Whole Foods 12 Best Pre-Made Meals To Save You Money
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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Inflation has eased considerably in 2023 following the 40-year highs it hit last year, but some spending categories can still drain your wallet in a hurry. One of those categories is dining out. In September 2023, the food-away-from-home index rose 6% from the previous year, according to U.S. Labor Department data. That was well above the overall inflation rate of 3.7%.
This makes things difficult for people who don’t like to cook. One solution is to buy pre-made meals at your local grocery, but you have to be careful if you have a discerning palate. While you might save money on that plastic container of fried chicken that’s been sitting under a heat lamp all day, your taste buds might not appreciate it.
There are some pre-made grocery meals that can pass the foodie test, though — including at Whole Foods, the natural foods grocery chain with more than 500 locations in the U.S., Canada and UK.
Whole Foods has carved out a successful niche selling organic and health-conscious foods that differentiate it from other supermarket chains. It also offers a wide range of pre-made meals that can save you the trouble of cooking — and help you save money versus eating at a restaurant.
The Mashed website recently reviewed some of the tastiest pre-made items at Whole Foods. Here’s a look at 12 of them, along with comments from Mashed:
Classic Rotisserie Chicken
“You get an entire chicken with basic seasonings, and it’s just as delicious as it looks… It’s the perfect meal to get when you need to feed several people at once. Even though the chicken has only salt and pepper, those two seasonings really carry their weight and make for a super-tasty dining experience.”
Sonoma Chicken Salad
“The base of the salad is diced chicken breast, and that gets tossed with grapes, celery, and pecans in a poppyseed dressing. There’s a lot going on here, and that’s a good thing. The chicken chunks are super juicy and tender, so you never feel like you’re chewing through rubber. Both the celery and pecans add a lovely crunch.”
Mom’s Chicken Soup
“The soup comes with everything your mom added to it: chicken chunks, celery, onions, carrots, salt, parsley, black pepper, and thyme marinating in chicken broth… Every ingredient is juicy, but it’s the chicken stock here that really takes center stage. It’s super rich and coats your mouth with a warm, herb-filled sensation.”
Rainbow Roll Sushi
“The rainbow roll packs an awesome punch of both tuna and salmon, two fish that have a subtle but delectable flavor. The roll is filled with diced pieces of both kinds of fish, but larger slices of them are also draped over the top along with avocado (which) adds a great creaminess to each bite.”
Salmon Teriyaki Bowl
“The bowl comes with steamed rice as the base, and on top of the rice are two hefty pieces of salmon, bell peppers, bok choy, and sesame seeds, all drizzled in teriyaki sauce. The salmon is super flaky, the exact consistency you want it to be. The bell peppers and bok choy are really tender and the perfect accompaniment to the fish. The rice is fluffy and acts as a great base for all the ingredients, but it’s the teriyaki sauce that really cranks things up several pegs on the taste ladder. It’s rich and salty and packs a wonderful umami flavor.”
Curry Chicken Salad
“The chicken in this salad is wonderfully tender and soaks up the taste of the curry dressing… The carrots and raisins combine forces to add sweetness to each bite, and they’re the perfect contrast to the rich chicken flavor. There’s also a mellow and buttery nuttiness thanks to the almonds.”
Classic Egg Salad
“There are big chunks of eggs in the salad that make for a splendid mouthfeel… You also experience the flavors of celery, onions, and chives, all three of which are perfect additions alongside the eggs. Everything is tossed in a creamy mustard dressing that offers a tangy punch.”
Lobster Bisque
“The bisque is super velvety and coats your tongue with an amazing lobster flavor… There’s a savory kick of paprika that runs throughout every drop.”
Chicken Tikka Masala
“The platter comes with juicy chunks of chicken coated in a rich tikka masala sauce, turmeric rice, and spinach. The tikka masala sauce… showers your taste buds with flavor, hitting you with a sweetness from tomatoes, a zestiness from ginger puree, and a plethora of seasonings like paprika and rosemary. The turmeric rice is cooked to perfection — soft, fluffy, and packed with earthy flavor.”
Vegetable Pad Thai with Rice Noodles
“The rice noodle dish comes with chunks of non-GMO tofu, carrots, scallions, and dry roasted peanuts all coated in a savory peanut-based sauce… The tofu does a fantastic job of absorbing the sauce, so each piece is sopping with peanut flavor. The carrots and scallions are tender, and the dry roasted peanuts lend a crunch that complements the gentle noodles.”
Eggplant Parmesan
“The eggplant cutlets that come with the meal are the perfect thickness. They’re thin enough to have a delicate mouthfeel but thick enough so you really taste them through the sauce and cheese. The marinara sauce that’s ladled on top has a terrific sweetness with a blast of savory flavor from seasonings like oregano and basil. You also get three different cheeses here: mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano.”
Barbecue Pork Buns
“The texture of the bun is unfathomably soft [and] fills your mouth with textural bliss… The pork filling [is] super-tender and drenched in a sweet-and-savory sauce that oozes goodness. This is stick-your-ribs food.”
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