Old El Paso now makes shelf-stable, microwaveable packets of rice and beans that will speed up your dinner prep. Look for seasoned black beans, Mexican rice, and Fiesta rice (with corn and peppers) at major grocery stores. Each item takes about 60 seconds to warm and serve.

They are good to have on hand to jazz up stews, or serve as super-quick side dishes. If sodium is an issue for you, you may want to pass on this, and make rice or beans from scratch. (One 1-cup serving of the Mexican rice has 930 milligrams of sodium.) Prices vary.