The Best Pre-Made Meals You Can Buy At Whole Foods
Finding the time to whip up an entire meal after getting home from a long, exhausting day at work can seem near impossible. The last thing on your mind when you finally walk out of the office is getting back to work in the kitchen. The motivation just isn't there, and many times you're left throwing together a mishmash of ingredients for a quick, easy meal. But, those meals are often unhealthy and don't taste nearly as good as if you actually put in the time to craft a proper entrée. This is exactly where the almighty pre-made meal from the grocery store swoops in like a savory superhero to save the day.
There are a lot of places that sell pre-made concoctions to alleviate the stress of deciding what's for dinner. If you frequent Whole Foods, then you certainly know just how many pre-made options shoppers have. But, as with anything, you have to be careful not to purchase something that falls short of delicious. Putting in a long workday deserves a mouth-watering meal when all is said and done, and we've compiled a list of some of the best pre-made options Whole Foods offers so you don't waste your appetite's time on anything subpar. Snag one of the meals on this list, and you'll hit a grand slam out of the park when it comes to mealtime.
Classic rotisserie chicken
Chicken is a great way to get protein into your diet when you're trying to avoid the cholesterol that red meat is filled with. You can prepare it a ton of different ways, and it has a pretty neutral flavor that pairs fantastically with lots of other ingredients and sauces. Usually when you make chicken, you cook up only a few pieces depending on how many people are eating with you. But, when it's time to really embrace your love of all things poultry, you gotta opt for the classic rotisserie chicken at Whole Foods.
You get an entire chicken with basic seasonings, and it's just as delicious as it looks. The skin glistens and has a lovely golden-brown hue. The entire chicken is super juicy, so whatever part you're eating -– whether it's the drumstick, breast, or leg -– you get a ton of those glorious run-down-your-chin juices erupting from the meat. 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
Chicken salad is one of those foods that can sometimes contain nothing but meat and mayonnaise. But some versions come packed with a variety of ingredients to make for a memorable experience. The latter is exactly what's happening with the Sonoma chicken salad at Whole Foods. Here you get a whole lot more flavors and textures than just shredded chicken and creamy dressing, and that makes for an awesome bite every time.
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. The pecans also add a subtle nuttiness that works really well with the savory chicken. Every time you bite down on a grape, you get a burst of sweetness to offset the richness of the protein, and the poppyseed dressing marries every flavor and texture together with a creamy zestiness.
Mom's chicken soup
Chicken soup holds a special place in the memories of so many people who had to stay home from school because they were ill. If your mom is like ours, she would whip up a hearty bowl of chicken soup to help stave off the sickness. It warmed the soul as well as your stomach. If you want to bask in that great nostalgic feeling again (without the added illness, of course) you gotta snag yourself a tub of the appropriately named Mom's chicken soup at Whole Foods. Pour yourself a bowl, and relive that memorable childhood taste again.
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. All of the ingredients are super tender and almost melt in your mouth thanks to the time they spend soaking up the stock. 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 that you never want to end. The flavor lingers on your taste buds long after your last spoonful, and that means you get to experience that chicken soup nostalgia for a little bit longer. No one can complain about that.
Rainbow roll
Snagging yourself some pre-made grocery store sushi can be a risk. If you're a sushi connoisseur, then you know just how fickle those ingredients can be, and whatever you order should be eaten almost immediately after being prepared to make the most out of the flavors and textures involved. Sushi is an art form, and the last thing you want to do is indulge in a platter of sushi that lacks the colorful and delicious pizzazz it's known for. But put your hesitancy for store-bought sushi aside when you enter Whole Foods because the pre-made sushi it offers totally holds up to the restaurant-quality stuff. Especially the rainbow roll.
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. The fish is sliced thin and dissolves onto your tongue, leaving a wonderful oceanic taste that lingers on your palate. The avocado adds a great creaminess to each bite, and that gives you even more of a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. The honey ginger that's served alongside the roll cleanses your palate in between each bite, and adding a little dab of the green mustard gives you a short-lived burst of spice that cuts through the rich oils of the fish.
Salmon teriyaki bowl
When you bite into a cut of salmon that didn't receive the proper love during its preparation, you can immediately tell. Salmon is supposed to have a delicate, flaky texture, but when it's cooked poorly, it's tough and dry, which makes for a super-unappealing meal. Pre-made salmon dishes can definitely be hit or miss, and plenty of people who have taken the risk and purchased them have regretted the decision. However, at Whole Foods, there's a salmon teriyaki bowl that perfectly does the salmon justice.
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 that keeps you locked into your meal. Salmon and teriyaki sauce are two best friends that should always travel together, so enjoy their splendid friendship unfolding in this bowl.
Curry chicken salad
If you're looking for a variation of chicken salad that packs a whole lot more than just chicken, Whole Foods has your answer. The store offers customers the chance to try the curry chicken salad, and anyone who wants a meal chock-full of eclectic flavors and textures will certainly find this well worth their money. The salad comes with chunks of chicken breast, carrots, raisins, almonds, and green onions all tossed in a curry dressing. When curry comes calling, this is a sure-fire way to heed its beckoning.
The chicken in this salad is wonderfully tender and soaks up the taste of the curry dressing, making every piece super-succulent. 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. However, it's impossible to ignore just how vibrant the curry dressing is. This stuff is loaded with flavor, and it's thick enough to coat all the ingredients without feeling gloppy and overwhelming. It's a little sweet and a little tangy, leaving an aftertaste in your mouth that alone is worth every dollar you shell out for this.
Classic egg salad
Eggs are one of those foods that can totally be eaten at whatever time of day you want, but diving into a delicious egg-filled meal in the morning just feels right. Everyone has their favorite way of preparing eggs, and there are so many awesome ways to cook them up. At Whole Foods, you can opt for a quick and convenient way to get your egg fix by purchasing the classic egg salad. No preparation necessary here. Just crack open the tub, grab a fork, and start plowing forkful after forkful into your mouth.
There are big chunks of eggs in the salad that make for a splendid mouthfeel. Sometimes egg salad takes on a super-creamy texture, and it can still taste great, but here you get to see and feel all the delicate chunks of egg. 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 and acts like a zesty warrior whose mission it is to transport the most flavor possible into your mouth. Creamy, tangy, and herby, this egg salad has everything you could possibly want.
Lobster bisque
When land animals just don't cut it for your appetite, you have to start seeking out a meal from the sea. The ocean is teeming with delicious little creatures, and perched upon the top of the taste hierarchy is lobster. The excitement that bubbles up in your gut when you know you're about to take on a meal of lobster is undeniably some of the best excitement your belly can experience. Thai is exactly why when the craving for crustaceans comes calling, you have to get your hands on the lobster bisque at Whole Foods.
As soon as you crack open the lid of this bisque, your nostrils are walloped with a rich, buttery smell that only a pristine lobster bisque can offer. But, that doesn't compare to the amazing flavor that hits your palate with each spoonful. The bisque is super velvety and coats your tongue with an amazing lobster flavor that whisks your taste buds away to the ocean. There's a savory kick of paprika that runs throughout every drop, and the combination of the paprika and lobster is a marriage made in heaven. Silky, buttery, and full of sweet lobster flavor, this bisque is next-level scrumptious.
Chicken tikka masala
Indian food is known for smashing your palate with an eclectic array of spices, which is why it's so popular. The word "bland" is nowhere to be found when it comes to Indian cuisine. Chicken tikka masala is one of the most iconic Indian dishes, and lucky for you, you don't have to locate the nearest Indian restaurant to find some if you're within driving or walking distance of a Whole Foods. The supermarket offers premade tikka masala that packs just as much of a vibrant punch as the stuff that's served hot straight out of a restaurant's kitchen.
The platter comes with juicy chunks of chicken coated in a rich tikka masala sauce, turmeric rice, and spinach. The tikka masala sauce sings so loudly it's hard to hear anything else in the room. It 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 from the spice. The spinach is really just there for color, but it gets some greens into your diet, and that's always a good thing. This product is a perfect way to enjoy Indian food if you can't get to a restaurant.
Vegetable pad Thai with rice noodles
Pasta dishes have a habit of sitting in your stomach like cement once consumed. Even though they're delicious, all those carbs can certainly weigh you down after the meal, and you can't get anything else done until you pencil a nap into your schedule. But, you can avoid that heavy, dragging sensation if you eat the right kind of pasta. That means enjoying a dish with rice noodles. Whole Foods has the perfect product to give you a mouth-watering pasta fix without the additional sluggishness in the form of 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. Everything in this dish is super-delicate and falls apart as soon as it hits your palate, making for a wonderfully tender mouthfeel. 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. The sauce is both sweet and savory, so you get the contrast of two awesome flavor profiles in every bite. Treat yourself to this product as soon as you can.
Eggplant Parmesan
If you love the taste of chicken Parmesan but aren't looking to consume any meat, eggplant Parmesan is a fantastic substitute. You still get all the same flavors plus a healthy dose of veggies in your diet, and no one can complain about that. Whole Foods offers a premade eggplant Parmesan that tastes exactly like the stuff you'd get at a high-quality Italian restaurant, which means you should definitely be adding it to your grocery list the next time you need to restock the home kitchen.
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. All of them add a really great depth of flavor. The mozzarella has that gooey, stretchy texture it's known for, and the Parmesan and Romano lend a umami-packed saltiness to every bite.
Barbecue pork buns
If you've never eaten a pork bun before but have always wanted to try one, don't hesitate to grab the barbecue pork buns at Whole Foods. We're here to tell you that these things are just as savory and delicious as anything you can order from a restaurant. Every package comes with two enormous buns, and after your first bite, you'll wonder why it's taken you so long to try these amazing doughy creations.
There are two components at play here: the bun and the pork filling. The texture of the bun is unfathomably soft, and it feels like you're biting into a marshmallow when you eat it. It fills your mouth with textural bliss, and you'll likely seek out a recipe for pork buns once you're finished eating. The pork filling slams you like a cement truck with rich umami flavor. The meat is super-tender and drenched in a sweet-and-savory sauce that oozes goodness. This is stick-your-ribs food, and your palate falls into a celestial daze with each bite. It's packed with spices like garlic, paprika, turmeric, fennel, orange peel, and cinnamon, making for one heck of a scrumptious experience.