with perfectly cooked organic beans, then wrap it in a soft, chewy flour tortilla, and you get the CedarLane Beans, Rice, and Cheese Style Burrito. Believe it—this low-fat frozen burrito rivals any fast-food competitor (with about half the sodium).

A ton of great veggie flavor without screaming "I am meatless!" The noodles maintain their firmness, the sauce is nicely seasoned, and the veggies (carrots, mushrooms, broccoli) are substantial. Michael Angelo's Vegetable Lasagna is a fantastic weeknight dinner for those with busy schedules.

You're probably thinking, "$9 for a jar of tomato sauce?" Consider, though: Half a jar can feed four people for a dollar-and-change per diner. Rao’s Homemade Tomato Basil Marinara Sauce is very fresh-tasting a balanced mix of fruity olive oil, tomato, and basil. This will work in a recipe―like lasagna―in which you want homemade flavor without the time investment.

See More: Start with a Jar of Pasta Sauce

Your standard steam-in-the-bag bean goes upscale with these haricots verts—like beauties. Archer Farms Steam-in-the-Bag Extra Fine Green Beans maintained their flavor and texture, despite being frozen. Grassy, crunchy, and crisp, they're the perfect go-to for the time-strapped cook.