The Baked Potato Hack That Turns A Boring Store-Bought Meal Into A Full Dinner

When you want a tasty and convenient dinner, fully-prepared store-bought meals fit the bill, but they don't always feel complete. When it comes to shopping at your neighborhood grocery store, whether you're partial to fresh, compartmentalized options in the prepared foods section or branded frozen classics like Salisbury steak, you have many versatile options at your disposal. Though, in order to keep you full and satiated, consider upgrading your next store-bought meal with a baked potato.

In many cases, you need more than a serving of rotisserie chicken or a frozen container of turkey and gravy to keep you satisfied until bedtime. To fix this problem, simply prepare a baked potato and serve it alongside your main course. First, follow some essential tips to make the best baked potatoes such as piercing your spuds with a fork and cooking them in a microwave or high-temperature oven.

Among the many ingredients you can use to upgrade baked potatoes, cooking oil, salt, and pepper may be the most essential. Before preparing, cover your potatoes in all three ingredients. These simple additions will give your potatoes extra crispy skin and supreme flavor.

Either cook your potatoes separately, or in some cases, depending on the contents of your store-bought meal, heat both components together at the same time. Enjoy your baked potato on the side, or mash your potato and use it as a base for a variety of protein-rich meals like pulled pork or shredded beef.

There are few limitations when pairing frozen or shelf-stable meals with baked potatoes. While potato-heavy dishes may not be the best option, feel free to enjoy your next cooked spud with a variety of meals, including oven-ready salmon, frozen macaroni and cheese, and canned stew. Since potatoes have an ultra-versatile flavor, they can be served with most ready-made dinners.

Even though potatoes, which have considerable amounts of fiber, have a special ability to keep you full, you may want to enhance your next store-bought dinner's baked potato side with even more hearty ingredients. Among the several easy ways you can upgrade frozen dinners, consider adding some extra protein to the mix with canned beans or prepared grains like farro or quinoa. 

If you feel like your dinner already has a decent amount of protein, feel free to get creative with a variety of toppings. Add shredded cheese for a more rich, savory flavor or incorporate fried onions, breadcrumbs, or toasted nuts for added crunch. Additionally, loaded baked potatoes often benefit from the addition of fresh ingredients like chopped herbs, fresh tomatoes, or green onions. You can also serve this filling combination with a simple side salad composed of chopped spinach, shredded carrots, onion, and cucumber.