You work hard. You deserve to eat well. And you’d like for your family to eat well too. But you can’t be expected to make a nutritious meal for three or four from scratch every single night. And ordering in or eating out on a nightly basis is certainly not a sustainable solution. This is where ready-to-eat meals come in.
On nights when you have neither the energy to prepare food nor the desire and money to eat out, fresh and frozen heat-and-eat meals are a godsend. Here are five sources of affordable, ready-to-eat meals in Houston. All that’s required from you is basic knowledge of how to work an oven.
Mom’s Secret Chef
If you’re in the market for some ready-to-eat comfort food, Mom’s Secret Chef has you covered. Enchilada bakes, Salisbury steak with mac ‘n’ cheese, and three-cheese penne pasta have made recent appearances on the menu. Simply heat a Mom’s Secret Chef meal in your apartment oven, and you can enjoy it on the spot with your family or bring it as your contribution to a potluck. Mom’s Secret Chef meals average between 0 and 0 for an eight-serving meal, but frequent sales make it possible to enjoy these prepared meals for cheaper.
PROMEALS
Houston-based meal prep company PROMEALS provides customized, health-conscious meals to Houstonians who care what they eat but don’t have the time to prepare nutritionally balanced meals for themselves or their families. PROMEALS’ service is especially well-suited to athletes and individuals seeking to eat healthier.
Tres Market Foods
Houston catering company Tres Market Foods offers a frequently updated pantry menu of ready-to-eat entrees and side dishes. Popular mainstays include chicken divan, old-fashioned spaghetti and meatballs, drunken chicken, and vegetable lasagne. Prepared side dishes include butternut squash, candied bacon green beans, carrot souffle, and scalloped potatoes. The average cost of a ready-to-eat, five-person entree is 0.
The Upper Crust
Chef Gary La Fave first recognized the importance of eating healthy food at a young age. Today, the owner of the Pearland delivery restaurant prepares family-sized meals without hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup. La Fave also uses free-range meats and organic produce in his casseroles and other entrees. Menu offerings include frozen beef enchilada casserole, almond chicken, and meatless spinach lasagne pie. You can pick up ready-to-eat meals at The Upper Crust or schedule a delivery time and location that’s convenient for you.
Wholesome Bites
Chef Jennifer Hinson prepares healthy, organic frozen meals daily at her Spring operation Wholesome Bites. Each Friday, Hinson publishes a new menu on Wholesome Bites’ website and Facebook page. In addition to a list of ingredients, Hinson posts the nutrition facts and number of Weight Watchers’ smart points for each dish. Select the meals that appeal to you, and choose where and when you’ll pick them up. Hinson currently sets up at seven locations in Humble, Spring, and the Woodlands each week. A six-serving meal from Wholesome Bites averages 0-35. Recent customer favorites include a turkey quinoa taco skillet and peach-glazed chicken.
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