Pre-packaged foods are great for convenience sake, but offer little in flavor. If you want to jazz it up a bit the following will offer up some tips to try when you pull that box of Hamburger Helper out of the cupboard.

Pre-packaged foods come in a wide variety of options. You have Hamburger Helper, of course. This particular line has come out with tuna helper, mac-n-cheese helper, and chicken helper. These are great for getting a meal started, but offer up little in the way of taste. No matter which flavor you get the ones with an Italian flare always taste the same, as do all the others. What can you do to spice this up a bit?

In the next module, we will address that issue. However, what about other foods that come pre-packed for quick service. Salads can be had that are all inclusive with dressing, croutons, even meat and cheese. You can buy the fixings for a Mexican night for very little money and if you are in an experimental mood, you can even get some pre-packaged Chinese fare.

Experimentation is fun, but knowing what spices go with which food types is also helpful. There are several good books out that talk about what you can do to change these foods from the basic starter of a meal to an incredible bonanza to tempt even the pickiest eater. Do a little homework before you start experimenting.

Garlic and cayenne are great additions to most pre-packaged foods. Throw in a few diced tomatoes or how about a can of peas.

Salads can be spiced up using a variation of different greens, add in some peppers, pepperoni bits or ham bits, or maybe add in a boiled egg. If the thought of eating another salad has you down, try a different dressing. This aisle at the store has so many different options now and you can try them to see which ones might become your new favorite.

You could add ginger or cardamom to rice to give it a sweet zing. Flavored vinegars add an interesting touch to soups.

Recipe Tip:  One of the favorites of the house is to take Progresso Chicken and Rice soup and add in an additional can of corn niblets, a pinch of cayenne and then top it with fried flour tortilla strips and cheese. Served with a salad topped with a chipotle dressing and you have the makings of a nice warm meal for a cold night.

The ideas are endless. Start with the basic and create a new recipe out of an old favorite by experimenting with new ideas. If it isn't a hit, no worries, try something different next time.

 This article is copyright to lynnechandler on hubpages 2009.