We Polled Home Cooks for the Best Store-Bought Holiday Dinner Shortcuts—Here Are Their Go-To’s

The holidays are one of the busiest times of the year, and when you’re in charge of the family feast, your to-do list is even longer. Not only are you tasked with creating the menu and shopping, but you also have to ensure that each person’s dietary restrictions and preferences are taken into account. But just because you’re hosting doesn’t mean you have to make everything from scratch or sacrifice your own enjoyment of the special day.

With this in mind, we called upon our group of expert home cooks, the Allrecipes Allstars, for their advice. Here’s a look at the store-bought holiday dishes our Allstars are proud to pass off as their own. 

The Holiday Shortcuts Our Allstars Love

Pie Crust

Pie is a holiday staple, but it’s undoubtedly one of the more involved dishes to prepare. Not only do you have to make the filling (and sometimes multiple varieties!), but you also have to assemble the pie crust. Our AllStars say that store-bought crusts are a shortcut they don’t mind taking. “I think homemade is better, but it’s so time-consuming. But I always roll [premade crust] out thinner,” said Allstar Angie Fuller. “Pillsbury frozen pie crusts (not the refrigerated ones) are amazing and time-saving!” added Lisa Altmiller.

Even if you plan on making yours from scratch, having a ready-to-bake option as a backup is a great idea. Plus, you can use it for a quiche with leftover veggies or a savory hand pie made with extra turkey or ham.

Frozen Vegetables

Our Allstars remind us that even the simpler dishes can benefit from a store-bought starter. “I use frozen steamable veggies and the tiny microwave potatoes to speed up recipes that need veggies to keep my oven free, and offer more options for multiple family/friends with different tastes,” writes Amy Cipolla Barnes. “It’s also an adaptive technique for people with limited mobility in their hands or with swollen joints in their fingers, like me,” says Bette Sullivan. “I always have a bag or two of peeled carrots on hand, and I get peeled and cut butternut squash,” she adds.

In addition, frozen vegetables can also be stored much longer than their fresh counterparts, making them a great option for those who like to shop early. 

Boxed Stuffing

For some, boxed stuffing isn’t just a shortcut; it’s a taste preference. But that doesn’t mean you can’t put your own spin on it. One Allstar dished on their family’s favorite way to enjoy the premade side. “My husband makes the best stuffing for Thanksgiving. It does start with the Stove Top Turkey stuffing mix,” said Kim Shupe. “He adds homemade sausage, homemade cornbread, chopped celery/onions/mushrooms, and water chestnuts. He tops it with a bit of butter and turkey broth until it has the right amount of moisture, then bakes it. It is literally a meal in and of itself, but it’s so good.”

So why not save a little time and kick things off with a store-bought mix? Unless you’ve signed up to bring Grandma’s cornbread dressing, in which case, you might want to stick to the family recipe.

Mashed Potatoes 

Just because mashed potatoes are easy to whip up at home doesn’t mean you can’t save yourself time with a premade alternative—even Ina Garten does it. If serving a crowd, it might be worth a prior taste test to decide which brand you like best. From there, you can get creative with additions that will impress a crowd without the hassle of peeling and prepping. “I will buy the refrigerated Bob Evans mashed potatoes and doctor them up,” said Beckie Green Bergeron. “It is the only brand I have tried premade that actually tastes homemade. Adding a little butter and sour cream perks it up!” But beware: If the food tastes too good, it might raise some questions.

“I added a tiny amount of truffle oil, then topped them with a mix of crispy shallots and Parmesan panko. My secret was nearly busted when the hostess and five other guests asked for the recipe,” said Sarah E.

Dinner Rolls 

Fluffy dinner rolls are one of the trickiest parts of holiday dinners. They require hours for proper proofing and have to be timed just right so they are still warm when served. With premade rolls, you can enjoy the fresh-baked taste with just minutes of prep. “Frozen yeast rolls. Several brands, I like the Texas-style better than the canned varieties. And you [can] treat them like homemade. Thaw, let them rise, then bake,” writes Jane Wilcox.

Just don’t forget to brush the rolls with a little honey butter for a glistening finish.

Whipped Cream 

We know, we know, homemade whipped cream takes less than five minutes to make. But we couldn’t pass up sharing Allstar Jessica Vogl’s genius dessert tip. “If I want the look of homemade whipped cream, but I don’t want to make it and have a can of whipped cream on hand, I’ll spray some out into a bowl. Then [I] fold it a few times with a spoon until it’s creamy (not chunky, like it can come out of the can),” Vogl explains. “Use a spoon to put a dollop on top of the slice of pie and serve! It just looks a bit more elegant than whipped cream straight out of the can!”

We love this tip as a quick way to enjoy the creamy topper without dirtying any more dishes. Plus, if you happen to run out of your homemade batch before serving all your guests, this technique will save the day.