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
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Sara Wells (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 265 Pages - 02/23/2011 (Publication Date) - Shadow Mountain (Publisher)
- Pre-packed, Farm-raised Atlantic Salmon, Certified by Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP).
- Perfect for family meals or large gatherings.
- Ready to cook, grill or bake.
- Fresh Premium Salmon Quality for gourmet meals at home.
- Beautiful color and marble with a mild flavor.
- Frisella, Emily (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 249 Pages - 01/20/2017 (Publication Date) - Wise Ink (Publisher)
- Robertson, Robin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 336 Pages - 09/25/2012 (Publication Date) - Harvard Common Press (Publisher)
- unknown author (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 472 Pages - Generic (Publisher)
- READY IN 85 SECONDS: Microwaveable cilantro lime rice ready in only 85 seconds. Ideal for hectic days, family dinners, or fast lunches. No prep, no cleanup—just heat, eat, and enjoy bold flavor and clean nutrition on the go, at work, or home with zero mess or hassle.
- CLEAN ORGANIC INGREDIENTS: Made with USDA-certified organic, non-GMO long grain white rice for a light, fluffy texture in every bite. No artificial flavors, preservatives, or colors—just a wholesome, allergy-safe side dish that’s clean, natural, and perfect for daily healthy meals at home or work.
- BOLD CILANTRO LIME FLAVOR: Enjoy a delicious fusion of crisp cilantro, tangy lime, and buttery flavor made from real herbs. Elevate everyday meals into gourmet plates—pairs perfectly with grilled proteins, smoked sausages, fresh salads, tacos, and even lunch bowls or wraps.
- VEGAN & DIET-FRIENDLY: This high-protein, plant-based rice is gluten-free, low in sodium, halal, kosher, and diabetic-friendly. Free from added sugar, trans fats, and cholesterol—perfect for clean eating, weight loss plans, and balanced diets with zero guilt in every bite.
- SHELF-STABLE & ECO-FRIENDLY: Pantry-friendly and travel-ready with long shelf life and no refrigeration. Comes in a 100% recyclable, BPA-free pouch—perfect for emergency food kits, zero-waste homes, work lunches, road trips, or quick, clean meals anytime.
- SIMPLE, HEALTHY EATING: Emily’s Fresh Kitchen uses recipes with ingredients you likely have in your home. You will find easy directions and ideas for nutritious, delicious meals to please any palate.
- FOCUS ON DIGESTIVE HEALTH: Emily’s recipes center around gluten-free, plant-based food, with options for dairy-free, grain-free, and plenty of meat and fish ideas, too. This cookbook is excellent for anyone struggling with Crohn’s Disease and other digestive challenges.
- ACCESSIBLE RECIPES: Emily’s Fresh Kitchen features salads, main dishes, soups, sides, breakfast ideas, smoothies, appetizers, savory and sweet snacks, condiments, dressings, spice blends, drinks and cocktails. All recipes are hassle-free, clean eating at its best without sacrificing flavor.
- SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET: Most of the recipes in Emily’s Fresh Kitchen were created when Emily was following the specific carbohydrate diet to manage an unexpected diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease. Over time Emily was able to add more foods to her diet. The cookbook gives options for many food sensitivities and will work for everyone.
- GORGEOUS PHOTOGRAPHY: The approachable recipes and beautiful photography make Emily’s Fresh Kitchen the perfect gift for birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and wedding showers.
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Hirsch, J. M. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages - 09/03/2013 (Publication Date) - Atria Books (Publisher)
- Volger, Lukas (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 192 Pages - 07/02/2010 (Publication Date) - The Experiment (Publisher)
- QUICK & EASY PREPARATION: Rehydrate the seaweed medley in just one minute for a fast and convenient addition to any meal. Pair it with spicy Korean gochujang sauce for an authentic flavor experience.
- EIGHT PREMIUM SEAWEEDS: This 3.53oz pack serves 12 and includes eight distinct types of Korean seaweed, each offering a unique texture and taste to create a restaurant-quality seaweed salad at home.
- RICH IN FIBER: Seaweed stems and leaves are abundant in fiber, promoting a healthy diet and aiding in the body's natural cleansing process by eliminating impurities.
- VERSATILE & CUSTOMIZABLE: Enhance your seaweed salad by adding garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, and more. This adaptable salad mix provides a delicious foundation for your culinary creativity and elevates any meal.
- MADE IN KOREA: Experience the authentic taste of Korean cuisine with this high-quality seaweed salad kit, proudly produced in Korea.
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.