Hormel Compleats created a large variety of shelf-stable meals that taste pretty good to anyone who wants to eat something nourishing fast. They can be purchased at most larger grocery stores like Amazon or Walmart online and delivered to your home. This is a great service for homebound senior citizens or anyone who does not have a vehicle to drive to local stores. They can be purchased in packs of six and in some stores individually. All of them take 60 seconds to heat in your microwave and currently in 2023 cost around $2.28 each. You will need to vent each meal by pulling up one edge of the sealed plastic cover on the meal, or it will pop open and splatter while cooking, and you will have a mess to clean up in your microwave. The sides take 30 seconds to heat in your microwave. Anytime you heat a sealed meal or side dish, remember to pull open the plastic sealed cover just a little, BEFORE you microwave it. Browse all Hormel Compleats meals if you don't like my suggestions. Always read labels to make sure you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. You can purchase silicone mats to place underneath what you are cooking which also helps keep you from burning your fingers when removing what you microwaved. You can also purchase lids to put on plates and bowls in your microwave to keep foods from splattering inside your microwave. Amazon.com sells almost anything you can search for to purchase online, a very customer-centric company. If they don't have a product, they will try their best to stock it when they find it within a week or two. EBT cardholders can become an Amazon Prime member for half price or a Walmart+ member.
Hormel Compleats Shelf-stable Meals and Suggestions for Sides:
1. Chicken Breast, Gravy, and Mashed Potatoes vented and heated for 60 seconds in your microwave. Open a can of whole green beans, and drain off the liquid. Put in a small bowl with a lid or cover with plastic wrap. Heat in your microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. Enjoy your meal with Luzianne Sweet Teabags Family Size 22 count, placed in a pot of pure filtered water and microwaved for 7 minutes. Jiggle the teabag up and down for a couple of minutes, so all the tea gets absorbed into the hot water. Remove the teabag and discard it in the trash. Pour yourself a large glassful of the sweet tea over ice cubes. Add an individual packet of True Lemon Powder. Stir well. For dessert, serve two Little Debbie White Cakes placed side-by-side on a dessert plate. Squirt canned whipped cream all over both cakes, then top with shredded sweet coconut.
2. Hormel Compleats Roast Beef, Gravy, and Mashed Potatoes with a 4 oz. cup of drained green peas and diced carrots with a pat of butter. Serve with Luzianne Sweet Tea in a glass of ice cubes and add an individual packet of True Lemon Powder stirred well for a beverage. For dessert, serve a mug cake of your choice. See my Free 34 Mug Cake Recipes, most of which only take a minute to make in your microwave, or serve a Little Debbie Cake.
3. Hormel Compleats Beef Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes. Mix in a bowl to combine well: 2 Tablespoons Ketchup, 2 Tbsp. Light Brown Sugar, and 1 Tbsp. Yellow Mustard until smooth. Serve it over your cooked meatloaf as a sauce. Add a heated 4 oz. dish of drained canned Mixed Vegetables with a pat of butter for a side dish. Serve a glass of Sweet Luzianne Tea over ice cubes with an individual packet of True Lemon Powder stirred into it for your beverage. For dessert, serve your choice of a large variety of Little Debbie Cakes or Pies, a cup of ready-made pudding of your choice, or a cup of ready-made Jello of your choice with a dollop of canned whipped cream on top.
4. Hormel Compleats Macaroni and Cheese and add 1 or 2 cooked sliced Oscar Meyer beef wieners over the meal with a squirt of Yellow Mustard dotted in the center of each wiener slice. Serve with 4 oz. microwaved baby broccoli florets. For a beverage, serve a glass of Sweet Luzianne Tea over ice cubes with an individual packet of True Lime Powder stirred into it. For dessert, layer your favorite crushed cookies and your favorite pudding cup in a parfait glass.
5. Hormel Compleats Beef Pot Roast with heated 8 oz. drained can of Green Peas and Diced Carrots and 2 buttered bread slices. For a beverage serve your favorite cold soft drink. For dessert, serve a dish of ready-made vanilla pudding with sliced bananas and vanilla wafers to make a quick Banana Pudding.
6. Cook a frozen 4 oz. Salmon Filet in a covered dish. Add lemon juice and water to cover the filet. Microwave on high for 6 minutes. Drain off the liquid. Serve on a dinner plate with a sprinkle of Lemon Pepper Seasoning Mix, with a microwaved 12 oz. package of frozen Steamer Vegetables. For a beverage, serve a glass of lemonade over ice cubes. For dessert, serve 4 oz. lemon pie filling in a dish with canned whipped cream on top.
7. Hormel Compleats Spaghetti and Meatsauce. Serve with a bag of ready-to-eat garden salad with your favorite salad dressing, or topped with a 5.3 oz. cup of plain yogurt to which you stir in 1/2 teaspoon Ranch Dressing Powder which you can purchase on Nuts.com. Serve with a chilled glass of Welch's Concord Grape Juice for a beverage. For dessert, serve a chilled cup of Kozy Shack Tapioca Pudding.
8. Hormel Compleats Chili with Beans. Once heated, top with Original Fritos. For a beverage, serve your favorite chilled Watermelon drink. For dessert, serve a frozen Drumsticks Banana Split Sundae Ice Cream Cone.
9. Hormel Chicken and Dumplings. Heat a side dish of 8 oz. drained green peas and diced carrots. Serve with a glass of Sweet Luzianne Tea over ice cubes with an individual packet of True Orange Powder stirred into it. For dessert, serve a slice of Angelfood cake in a bowl with thawed frozen sliced strawberries in the center with canned whipped cream on top.
10. Beat with a fork 2 or 3 cracked eggs together in a bowl with 2 Tbsp. Half and Half or whole milk. Scramble them in a butter-sprayed skillet until as done as you like your scrambled eggs. Toast two slices of bread. Top each toast slice with half a 2 oz. cup of Wholly Classic Guacamole. Avocado Toast and cooked scrambled eggs are a perfect match for any meal or snack. For a beverage, serve a glass of cold NFC Orange Juice. For dessert, serve a 4 oz. mixed fruit cup.
11. Make a sandwich with two slices of bread spread with your favorite nut butter and your favorite jam or jelly. For a beverage serve a glass of cold whole milk. For dessert, eat a banana or apple.
12. Open a can of Chicken Noodle Soup and heat it. Serve in a bowl with Saltine Crackers. For a beverage, serve a glass of Canada Dry Ginger Ale over ice. For dessert, eat a 4 oz. cup of Mandarin Orange Slices or Pineapple Tidbits or a dish of ready-made Bavarian Cream Pudding sold at Nuts.com.
13. In a lidded container put an 8 oz. brick of Philadelphia Cream Cheese that has softened to room temperature. Mix into it with a fork, a 4 oz. drained jar of Diced Pimentos until well combined. Add Lemon Pepper Seasoning Mix to suit your taste. Keep this stored in your refrigerator to use for sandwich filling as desired. For a beverage serve a cold soft drink. For dessert, serve a 4 oz. cherries mixed fruit cup.
14. In a lidded container, put 6 peeled hardboiled eggs finely chopped, 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard, 1 Tbsp. dill pickle relish, and 2 Tbsp. classic mayonnaise, mixed to combine well. Use to make sandwiches as desired. You can add a pouch of cooked drained chicken breast chunks to make Chicken Salad or a pouch of Starkist Tuna to make Tuna Salad, or a pouch of boneless skinless Salmon to make Salmon Salad. Keep stored in your refrigerator to use as desired or to top crackers for an appetizer. Peeled hardboiled eggs can be purchased in grocery stores now. They are kept near the eggs section in a dairy case in grocery stores, or just type in the search area to find them online at Walmart or Kroger. A helpful tip if you don't like the fish odor of tuna or salmon is to add a Tablespoon of Lemon Juice to it, or an individual packet of True Lemon Powder to it, or add a peeled diced apple to the salad. By adding a teaspoon of Lemon Juice to any canned Vegetables it makes them taste fresher. One individual packet of True Lemon Powder equals one fresh lemon wedge or 1/4 of a fresh lemon.
15. Marinate a can of drained colossal black pitted olives in lemon juice to create a fantastic appetizer. For an over-the-top dining experience at home, eat alongside the lemon-marinated olives one or two 4 oz. cups of Dole Diced Apples and Creme.
16. When you are hungry for something but don't know what, pour some Pace Mild Salsa in a bowl and serve with Tostitos Rounds Bite-Sized Chips. It will satisfy that craving.
17. To help digest proteins in a meal, eat 8 oz. canned pineapple chunks with a meal. Pineapple Juice also works well as a beverage served chilled. Pineapple also helps heal the heart.
18. Popcorn is a whole grain. Microwave Popcorn comes in a variety of flavors. Serve a 3 minutes on high microwave-popped bag then put it in a large bowl, serve with your favorite cold soft drink and your favorite candy the next time you watch a movie.
19. When watching tv, try Virginia Jumbo Dry Roasted Peanuts added to a bottle of cold Coca-Cola for a snack. Amazon.com, Nuts.com, and Walmart.com sell these very large shelled peanuts.
20. Make delicious Smores at home using GV Fudge Dipped Graham Crackers topped with a regular-sized marshmallow on a plate. Microwave it for 30 seconds on high. Remove and top with another cracker, pressing them together to spread the melted marshmallow between them evenly. Enjoy it carefully, as it will be hot. Goes great with a glass of cold Silk Coconut Milk.
21. Make a serving of heated Mac and Cheese in a bowl. Open a small can of Baked Beans in a bowl, and heat through. Heat 2 beef weiners. Open a can of sauerkraut in a bowl, and heat through. For a beverage, serve chilled Root Beer. For dessert, serve a slice of German Chocolate Cake.
22. Heat a pre-cooked GV Grilled Chicken Breast on a plate. Top with half a can of undiluted heated Cream of Chicken Soup, saving the other half in a lidded dish in the refrigerator to use another day. Open a can of GV Green Beans sprinkled with Lemon Pepper Seasoning. Bake a washed Sweet Potato in your microwave for 12 minutes, remove, split in half lengthwise, and top with Cinnamon-Sugar. Serve a couple of slices of Tomatoes as a side. For a beverage, serve Sweet Iced Tea with Lemon. For dessert, serve a slice of Angelfood Cake topped with Strawberry Pie Filling and canned whipped cream.
23. For a quick holiday meal, heat a Hormel Compleats Chicken Breast or Turkey Breast, gravy, and dressing meal for 60 seconds in your microwave. Open a can of Cranberry Sauce in a bowl. Open a can of drained Green Beans in a bowl, and heat through. Serve Sweet Tea and Lemon over ice cubes in a glass for a beverage. For dessert, serve Kroger Spiced Candied yams mashed with a fork in a ramekin, heated for a minute in your microwave. Remove and top with canned whipped cream.
24. On a dessert plate, put one Little Debbie Honey Bun, and microwave on high for 20 seconds. Remove and top with purchased Caramel Sauce and Pecan Halves. Serve with a hot mug of your favorite Instant Coffee and liquid Creamer. This makes a delicious French breakfast.
25. To take your ready-made Mexican foods to the next level, serve them with Crush Liquid Watermelon Water Enhancer, 1 squirt to 8 oz. water, mixed and served over a glass of ice cubes. A chilled Watermelon drink and all Mexican foods make an excellent match.
26. To make Potato Chowder, open a can of undiluted Cream of Potato Soup. Fill the empty can with Heavy Whipping Cream. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. True Lemon Pepper Seasoning over it. Mix together, and heat through. Serve in a bowl with GV Oyster Crackers. Serve with Crush Liquid Pineapple Water Enhancer, 1 squirt to 8 oz. water. Serve in a glassful of ice cubes. For dessert, serve a Little Debbie Strawberry Swiss Cake Roll.
27. In a lidded bowl make a quick Potato Salad with 1 can of drained diced Potatoes, 1 Tbsp. Classic Mayonnaise, 1 tsp. Yellow Mustard, 2 Tbsp. dill pickle relish, and 2 diced peeled hard-boiled eggs mixed together. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Purchase a cooked crispy boneless skinless chicken breast and serve it with the Potato Salad. Open a can of Baked Beans, adding 2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup to them, and heat through. For a beverage, serve Sweet Iced Tea with Lemon in a glassful of ice cubes. For dessert, serve a ramekin of canned Apple Pie Filling, and heat for one minute in the microwave on high. Remove and top with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. Serve. This makes a good Picnic meal at home. Keep leftovers covered and refrigerated.
28. Serve a Hormel Compleats Chicken Alfredo meal heated 60 seconds on high in your microwave. Serve a bowl of ready-made mixed greens salad with 2 Tbsp. plain yogurt and a pinch of Ranch Dressing Powder mixed together for the dressing. For a beverage, serve a chilled glass of grape juice. For dessert, serve a ready-made cup of Strawberry Jello topped with canned whipped cream.
29. Purchase a can of one cooked Rainbow Trout filet from Walmart. Open and heat it through in a lidded dish, discarding the oil. Serve with purchased Cole Slaw, French Fries and Hush Puppies from Captain D's Seafood. Serve with Sweet Iced Tea with Lemon over ice cubes. Serve with a Lemon Pudding Cup for Dessert.
30. Order Pasta Primavera from Domino's Pizza the next time you order a large Pizza from them delivered to your home. Order can be divided into individual servings put in Hefty Freezer quart bags and refrigerated or frozen, then reheated as desired.
31. Purchase a Burger King Whopper Jr., onion rings, French fries, and a soft drink of your choice, delivered to your home. Burger King also sells a delicious Crispy Chicken Wrap, and Fish Sandwich which can be refrigerated and eaten later. When you order more than one meal, it doesn't seem so high cost-wise.
