Fozen dinners vs home made

Cupcakehippiemommy

So I thought maybe just buying frozen dinners would be best like lean cuisine...Anyone know if those are just way too high in salt or maybe have pointers on what or how to cook food so it taste better re heated?

I am burnt out on salads and cook for only myself.I am alone 80% of the time because my hubby is a sous chef and works allll the time I work from home so that doesn't help. Anyway I am getting tired of cooking for one and when I try to cook ahead the food just does not taste the same or good..any suggestions?

crazycat80

I don't buy frozen dinners specifically because of the sodium. I have high blood pressure and stroke history in my family, so I try to keep my sodium lower than MFP suggests. That being said, I DO typically cook with the expectation of it lasting 2-3 days. We take leftovers for lunch and have a Hodge Podge night once or twice a week. This being the case, the leftovers MUST taste as good, if not better, than the original. I found over the years that the problem isn't so much the taste of the leftovers, but the texture. To conquer this, I altered how I reheated them.

Basically all my soft, mushy stuff likes soups and veggies get reheated in the microwave; it's fast and easy. However, things that require a bit of a crisp to enjoy (like fried chicken) get retoasted in my toaster oven or the regular oven. 10 minutes on 350 or 400, then a minute or two on broil bring it right back up to par. If you doing something like steak or roast where the importance isn't crispness, but moistness, I wrap the meat in a damp paper towel before reheating in the microwave. This technique is also awesome for slightly stale bread.

In terms of how I cook for leftovers, anything that includes noodles and sauce, I keep the sauce separate and only make enough noodles for one meal. If I want to eat the leftovers, I create fresh noodles in the morning before work. I also try to stick with dishes that taste better over time, like meatloafs and stews because the seasoning seems to really mature by day 2 or 3. But honestly, just with the reheating changes, it's revitalized fried pork chops, pizza, and even fries and onion rings (not that I eat those anymore *choking on lies*).

If you want specifics of my seasoning and stuff, let me know!