Here are 10 frozen convenience foods to keep on hand. They are great for when you want to whip up a vitamin-packed smoothie, need a quick snack for the kids, or need a little help getting dinner ready.

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Got growing, active kids? Then you need a strategically stocked freezer (not to mention pantry and fridge–more on those in upcoming posts)!

Breakfast, snack time, dinner, dessert, dinner number two…chances are there are a lot of meals served in your house. And I know I’m not the only parent who often feels like they “just went to the store” or “just made a bunch of food” — how could there be “nothing to eat”?

When my kids were younger I needed help from convenience items to get me through the days when I was just too tired to cook everything myself. These days I need a little support because I’m working outside the house more and my kids are older and eating a lot more.

So in addition to batch cooking and freezing everyday favorites such as turkey meatballs, waffles, cardamom oat muffins, veggie chili, and bolognese sauce, I supplement with some store-bought items!

Here are 10 items you will usually find in one of my freezers. (Yes, we bought a freezer for the basement a couple of years ago and it’s been great having the extra storage!)

10 Frozen Convenience Foods to Keep on Hand

1. Whole Grain Waffles – for busy weekday mornings when there is no time for homemade waffles or the like.
2. Brown Rice or Quinoa – so simple yet, such a lifesaver when you don’t have time to cook rice or just need a little assistance.
3. Veggie Burgers – for a quick at-home lunch or simple weeknight dinner; there are so many delicious ones out there these days, but note that the protein content can vary widely.
4. Sweet Potato Fries – quickly complete your salad and grilled chicken with a side of tasty and nutritious sweet potato fries.
5. Petite Green Peas or Shelled Edamame – a simple, plant-powered side to round out dinner or school lunch.
6. Organic Strawberries or Wild Blueberries – for a taste of summer, vitamin-packed smoothies year-round!
7. Wild Shrimp – perfect for shrimp stir-fry, shrimp tacos, and shrimp with pesto and pasta
8. Sprouted Bread – from peanut butter or avocado toast to lunch sandwiches, this bread is great to keep on hand; toast it first for best flavor.
9. Pizza – note frozen pizza can be very high in sodium; read the labels and opt for the vegetarian versions to keep the sodium down a little.
10. Ice Cream – yes, you read that right! Ice cream is a classic dessert that will brighten any weeknight. Worried you will eat it all? Try keeping it on hand and giving yourself full permission to enjoy it. Most of the time, when we don’t restrict food, we don’t crave it as much and are satisfied with a smaller amount. The same goes for our kids. Habituation causes the novelty of the new/previously restricted food to wear off.

Tips

• Many convenience foods contain high amounts of sodium. Read the labels.
• Choose organic or locally produced when possible.