pre-cooked
Ready to reheat
Pre-cooked describes food that has been cooked before packaging or sale, requiring only reheating rather than full preparation: pre-cooked bacon, pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
The term distinguishes ready-to-eat convenience foods from raw ingredients.
Also spelled precooked.
Enclosed without air
- cannedSealed for preservation
- frozenSolidified by extreme cold
- shelf-stableStorable without refrigeration
- jarredShaken or disturbed
boxed · bagged · airtight · resealable · store-bought · commercial · packaged · refrigerated
Requiring no cooking
- microwaveableSafe for radiation cooking
- instantBriefest unit of time
- grab-and-goReady for quick departure
- quickMoving with speed
single-serving · lunchbox · travel-friendly · picnic · resealable · self-heating · snackable · time-saving
Heat-treated for safety
- sterilizedFreed from microorganisms
- curedRestored to health
- smokedExposed to wood fumes
- saltedTreated with sodium chloride
brined · dehydrated · freeze-dried · pickled · fermented · long-lasting · preserved
Rotating meat cooker
Staple cereal grain
- quinoaEdible seed from Andes
- farroAncient hulled wheat
- lentilsSmall edible legume seeds
- barleyGrain for malt
couscous · pasta · noodles · oatmeal · polenta · bulgur · freekeh · beans
Objects for holding things
- portioningDividing into shares
- planningArranging for future events
- reheatingRestoring temperature to food
- make-aheadPrepared in advance
vacuum-sealed
Enclosed without air
- cannedSealed for preservation
- frozenSolidified by extreme cold
- shelf-stableStorable without refrigeration
jarred · boxed · bagged · airtight · resealable · store-bought · commercial · packaged · refrigerated · portion-controlled
ready-to-eat
Requiring no cooking
- microwaveableSafe for radiation cooking
- instantBriefest unit of time
- grab-and-goReady for quick departure
quick · single-serving · lunchbox · travel-friendly · picnic · resealable · self-heating · snackable · time-saving · weeknight
pasteurized
Heat-treated for safety
- sterilizedFreed from microorganisms
- curedRestored to health
- smokedExposed to wood fumes
salted · brined · dehydrated · freeze-dried · pickled · fermented · long-lasting · preserved
rotisserie
Rotating meat cooker
sausage · shrimp · meatballs · carnitas · pastrami · tofu · tempeh
rice
Staple cereal grain
barley · couscous · pasta · noodles · oatmeal · polenta · bulgur · freekeh · beans · chickpeas
containers
Objects for holding things
- portioningDividing into shares
- planningArranging for future events
- reheatingRestoring temperature to food
make-ahead · weekly · storage · thawing · assembly · layering