You can easily turn a home-cooked meal from good to great with the addition of just one side dish. But even though a side dish can elevate a main dish from good to great, not all side dishes are created equal. Some can be a touch bland, heavy on calories or tough on the digestive system.
To help you find your go-to side dishes for all the family, we rounded up the best fresh prepared side dishes available at your local grocery store.
Read on to shop the best fresh prepared side dishes.
Our Editor’s Best Fresh Prepared Side Dishes Reviews
- PASTA SALAD MIX: Delicious ranch and bacon flavor perfect for a tasty side
- FULL OF FLAVOR: Combines shell pasta, imitation bacon bits and ranch seasoning
- QUICK AND EASY: Whip up a pasta salad in three easy steps
- ENDLESS OPTIONS: Add a flavor twist with cubed ham, diced tomatoes or chopped broccoli
- CONTAINS: 15 oz
- Mushroom Masala: A delicious vegan and gluten free way to bring bold Indian spices to your dinner table, made with mushrooms and tender potatoes in an aromatic perfectly seasoned masala sauce
- Easy To Prepare: We make it easy to enjoy the delicious flavors of Indian curries, sauces and stews; Toss the packet into the microwave for 60 seconds then enjoy your delicious, spice balanced meal
- Try Them All: Enjoy authentic Indian, Korean, Szechuan, teriyaki, and Thai flavors for your next meal; We offer a range of ready to eat meals with vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and kosher options
- All Natural Ingredients: We use the best all natural ingredients in all of our products; Certified Organic and Non GMO, vegan, kosher and gluten free with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, Comes in a BPA free pouch
- A World Of Flavor: For close to 25 years, we've been making fast, flavorful and all natural ethnic food from the finest ingredients, including entrées, noodles, rice dishes, and meal inspirations
- INCLUDES: 2 Artichoke & Roasted Pepper Quinoa Quick Meals, 2 Grilled Vegetable & Herbs Farro Quick Meals, 2 Peruvian Vegetable Ceviche Cauliflower Quick Meals
- PLANT-BASED: Vegan. Nut-Free. No Sugar Added. No Artificial Flavors or Colors. Low Glycemic-Index.
- PACKED WITH NUTRIENTS & ANTIOXIDANTS: Complete Protein with all 9 Essential Amino Acids. Contains 10+ different Vitamins and Minerals. Source of Complex Carbohydrates.
- PERFECT FOR TRAVEL: Busy Moms and Dads, Students, Corporate Executives, Fitness Enthusiasts. Great for Planes, Trains, Road-Trips and Camping.
- Add flavor into burgers, seafood and more, with a simple twist of the grinder
- Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Peppercorn Medley and Himalayan Pink Salt Grinders
- Keep the salt and pepper grinder set on your table top for everyday seasoning
- Just twist to choose your grind settings to go from fine to coarse.
- Salt and pepper shakers make a great housewarming gift for everyone
- The range of Indian recipes on the offer spans the entire terrain from the far-flung regions of the northwest frontiers to the coastal regions of the south.
- These delicacies are available in imported 4 layer retort pouches that keep them fresh for over a year.
- Includes one each of Dal Bukara - Black Lentil Curry, Palak Paneer- Spinach w/Cottage Cheese, Rajma Masala - Red Kidney Bean Curry, Navratan Korma - Mixed Vegetable & Cottage Cheese Curry; Jpav Bhaji - Mashed Vegetable Curry, Pindi Chana-Chick Pea Cu
- Kitchens of India Ready-to-eat dishes are a selection of authentic Indian recipes from ITCs gourmet restaurants
- The offer spans the entire terrain from the far-flung regions of the northwest frontiers to the coastal regions of the south
- Features long grain white rice and tender red beans
- Contains blend of seasonings, including hickory smoke flavor
- Prepared and on the table in less than 30 minutes
- Serve as a side dish or complete meal with the addition of meat
- Can be made on the stove top or in the microwave
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Santos, Simon C. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 413 Pages - 11/28/2022 (Publication Date)
- Hardcover Book
- Liddon, Angela (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 352 Pages - 10/13/2020 (Publication Date) - Avery (Publisher)
- Light and fluffy fried rice with real vegetables
- Easy to prepare – simply microwave the pouch for 90 seconds
- Convenient disposable pouch means no cleanup
- Certified non GMO and gluten free; vegetarian
- Free from artificial flavors or colors
- QUICK & SIMPLE MEAL: Easy-to-enjoy with no stressful prep, each bowl brings you a hearty meal anytime of the day.
- GRAB & GO: Packaged in a microwave-safe container, our noodles are ready to eat in just 2 minutes. Perfect for students, busy professionals, campers, and anyone who needs a quick meal!
- TASTY & GOURMET: With the additional toppings of bok choy, cabbage, sesame seeds, and roasted peanuts, our noodles are filled with nutrients. Our ingredients have 0g saturated fat and 0mg cholesterol per serving.
- SAVORY & FRESH: Our rich and flavorful sauce mixed in with the most tender Hokkien noodles, this Thai dish with satisfy all your cravings. Crunchy texture from the peanuts, a satisfying dish for any peanut lovers.
- LEADING PRODUCER OF GOURMET PAN-ASIAN FOODS: Annie Chun’s makes delicious, easy-to-prepare, Asian-inspired dishes that you can feel good about. That’s our promise, and we don’t take it lightly. Enjoy!
Best Fresh Prepared Side Dishes Buying Guide
Before choosing the best fresh prepared side dishes you should consider following options:
1. Frozen Vegetables: If you’re looking for convenience and affordability, then frozen vegetables are a great option. They’re easy to prepare and are often less expensive than fresh.
The two main categories of frozen vegetables are frozen greens and frozen mixed vegetables. Frozen greens are a great source of nutrients and vitamins. Examples include frozen spinach and frozen kale.
Frozen mixed vegetables are a good alternative for fresh vegetables. You can often get a variety pack that includes carrots, peas, corn, green beans and possibly more.
2. Canned Vegetables: Canned vegetables are often more affordable than fresh or frozen. However, they’re not as fresh and sometimes lack in flavor.
You can buy canned vegetables by the individual variety or can also get a mixed variety that contains a variety of different vegetables.
3. Pickled Vegetables: Pickled vegetables are a great way to add flavor and crunch to a meal. Although they’re often more expensive than fresh or frozen, they can be a great, convenient option.
You can get a variety of pickled vegetables, including carrots, cauliflower, onions and more. You can also get pickled vegetables in a variety pack.
4. Vegetable Chips: If you’re looking for a crunchy addition to a meal, then vegetable chips are a great option. You can get them in a variety of flavors, including tomato, onion and corn.
Vegetable chips are often more affordable than fresh or frozen, but they’re not as healthy.
5. Frozen Greens: You can also get frozen greens in a mixed variety pack. They’re a good alternative for fresh greens, but they do lack in flavor.
6. Vegetable Rice: Vegetable rice is a great way to add flavor and texture to a meal. It’s often more affordable than fresh or frozen.
You can get vegetable rice in a variety of flavors, including mixed, Indian and Chinese.
7. Dried Vegetables: Dried vegetables are a great way to add flavor and crunch to a meal. They’re often more affordable than fresh or frozen.
8. Vegetable Pasta: Vegetable pasta is another great way to add flavor and texture to a meal. You can get it dried or frozen.
9. Vegetable Chips: You can get vegetable chips in a variety of flavors, including tomato, onion and corn. If you’re looking for a crunchy addition to a meal, then vegetable chips are a great option.
10. Vegetable Medley: Vegetable medleys are a good alternative for fresh vegetables, but they do lack in flavor.
11. Vegetable Soup: Vegetable soup is the perfect addition to a meal on a cold day. It’s often more affordable than fresh or frozen.
12. Vegetable Casseroles: Casseroles are a great way to add flavor, texture and convenience to a meal. You can often get a variety pack that includes a variety of different casseroles.
13. Vegetable Pasta: Vegetable pasta is another great way to add flavor and texture to a meal. You can get it dried or frozen.
14. Vegetable Rice: Vegetable rice is a great way to add flavor and texture to a meal. It’s often more affordable than fresh or frozen.
15. Vegetable Chips: You can get vegetable chips in a variety of flavors
What else you should know about fresh prepared side dishes
1. What are some popular fresh prepared side dishes?
Some popular fresh prepared side dishes include roasted vegetables, quinoa salad, and roasted potatoes.
2. How do you make a fresh prepared side dish?
There are many ways to make a fresh prepared side dish. Some popular methods include roasting, sauteing, grilling, and baking.
3. What are some tips for making fresh prepared side dishes?
Some tips for making fresh prepared side dishes are to use quality ingredients, cook the food properly, and season the food to taste.
4. What are some common mistakes people make when making fresh prepared side dishes?
Some common mistakes people make when making fresh prepared side dishes are not properly cooking the food, not using fresh ingredients, and not following directions.
5. How can you make a fresh prepared side dish more healthy?
You could make a fresh prepared side dish more healthy by adding less salt, using leaner meats, and avoiding high-fat ingredients.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best fresh prepared side dishes. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best fresh prepared side dishes will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.