20 Foods People Started Buying Ready-Made and Never Went Back
Some Things Are Better Left to the Professionals
There was a time when making everything from scratch was simply part of everyday cooking, whether you enjoyed it or not. These days, grocery stores are packed with ready-made options that taste great, don't cost a fortune, and save you a huge amount of time. While homemade food certainly has its advantages, some products have become so convenient that people hardly bother making them themselves anymore. From time-consuming baked goods to everyday kitchen staples, here are 20 foods that convinced plenty of home cooks to retire their recipes for good.
1. Rotisserie Chicken
Roasting a whole chicken isn't particularly difficult, but getting the seasoning and cooking time just right still takes some skill. Grocery store rotisserie chickens come fully cooked, generously seasoned, and ready to serve for dinner without any additional preparation. Considering how affordable they can be, plenty of shoppers have decided there's little reason to turn on their ovens anymore.
2. Puff Pastry
Making traditional puff pastry from scratch involves repeatedly folding butter into dough, chilling it, and carefully rolling everything out. The process can take hours, especially when you're trying to create those delicate, flaky layers. Frozen puff pastry delivers consistently good results without all that work, which is why even experienced home cooks frequently keep a package in their freezers.
3. Hummus
Homemade hummus involves blending chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil until everything reaches the right consistency. Although the ingredients are simple, getting that perfectly smooth texture can be surprisingly frustrating without the right equipment. With grocery stores offering everything from roasted garlic to caramelized onion varieties, it's much easier to grab a container and call it a day.
4. Pasta Sauce
Simmering tomatoes with garlic, onions, herbs, and olive oil can produce a delicious homemade pasta sauce, but not everyone wants to spend their evening tending to a pot. Jarred sauces have improved considerably, with some brands offering simple ingredient lists and flavors that barely need any adjusting. A good store-bought marinara can turn a package of spaghetti into dinner in about 15 minutes, and it's hard to complain about that.
5. Pie Crust
Anyone who's attempted homemade pie crust knows how particular pastry dough can be about temperature, moisture, and handling. Add too much water or mix everything a little too aggressively, and you might end up with a tough crust instead of the tender, flaky result you wanted. Refrigerated and frozen versions eliminate most of that uncertainty, making them especially appealing when you've got several holiday desserts to prepare.
6. Guacamole
Preparing guacamole at home sounds straightforward until you discover that your avocados are either rock-hard or already turning brown inside. Prepackaged guacamole takes away the guesswork and often comes in individual portions that help keep the rest fresh. If you only want a little with your tacos or tortilla chips, those small containers are a particularly useful convenience.
7. French Fries
Getting homemade French fries crispy on the outside and fluffy inside usually takes more effort than simply slicing potatoes and tossing them into hot oil. Many recipes involve soaking, drying, and frying the potatoes twice, which means extra dishes and plenty of cleanup afterward. Frozen fries have already undergone much of that preparation, allowing you to get reliably crispy results with nothing more than an oven or air fryer.
8. Pizza Dough
Mixing flour, yeast, water, and salt doesn't sound particularly demanding, but good pizza dough needs time to develop its texture and flavor. Depending on the recipe, you could be waiting several hours or even overnight before you're ready to start assembling dinner. Fresh dough from the grocery store or a local pizzeria offers a convenient shortcut that still lets you get creative with your favorite toppings.
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9. Pesto
Traditional basil pesto calls for fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil, which can make a homemade batch surprisingly expensive. Unless you grow your own herbs, buying enough basil for a generous serving isn't always practical. Jarred and refrigerated pesto have become popular alternatives, especially when you only need a few spoonfuls to add some flavor to pasta or sandwiches.
10. Mashed Potatoes
Peeling, chopping, boiling, and mashing potatoes takes considerably longer than many people expect, particularly when you're cooking for a crowd. Refrigerated mashed potatoes can be heated in minutes, and some varieties already come with butter, cream, and seasoning mixed in. While homemade versions remain popular for special occasions, ready-made potatoes have earned a regular spot on plenty of weeknight dinner menus.
11. Salad Dressing
Whisking together a homemade vinaigrette isn't especially complicated, but keeping several different dressings on hand means buying and storing quite a few ingredients. Bottled options offer everything from classic ranch to creamy Caesar, with reliable flavors that don't require any measuring. For people who like switching up their salads throughout the week, having a few favorite dressings in the refrigerator just makes life easier.
12. Bread
Before commercially produced bread became widely available, baking at home was a regular household responsibility for many families. Making a decent loaf still involves mixing, kneading, rising, shaping, and baking, which can take up a good portion of the day. Modern grocery stores and bakeries offer such an impressive selection of fresh bread that many people save homemade loaves for when they're actually in the mood to bake.
13. Chicken Broth
Traditional chicken broth involves simmering bones, vegetables, and seasonings for several hours before straining and storing the finished liquid. It's a great way to use leftovers, although the preparation and cleanup can feel excessive when your recipe only calls for a single cup. Boxed broth and concentrated stock bases offer a much simpler solution, particularly for anyone who regularly makes soups, sauces, and rice dishes.
14. Salsa
Making fresh salsa means chopping tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro before adjusting the seasoning until everything tastes just right. Although homemade versions can be delicious, preparing a batch isn't always worth the trouble when you're only planning to snack on tortilla chips. Supermarkets now carry refrigerated restaurant-style salsas alongside traditional jarred varieties, giving you plenty of options without having to pull out a cutting board.
15. Ravioli
Preparing ravioli entirely from scratch requires making pasta dough, rolling it thin, mixing a filling, and carefully sealing every individual piece. It's a fun weekend project for enthusiastic cooks, but hardly something most people want to tackle after a long day at work. Refrigerated and frozen ravioli come with fillings like ricotta and spinach, mushroom, and butternut squash, with many varieties ready to eat in just a few minutes.
16. Biscuits
Homemade biscuits can be wonderfully tender, but achieving that perfect texture depends on keeping the butter cold and handling the dough with care. Refrigerated biscuit dough skips almost all the preparation, allowing you to put warm biscuits on the table without covering your kitchen in flour. Frozen varieties are equally convenient because you can bake exactly how many you need rather than making an entire batch.
17. Coleslaw
Shredding a whole cabbage and several carrots can leave you with a much bigger batch of coleslaw than you originally intended to make. Grocery stores sell both fully dressed coleslaw and convenient shredded mixtures that only need a little dressing added. When you're hosting a barbecue or preparing pulled pork sandwiches, picking up a ready-made container can save valuable time without sacrificing much flavor.
18. Meatballs
Rolling dozens of individual meatballs, browning them, and making sure they're fully cooked can turn a simple pasta dinner into a surprisingly lengthy project. Frozen meatballs make the process considerably easier, especially when you can add them directly to simmering tomato sauce. Since they're available in beef, pork, turkey, and plant-based varieties, it's easy to keep a package in the freezer for whenever you need a quick meal.
19. Cheesecake
Making a classic cheesecake involves preparing a crust, mixing a smooth filling, baking everything carefully, and allowing plenty of time for cooling and refrigeration. Even when you follow the recipe closely, cracks and uneven textures can still appear, particularly if the temperature changes too quickly. Ready-made cheesecakes from grocery store bakeries offer a much less stressful alternative, especially when you need a dessert that's presentable enough to serve guests.
20. Mayonnaise
Homemade mayonnaise requires emulsifying oil with egg yolks and an acidic ingredient, which can be tricky when the ingredients don't cooperate. Freshly prepared versions also need careful refrigeration and generally don't last nearly as long as commercially produced mayonnaise. Considering how inexpensive, reliable, and widely available store-bought mayonnaise has become, most people are perfectly happy leaving this particular kitchen task to the professionals.
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