Prepared Meals Deconstructed

I love to cook. (I even enjoy doing the dishes, too!) Cooking brings me joy. Besides for the therapeutic and rhythmic aspects — and all the aromas — from cutting, whisking, slicing, and searing, I also get satisfaction from feeding people. But there are times when I just wish I could open the fridge or freezer and, voila, dinner is already made. Somehow, a kitchen fairy snuck into my home and whipped up a meal that can be served in minutes — one that's as easy as thaw, heat, and serve! Whether you're too busy to cook or hosting a party for the holidays — or any occasion — an already-made meal is ideal.

Harry & David's prepared meals take the guesswork out of meal prep and planning, says Andrew Whitticar, the brand's senior merchandising manager of specialty foods. "They allow you to focus on the important things, like entertaining, family, and friends." His favorite is the Cherry-Glazed Pan-Seared Lamb Chops. And who can blame him? Just look at those chops! Now go clean up the drool on your keyboard.

You can create a gut-busting wholesome meal experience from end to end, Whitticar points out, with deliciously crafted appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts. These inspiring meals "really require minimal effort to make you look like a cooking show star!"

We thought it would be fun to illustrate the main ingredients that go into making some of our favorite prepared meals, a prepared meal deconstruction if you will, that then become the star of your dinner table.

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients: Water, Unbleached Pastry Flour, Seasoned Chicken, Whole Milk, Potatoes, Carrots, Onion, Peas, Corn, Celery, Butter, Chicken Base/Stock, Dried Carrot Juice, Turmeric, Sea Salt

Chicken pot pie is perhaps the greatest comfort food of all time (take it easy, mac n cheese, you're near the top of the list), and this traditional version has one of the flakiest crusts on either side of the Mississippi, along with the savoriest of fillings.

Farfalle in Lemon Sauce with Chicken, Artichokes, and Mushrooms

Ingredients: Water, Mushrooms, Asiago Cheese , Whole Milk, Grilled Chicken Breast, Artichokes, Farfalle Pasta, Onion, Unsalted Butter, Canola Oil, Lemon Juice, Salt, Lemon Zest, Thyme, Black Pepper

If the food pyramid handed out blue ribbons, this dish would surely receive one, as it offers a mouthwatering mix of protein, carbs, vegetables, and even dairy (shredded Asiago cheese!). And it looks so special, you may want to get dressed up to eat it. A bowtie perhaps?

Quinoa-Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients: Roasted Sweet Potatoes, White Quinoa, Red Quinoa, Sweetened Dried Cranberries, Red Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper, Water, Lemon Juice, Canola Oil, Orange Juice Concentrate, Salt, Granulated Garlic, Black Pepper

Quinoa is vegan. Sweet potatoes are vegan. So are the cranberries and red and green peppers. (Somehow charcuterie is, too.) If you weren't down with grains and vegetables before, you will be after eating this flavor-packed salad.

Chicken Pot Pie Meal

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Italian-Style Pasta Trio

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Gruyère and Garlic Red Mashed Potatoes

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Rainbow Carrots with Lemon Butter Sauce

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MSC Wild Alaskan Halibut and Rainbow Carrots with Lemon Butter Sauce

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Wagyu Beef Cocktail Franks in Puff Pastry

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Bacon-Wrapped Crispy Scallop Skewers

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