Store-Bought Shortcuts: What's Worth It, What's Not
Find out which ingredients will help your meals, from prepeeled garlic to instant mashed potatoes.
By Lynn Andriani
Shredded Carrots
Not worth it (for cooking). The julienned carrots you'll find in a bag in the produce aisle may be perfect for baking a carrot cake. But if you're planning to use the vegetables in a cooked dish—whether mixed into meatballs or sautéed with ground beef or pork for tacos or a stir-fry—the pieces will be too long. Most savory dishes require smaller pieces, so you're better off shredding your own with a box grater. Weiss promises it takes her less than a minute to shred one carrot.
Published 02/22/2012