This Is The One Cornbread Mix Sunny Anderson Says Is The Best Of Them All

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Grocery shopping budgets are tight for a lot of folks right now. It's time to get creative by learning — and relearning — old-school recipes. One super cheap-and-quick meal that's never gone out of fashion is cornbread. It's a staple of Southern cooking that's fluffy and filling, and it's something you want to dip in your barbecue again and again. Anyone can make cornbread, and luckily, you can find Sunny Anderson's go-to brand for under a dollar per box.

Anderson is a food entertainment personality and cookbook author known for her appearances on Food Network. In a comment to the publication, she stated, "the Rolls-Royce of cornbread mixes is Jiffy corn muffin mix." Jiffy represents what cornbread is all about: Affordable food that doesn't sacrifice quality. This boxed mix helped keep families fed during the Great Depression, and has held a place on many people's shelves ever since. It gets its rich flavor from cornmeal, flour, and lard (or vegetable shortening in the vegetarian version). However, don't expect it to be a New England-style sweet cornbread. Jiffy has that vintage, mild sweetness that derives from the corn itself. Despite being described as a "corn muffin" on the box, Jiffy is much more of a bread than a muffin in its flavor and function.

Jiffy corn muffin mix is sold at most major grocery stores in the baking aisle, but you may need to look closely to find it. It's often sold in small, 8.5-ounce boxes that contain approximately six servings each. One box of Jiffy is enough to fill a little over half of an 8-inch cast-iron skillet (or an 8-by-8-inch cake pan). For gatherings of more than four to six adults (or if you want leftovers), it's worth doubling up — two boxes still don't exceed $1.50 in total.

There are several ways to dress up a boxed cornbread mix, but the real secret to making Jiffy come alive is to embrace a more savory flavor by sprinkling a generous amount of Old Bay seasoning into the batter. Salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika would work as well; these seasonings add a mild earthy-and-umami undertone that pairs well with barbecue sauce and gravy. Alternatively, you can follow Sunny Anderson's steps by adding unique ingredients to the batter, such as jalapeños, peaches, Colby Jack cheese, or whipped cream cheese, to make it a full meal.