3 New Walmart Dinner Shortcuts I Always Have in My Fridge

In an ideal world, I shop once and cook twice each week — about half the week’s food on Sunday and the rest on Tuesday or Wednesday. But inevitably, there are weeks that just don’t allow me to meal prep when I return from the grocery store or carve out a couple of hours midweek.

Those are the times when I’m all too happy to reach for quick, easy dinner staples. My favorites get bonus points for being affordable. Ever since I made Walmart my grocery shopping destination of choice, I’ve zeroed in on three new-to-me options to make weeknight dinners a breeze.

1. Marketside Mexican Style Street Corn Flatbread

One of my all-time favorite easy meals is pizza. Frozen, semi-homemade, picked up from the shop around the corner — any of these options just screams “I DON’T REALLY WANT TO COOK.” When I want something a bit more elevated than even the best freezer-aisle pepperoni, the Marketside Mexican Style Street Corn Flatbread hits the spot.

The best part about it is the amount of flavor packed on a relatively small surface. It’s not a full-blown pizza, but the thin flatbread is definitely enough for two. It has seasoned sweet corn, jalapeños for a bit of spice, and thick shredded cheese on top of a white sauce, and it’s ready to eat in just 15 minutes. I like to top it with some chopped chicken, either prepped by me earlier in the week or heat-and-eat grilled chicken strips I sometimes keep in the freezer. 

Despite the white sauce base, the flatbread is surprisingly light. Sometimes I’ll add a side salad to bring in fresh veggies, but in all, this is a meal you can pull together in 20 minutes or less without skimping on flavor.

Buy: Marketside Mexican Style Street Corn Flatbread, $4.97 for 10 ounces at Walmart

2. Kevin’s Natural Foods Cilantro Lime Chicken

When I feel truly uninspired at mealtime, I live by a simple rule: When in doubt, make it a grain bowl. My husband loves white rice, so I can never go wrong with that. I also keep tricolor quinoa in the cabinet at all times, and I enjoy throwing farro into the rotation from time to time. This cilantro lime chicken makes it so easy to adhere to my grain bowl rule. 

At first glance, it seems like any other fully cooked meat option, but the Paleo line from Kevin’s Natural Foods has a special technique to boost the flavor and texture of the chicken. The meat is cooked sous vide before it’s sealed into the refrigerated pouch, which helps it maintain juiciness while ensuring it’s fully cooked.

The assembly is foolproof. You simply break up the chicken into its original strips (the sous vide technique pulls the pieces into a block), then add to a pan with a bit of oil. It’ll start to brown slightly after a few minutes, at which point you add the sauce and simmer.

I’d love just a plain version of these sous vide chicken breasts from Kevin’s because I’m often tempted to add my own favorite sauces, but the cilantro lime option is pretty tasty. It has a citrusy zing that cuts through the floral quality of the herbs. Throw it on top of some rice with a bit of guacamole, pico de gallo, black beans, or all of the above, and you’ve got yourself a solid dinner that will heat up very well for lunch the next day.

Buy: Kevin’s Natural Foods Cilantro Lime Chicken, $9.32 for 16 ounces at Walmart

3. Marketside Beef Brisket Burnt Ends

Usually I like to keep my weeknight dinner hacks under $10, but for this one I will make an exception every time. As someone who lives in a city that prides itself on great barbecue, it’s somewhat blasphemous of me to buy pre-made burnt ends from the grocery store. But! I discovered these ahead of the Super Bowl this year and was blown away by the outcome.

The most important aspects of barbecue are the tenderness and flavor of the meat itself. Through some kind of sorcery, these burnt ends check both boxes after being reheated in an oven-safe dish. The result is fork-tender cubes of beef in a tangy, slightly sweet sauce.

How do you serve a cookout staple like burnt ends for a midweek meal? See my grain bowl rule above. This is another protein that tastes great over rice with stewed black beans, maybe some corn, and a little guac or pico to tie it all together. You could also make it into a Southwest salad with a creamy dressing and tortilla strips on top of romaine and green cabbage. 

The best way to serve it, though? On slider buns (preferably the sweet-savory ones from King’s Hawaiian) piled high with jalapeños and purple cabbage slaw. As summer rushes toward us, why not carry the flavors and flair of weekend cookouts into our weeknight meals?

Buy: Marketside Beef Brisket Burnt Ends, $12.97 for 16 ounces at Walmart

What are your favorite dinner staples to buy at Walmart? Tell us in the comments below!