Products we've bought, used, and kept in our kitchen.
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The pantry + freezer staples that keep a 30-minute dinner actually 30 minutes.
Kirkland Signature
Organic Ghee
PURCHASED OURSUSED 2+ YEARSADULTS PRIMARILY
3 tbsp across 2 cups of rice for the golden garlic bowls — measured, not eyeballed. Handles the sear heat without breaking down like butter alone.
Best for: High-heat searing, finishing rice with a nutty note.
What to know: Costco-only in our experience — hard to find consistently outside a Costco run. Once opened, keep it sealed; clarified butter still oxidizes over months.
2 oz per kid on the Split-Protein Creamy Spinach Pasta — the swap that keeps everyone at the same dinner. Fully cooked frozen; heats through in the sauce in 4-5 minutes.
Best for: Kid protein in a split-protein pasta dinner where the adults get steak or tri-tip on top.
What to know: Texture is softer than fresh meatballs — tuned for kid palates, not adult ones. Not a swap for a scratch meatball dish where texture is the point.
Bone Broth (chicken or beef) — cartons or Instant Sticks
PURCHASED OURSUSED 2+ YEARSKIDS + ADULTS
Higher protein and lower added sodium on the label than most boxed stocks. Powers Bone Broth Rice and the Creamy Spinach sauce. Instant Sticks travel; cartons live in the pantry.
Best for: Rice cooking liquid, sauce base, or sipping when you want warm dinner-adjacent broth.
What to know: Real bone broth is thicker than boxed stock — throws off recipes that expect a thin base. 1 L cartons don't refrigerate long once opened; freeze what you don't use within about 5 days.
Original goes on kid plates, Spicy goes on adult plates — same protein, one cook, seasoned differently at plating. Salt-forward blend; the balance works in our house.
Best for: Same-protein family dinners where the kid version and adult version diverge only at seasoning.
What to know: Salt-forward — light on paprika and heat compared to a BBQ rub. If you want deeper flavor, Original + Spicy stacked works better than Original alone.
Pre-seasoned, boneless, skinless — a 15-minute pan sear from the fridge makes the Halal Cart Chicken Rice Bowls a weeknight dinner instead of a marinade project.
Best for: The Halal Cart Chicken Rice Bowls on a weeknight when marinating for 4 hours isn't happening.
What to know: Trader Joe's only — no online delivery, no direct substitute at other grocery stores. Rotates in and out of stock; don't build a menu around it if you can't verify availability. Pre-seasoning means you can't adjust the salt or heat level.
Organic Frozen Vegetables (broccoli florets, green beans, mixed medley)
PURCHASED OURSUSED 2+ YEARSKIDS + ADULTS
Frozen vegetables often win in our house on busy weeknights because they reduce prep and waste. We reach for 365 Organic bags first — broccoli florets, green beans, and a mixed medley on rotation.
Best for: The 30-second microwavable side that saves the weeknight when there's no time for fresh prep.
What to know: Frozen vegetables lose some crunch versus fresh — the trade for zero prep and long shelf life. Steam-in-bag options can go mushy if you overcook them; pull them at the earliest listed time. 365 requires a Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh trip — not stocked at every grocery store.
