The Ready-to-Eat Groceries Our Editors Reach for When They Need a Break from Cooking

Mama noodles are beloved in Thailand and in restaurants all over. "Thailand's favorite instant ramen company takes what you know about instant ramen and levels it up," says Senior Recipe Editor, Amelia Rampe. "Instead of beef or chicken, Mama instant ramen has flavors like shrimp tom yum and duck. The duck ramen comes with a flavor packet filled with duck fat, giving you the richest instant ramen ever."

Editor-in-Chief, Faith Durand, loves the Roasted Garlic Kraut from Cleveland Kitchen, but all the company's flavors are worth trying in (and on!) just about everything. Also, feel free to eat the stuff right out of the bag — we won't judge.

This kimchi features fermented Napa cabbage with red pepper and first-press fish sauce made from wild-caught black anchovies. Just thinking about the combination of radish, garlic, and ginger in this robust kimchi has our mouths watering. Chi Kitchen’s amazing lineup is clearly made with love, and we appreciate that it’s a woman-owned family business founded by a chef.

Tagliatelle gets tossed with seasoned chicken in a mushroom sauce that tastes like something someone's nonna expertly crafted over the course of a lifetime, except all it takes is eight minutes in the microwave. Editor-in-Chief, Faith Durand, first spotted this meal kit from Giovanni Rana at her local Costco, but you can find similar kits in supermarkets nationwide and directly from the brand online.

Ready in just 90 seconds, Maya Kaimal's Everyday Dal adds butternut squash, coconut, red chili, and brown mustard seeds to the tender lentils, creating a thicker texture with a touch of sweetness. While you can eat this organic, non-GMO, kosher, and vegan dal straight from the pouch, you can also serve it with rice to make it a more filling meal.

These heat-and-eat kits from SOMOS come with two pouches of Mexican Peacadillo — a plant-based spin on Mexican picadillo, subbing pea protein for the usual ground beef — in a robust-flavored red sauce seasoned with cumin, garlic, and spicy serrano pepper, along with one jarred salsa and two pouches of rice and beans of your choosing.

If you love instant oatmeal, but find the ones on shelves are loaded with sugar and lacking flavor, we have one word for you: Yishi. The woman-owned company is out to share standout flavors inspired by the founder’s childhood in China. Flavors like Sweet Osmanthus (Senior Lifestyle Editor, Mara Weinraub’s, personal favorite) deliver exactly what they promise, in a fresh, nourishing way.