Photo by Paul Markert
Mostly Made
When a western suburban woman’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, Jillian McGary brought over hotdish. A big pan took up too much freezer space, so she started bringing over the fillings instead—a dinner that was “mostly made.” Now, her frozen meal pouches, filled with chopped and diced fresh vegetables, make easy enchiladas, lasagna, and Shepherd’s pie. They’re $13, and packed with flavor. McGary’s sister is in remission and her company’s outlook looks good, too.
Where to find it: Festival Foods, Kowalski’s, Lakewinds Food Co-op, and mostly-made.com
Courtesy of Seven Sundays
Seven Sundays
In a state where cereal is king—thanks to General Mills and Post both being headquartered here—it took guts to launch a muesli. A muesli is essentially uncooked granola, with virtually no sugar or syrup. Hannah and Brady Barnstable started selling at a farmers’ market in 2011, and now Seven Sundays is in 4,000 stores around the nation, including Costco. I like to soak the blueberry chia muesli in milk overnight, and top my yogurt with dark chocolate almond.
Where to find it: sevensundays.com
Photo by Jason DeRusha
Lulu’s Brasilian Snacks
He had me at “frozen cheesy bread.” But it sounds much more exciting when Julio Batista talks about pão de queijo, a specialty in his native Brazil. When his mom moved to Minneapolis, she started serving it to his daughter Lulu, who became obsessed with it. So will you: The little balls of dough are made with tapioca flour so they’re naturally gluten-free. The pão are crispy on the outside, bready on the inside, with a mild cheese bite that lingers.
Where to find it: Kowalski’s and lulusbrasiliansnacks.com
