Making dinner fast, three thousand miles away
October 21, 2015 4:46 PM Subscribe
My dear friend across the country is going through a difficult time, and I want to materialize on her doorstep a giant pile of components she can swiftly -- and I mean swiftly -- turn into dinner for herself and her eight-year-old. I'm thinking of good ramen-y things, canned fish, and more stuff I can get on Amazon (or similar) for her, and I'd love your suggestions.
She works two jobs and she's a single parent, and with some upheavals dinner has recently become a stumbling block -- she can only rarely go grocery shopping, ordering in gets very expensive fast (and they're not in a great place for variety and healthiness), and when she gets home these days she's exhausted and it's a lot to ask to do anything complex. Though her boy isn't a huge fan of soups he loves noodly things and ramen. We discussed the idea of fancied-up instant ramen -- using the noodles and throwing in other good stuff like eggs and green onions and a little frozen veg and/or using nice canned fish with something -- which I think she and the lad would like. (Especially for the part where it comes together in about four minutes.)
She doesn't have a microwave.
With that idea as a starting point: what are good let's-make-dinner-NOW components I can order on Amazon and have delivered to her?
She works two jobs and she's a single parent, and with some upheavals dinner has recently become a stumbling block -- she can only rarely go grocery shopping, ordering in gets very expensive fast (and they're not in a great place for variety and healthiness), and when she gets home these days she's exhausted and it's a lot to ask to do anything complex. Though her boy isn't a huge fan of soups he loves noodly things and ramen. We discussed the idea of fancied-up instant ramen -- using the noodles and throwing in other good stuff like eggs and green onions and a little frozen veg and/or using nice canned fish with something -- which I think she and the lad would like. (Especially for the part where it comes together in about four minutes.)
She doesn't have a microwave.
With that idea as a starting point: what are good let's-make-dinner-NOW components I can order on Amazon and have delivered to her?
Does she live in an area that has Blue Apron or Munchery or Hello Fresh or anything like that, or is that not what you're looking for? I use Munchery a lot and frickin love it.
posted by janey47 at 4:49 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by janey47 at 4:49 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
(Also to consider, how about just getting her a bunch of gift cards to various nearby eateries. Even simple preparations might feel overwhelming right now and/or make her feel like she's being judged for not cooking. However, you know her best, of course!)
posted by smorgasbord at 4:50 PM on October 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by smorgasbord at 4:50 PM on October 21, 2015 [3 favorites]
Does she have a crockpot? Crockpots open up a whole world of possibilities.
posted by boo_radley at 4:50 PM on October 21, 2015
posted by boo_radley at 4:50 PM on October 21, 2015
(Please excuse my miswording above. I had meant "hock," not "hawk.")
posted by smorgasbord at 4:55 PM on October 21, 2015
posted by smorgasbord at 4:55 PM on October 21, 2015
I thought of Blue Apron, which I love, but the recipes take more like 20-40 minutes. And it's pretty expensive: $60 for 3 meals (3-4 servings each though). If that sounds ok, then give it a try!
posted by lunasol at 4:56 PM on October 21, 2015
posted by lunasol at 4:56 PM on October 21, 2015
Provided they are not allergic to anything, try sending dry PadThai, some brands are really healthy or you can try: http://www.amazon.com/Backpackers-Pantry-Pad-Thai/dp/B00I04PROW
there are other flavors to send.
posted by dragonbaby07 at 5:04 PM on October 21, 2015
there are other flavors to send.
posted by dragonbaby07 at 5:04 PM on October 21, 2015
Fried Garbanzo Beans are easy to make. Takes about 5-6 minutes.
Heat up butter and oil to pretty dang hot (about number 6-7 on the rangetop for a minute or so, get it hot)
Open and drain the garbanzos, throw em on.
Shake the pan for a few minutes. They'll cook and get a little brown.
Eat with a fork.
My girlfriend and I also like to put them in Near East Parmesan Couscous. (takes 5 minutes to make)
We also keep a stash of frozen veggies from Trader Joe's on hand to cook in a skillet real quick-like.
And Annie's White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese is freaking tasty, but that's a 15 minute operation from start to finish.
Another thing that rocks the casbah is eating Tuna in Olive Oil with Late July Crackers
posted by Annika Cicada at 5:04 PM on October 21, 2015
Heat up butter and oil to pretty dang hot (about number 6-7 on the rangetop for a minute or so, get it hot)
Open and drain the garbanzos, throw em on.
Shake the pan for a few minutes. They'll cook and get a little brown.
Eat with a fork.
My girlfriend and I also like to put them in Near East Parmesan Couscous. (takes 5 minutes to make)
We also keep a stash of frozen veggies from Trader Joe's on hand to cook in a skillet real quick-like.
And Annie's White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese is freaking tasty, but that's a 15 minute operation from start to finish.
Another thing that rocks the casbah is eating Tuna in Olive Oil with Late July Crackers
posted by Annika Cicada at 5:04 PM on October 21, 2015
I get a lot of use out of pre-cooked meat substitutes like baked tofu and field roast -- stuff I can just cut up and throw in a pan with some veggies long enough to heat and brown. (Or, in the case of baked tofu, sometimes just eat cold.) I'm sure there are equivalent pre-cooked meats for meat-eaters, probably something frozen.
Blue Apron is definitely intended to take the sting out of shopping and meal planning, not cooking. The cooking portion can be time-consuming.
posted by babelfish at 5:13 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Blue Apron is definitely intended to take the sting out of shopping and meal planning, not cooking. The cooking portion can be time-consuming.
posted by babelfish at 5:13 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
I think Blue Apron is maybe a little bit of a burden for a single mom needing a fast meal for a kid with a simple palate. It's not fast unless you are a near-professional amateur cook, and I don't know if the average 8 year old is going to go bonkers for freekah with pepper medley or Thai-spiced meatballs and cabbage slaw.
Schwan's, though might be a nice option.
Or just place them an order from a grocery store in the area that delivers, so you can send her the makings for several meals like:
ramen - packaged noodle soup*, Better Than Bouillon, canned fish or pre-cooked chicken or even deli meat or some of the meatballs from below, cucumber, carrot, boiled egg
(*I find I get a similar value with better quantity/quality from the big noodle bowls or yakisoba or udon just-add-water bowls.)
fish tacos - tortillas, frozen battered or grilled fish fillets to heat in oven, sour cream, a lime, avocado, cheese, and a bag of ready-to-dress slaw, which you split between taco dressing tonight and a side salad for something else tomorrow
Lyn's Meatball Supreme - jar of tomato pasta sauce, frozen meatballs to simmer or bake in sauce until done, a couple handfuls frozen or dairy-case cheese tortellini to heat up in the last 5 minutes + side salad/bread. This will take about 20-30 minutes to cook but it requires no tending until the last 5 minutes, so they can do homework or bath or whatever and come back in half an hour to eat.
Frozen stir-fry veg, boil-in-bag rice, sweet/sour sauce or sesame-style salad dressing (reusable for salads later) plus more meatballs or canned fish or frozen precooked chicken strips/vegan chick'n.
Burrito bowls - can of beans, cheese, avocado, sour cream, boil-in-bag or packet rice (or a flavored rice mix you make in a pot/skillet), ground beef or vegan meat or just as-is.
If she doesn't want a microwave, could you get her an electric kettle? It makes it a lot easier to shortcut a bunch of stuff when you can quickly boil a liter of water.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:24 PM on October 21, 2015
Schwan's, though might be a nice option.
Or just place them an order from a grocery store in the area that delivers, so you can send her the makings for several meals like:
ramen - packaged noodle soup*, Better Than Bouillon, canned fish or pre-cooked chicken or even deli meat or some of the meatballs from below, cucumber, carrot, boiled egg
(*I find I get a similar value with better quantity/quality from the big noodle bowls or yakisoba or udon just-add-water bowls.)
fish tacos - tortillas, frozen battered or grilled fish fillets to heat in oven, sour cream, a lime, avocado, cheese, and a bag of ready-to-dress slaw, which you split between taco dressing tonight and a side salad for something else tomorrow
Lyn's Meatball Supreme - jar of tomato pasta sauce, frozen meatballs to simmer or bake in sauce until done, a couple handfuls frozen or dairy-case cheese tortellini to heat up in the last 5 minutes + side salad/bread. This will take about 20-30 minutes to cook but it requires no tending until the last 5 minutes, so they can do homework or bath or whatever and come back in half an hour to eat.
Frozen stir-fry veg, boil-in-bag rice, sweet/sour sauce or sesame-style salad dressing (reusable for salads later) plus more meatballs or canned fish or frozen precooked chicken strips/vegan chick'n.
Burrito bowls - can of beans, cheese, avocado, sour cream, boil-in-bag or packet rice (or a flavored rice mix you make in a pot/skillet), ground beef or vegan meat or just as-is.
If she doesn't want a microwave, could you get her an electric kettle? It makes it a lot easier to shortcut a bunch of stuff when you can quickly boil a liter of water.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:24 PM on October 21, 2015
smorgasbord, you were right the first time!
Boil-in-bag Indian is pretty decent for insta-food, and Tastybite is really...tasty.
Zinda 7 Vegetables couscous comes with couscous and a tin of broth and veg and it's very fresh-tasting and nicely seasoned for something in a box, but it's not clear if you have it in the US?
posted by kmennie at 5:28 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Boil-in-bag Indian is pretty decent for insta-food, and Tastybite is really...tasty.
Zinda 7 Vegetables couscous comes with couscous and a tin of broth and veg and it's very fresh-tasting and nicely seasoned for something in a box, but it's not clear if you have it in the US?
posted by kmennie at 5:28 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
how much are you willing to foot for this?
i'd say buy her a microwave and an electric kettle, and possibly a small crock pot. (unless her reason for not owning a microwave is that she's against them. in that case, the other two would also possibly still save her some time.).
then try to find a grocery delivery in her area (many stores do this for a charge or for free over a certain amount.). then get some of these:
amy's entrees
amy's soups
saffron road dinners
multiple things from thai kitchen would work well.
kraft mac and cheese cups are great for kids. not the healthiest, but really quick.
posted by koroshiya at 5:31 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
i'd say buy her a microwave and an electric kettle, and possibly a small crock pot. (unless her reason for not owning a microwave is that she's against them. in that case, the other two would also possibly still save her some time.).
then try to find a grocery delivery in her area (many stores do this for a charge or for free over a certain amount.). then get some of these:
amy's entrees
amy's soups
saffron road dinners
multiple things from thai kitchen would work well.
kraft mac and cheese cups are great for kids. not the healthiest, but really quick.
posted by koroshiya at 5:31 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
My kids loved, loved, loved these dried cheese tortellinis. They take 10 minutes to cook, and then with a bit of butter swirled on, they are done!
During a particularly hectic period of my life, I would feed my kids ready-to-eat Indian food to much more success than I would have though possible. These are just throw in hot water, open packet, and eat. Tasty and reasonably nutritious.
posted by djinn dandy at 5:35 PM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
During a particularly hectic period of my life, I would feed my kids ready-to-eat Indian food to much more success than I would have though possible. These are just throw in hot water, open packet, and eat. Tasty and reasonably nutritious.
posted by djinn dandy at 5:35 PM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
Big bags of grated cheese make everything 5x more delicious.
And it's protein! Not sure if Amazon ships cheese, but when I know I'm going to have a tough week and am organized enough to shop in advance for dinner for me & my 3 year old, I will indulge in a big bag of grated mozzarella or mild cheddar.
It makes it very easy to do a DIY mac'n'cheese that's probably still not healthy but makes me feel less guilty. Can also be used for grilled cheese sandwiches, or throw in with tomato sauce and noodles to bulk up it up without having to cook meat sauce.
posted by dotparker at 5:35 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
And it's protein! Not sure if Amazon ships cheese, but when I know I'm going to have a tough week and am organized enough to shop in advance for dinner for me & my 3 year old, I will indulge in a big bag of grated mozzarella or mild cheddar.
It makes it very easy to do a DIY mac'n'cheese that's probably still not healthy but makes me feel less guilty. Can also be used for grilled cheese sandwiches, or throw in with tomato sauce and noodles to bulk up it up without having to cook meat sauce.
posted by dotparker at 5:35 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
8 can taco soup Throw in some tortilla chips and salsa and the kid can eat it like dip or nachos instead of a soup.
posted by ilovewinter at 5:57 PM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by ilovewinter at 5:57 PM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
I am a big fan of the "make ramen healthy by adding stuff" dinner.
Get her a cheap microwave so she can do it all in one bowl.
Zap ramen in already-hot water for a couple of minutes.
Whip in an egg, and desired vegetables (shredded carrots, leafy greens, pre washed baby spinach, frozen vegetables) and zap again until done.
I like to buy rotisserie chickens and shred all the meat off it. I put the shredded meat in flattened ziplock bags and freeze them. Makes great fodder for super quick hot toasted sandwiches, as an addition to ramen, a quick pasta, and also on rice. The meat is basically only even 1-2 minutes in the microwave away from being hot and ready to eat.
2 minute rice is surprisingly good - after microwaving, pan fry for 2 minutes with an egg, vegetables, some meat if you want. Fried rice in 5 min!
posted by shazzam! at 7:12 PM on October 21, 2015
Get her a cheap microwave so she can do it all in one bowl.
Zap ramen in already-hot water for a couple of minutes.
Whip in an egg, and desired vegetables (shredded carrots, leafy greens, pre washed baby spinach, frozen vegetables) and zap again until done.
I like to buy rotisserie chickens and shred all the meat off it. I put the shredded meat in flattened ziplock bags and freeze them. Makes great fodder for super quick hot toasted sandwiches, as an addition to ramen, a quick pasta, and also on rice. The meat is basically only even 1-2 minutes in the microwave away from being hot and ready to eat.
2 minute rice is surprisingly good - after microwaving, pan fry for 2 minutes with an egg, vegetables, some meat if you want. Fried rice in 5 min!
posted by shazzam! at 7:12 PM on October 21, 2015
My aunt and uncle sent me a full meal from a place online called "instead of flowers". Sorry no link, on the phone. I had a bad spill two weeks ago, broke my arm and fractured two vertebrae. Anyway, they called me and I picked the meal and the delivery night. We ate it this evening and it was Fabulous!! Really good!! Everything packaged beautifully, fully cooked, we just had to heat it up. My daughter is a very good cook so we are picky about taste and freshness and this meal was top notch. See if they have one near your friend. I'm sure she will be thrilled to get something all pre made and delicious.
posted by pearlybob at 7:13 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by pearlybob at 7:13 PM on October 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
I heart this Taco Soup, which is basically just, cook some meat, throw seasoning packets and stuff from cans into a pot. Something about the ranch seasoning makes it feel a little creamier and different from the usual store taco seasoning packet without actually tasting at all like ranch in any way. Budget Bytes in general is one of my favorite sources of wallet-friendly, simple and not fussy dinners that I know will be yummy and filling.
Maybe you could send her links to a couple of online recipes along with a pre-written shopping list for the ingredients and a grocery giftcard if that's in your budget. I know when I'm feeling overwhelmed, just planning out my shopping can take way too much mental energy, so doing that part for her could help even though it seems small?
posted by augustimagination at 8:12 PM on October 21, 2015
Maybe you could send her links to a couple of online recipes along with a pre-written shopping list for the ingredients and a grocery giftcard if that's in your budget. I know when I'm feeling overwhelmed, just planning out my shopping can take way too much mental energy, so doing that part for her could help even though it seems small?
posted by augustimagination at 8:12 PM on October 21, 2015
So to relate my answer above to your actual question - seasoning packets, cans of beans, Ro-Tel, jars of garlic, and veggies like corn would be great and non-perishable stuff you could send her. I've also added canned hominy (treated corn) to the soup to change up the texture.
Can she get Peapod in her area? If so, you could send her a Peapod order with some of the staples people are suggesting (this would allow for non-canned stuff for more variety!). I've used them in the past and their house brand products are pretty similar prices to my nearby grocery stores. You can arrange specific delivery times and they are usually pretty good at being on-time and packaging things well even for orders that mix up fresh, frozen, and packaged stuff.
posted by augustimagination at 8:18 PM on October 21, 2015
Can she get Peapod in her area? If so, you could send her a Peapod order with some of the staples people are suggesting (this would allow for non-canned stuff for more variety!). I've used them in the past and their house brand products are pretty similar prices to my nearby grocery stores. You can arrange specific delivery times and they are usually pretty good at being on-time and packaging things well even for orders that mix up fresh, frozen, and packaged stuff.
posted by augustimagination at 8:18 PM on October 21, 2015
There are some pretty good shelf stable organic stocks out there. They come in quart packages, so are easy to ship. Use them instead of water to make ramen. Add frozen vegetables for extra goodness.
Also add dry pasta (cooks in less than 10 minutes) and a bunch of spices to the care package.
posted by monotreme at 8:27 PM on October 21, 2015
Also add dry pasta (cooks in less than 10 minutes) and a bunch of spices to the care package.
posted by monotreme at 8:27 PM on October 21, 2015
A good canned chili over noodles and topped with cheese was a go to when my kids were young and wanted to "cook" by themselves.
They would use ramen without the seasoning packet, just cooked the noodles with half of the amount of hot water, add the chili, nuke it, and top with grated parmesan.
I love Blue Apron, but it has challenging tastes for my middle-aged husband. So not sure how an 8 yo would feel about it. Also, it can feel like a lot of work. Each meal has taken me at least 45 min from prep to plate.
Quesadillas with canned chicken, mild salsa, cheese and refried beans is quick and the 8 yo can help make.
posted by moonlily at 1:12 AM on October 22, 2015
They would use ramen without the seasoning packet, just cooked the noodles with half of the amount of hot water, add the chili, nuke it, and top with grated parmesan.
I love Blue Apron, but it has challenging tastes for my middle-aged husband. So not sure how an 8 yo would feel about it. Also, it can feel like a lot of work. Each meal has taken me at least 45 min from prep to plate.
Quesadillas with canned chicken, mild salsa, cheese and refried beans is quick and the 8 yo can help make.
posted by moonlily at 1:12 AM on October 22, 2015
I hope you will look into the Schwan's suggestion above. It has a very good reputation.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:51 AM on October 22, 2015
posted by TWinbrook8 at 6:51 AM on October 22, 2015
Directly addressing the Amazon part of your question: I would order a variety of sauces, along with some dried pastas, couscous, quinoa, and lentils - these all cook very quickly. She can heat up the sauce while cooking the pasta/grains, and dinner is ready inside 15 minutes with minimal effort. In addition, I would also order some canned tomatoes, beans, and other veg, as well as canned tuna, salmon, sardines, whatever canned fish they like. If it's possible to order perishables, I'd start looking at protein and dairy products - eggs especially, but also cheese, milk, yogurt, bread.
(The "additional kitchen equipment" mods: If she has a rice cooker, especially one with an ongoing "keep warm" option, this opens up not only rices, but also grains that take longer to cook than the ones I suggested above. Steel-cut oatmeal with mix-ins for dinner! If she has a crockpot and you can order perishables, a pork shoulder will turn into pork sandwiches for *days* - and she can enlist the help of her kid to take two forks and turn that pork shoulder into pulled pork once it's cooked.)
If Amazon doesn't do freshies (I don't know if they do, I've never ordered perishables from them), and if the situation for your friend is more like "I have go-to quick meals, I just need the ingredients to magically show up," an option like grocery delivery from Peapod or Instacart would be a good thing to look into. Especially if she gets similar groceries week-to-week, it takes very little time to set up and schedule after the first time - I do Instacart every couple of weeks, and 90% of my effort is "go to my 'favorites' section, click on everything I know I need/am running low on."
As for alternate options, I adore Blue Apron, but the amount of Cutting Up Vegetables Oh My God Where Does It End is incompatible with "getting dinner swiftly on the table at the end of the day" unless you have professional-chef-level knife skills and speed. If she wants something more along the lines of "frozen dinner to toss in the oven straight from the package," there are meal delivery services like Munchery.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 12:08 PM on October 22, 2015
(The "additional kitchen equipment" mods: If she has a rice cooker, especially one with an ongoing "keep warm" option, this opens up not only rices, but also grains that take longer to cook than the ones I suggested above. Steel-cut oatmeal with mix-ins for dinner! If she has a crockpot and you can order perishables, a pork shoulder will turn into pork sandwiches for *days* - and she can enlist the help of her kid to take two forks and turn that pork shoulder into pulled pork once it's cooked.)
If Amazon doesn't do freshies (I don't know if they do, I've never ordered perishables from them), and if the situation for your friend is more like "I have go-to quick meals, I just need the ingredients to magically show up," an option like grocery delivery from Peapod or Instacart would be a good thing to look into. Especially if she gets similar groceries week-to-week, it takes very little time to set up and schedule after the first time - I do Instacart every couple of weeks, and 90% of my effort is "go to my 'favorites' section, click on everything I know I need/am running low on."
As for alternate options, I adore Blue Apron, but the amount of Cutting Up Vegetables Oh My God Where Does It End is incompatible with "getting dinner swiftly on the table at the end of the day" unless you have professional-chef-level knife skills and speed. If she wants something more along the lines of "frozen dinner to toss in the oven straight from the package," there are meal delivery services like Munchery.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 12:08 PM on October 22, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by smorgasbord at 4:48 PM on October 21, 2015 [2 favorites]