My kids get so happy when they see a Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese at our house because they know one of their favorite meals will be coming up soon. On busy days, I rely on Stouffer’s to help me save time making dinner for my family. I pair it with this roasted green beans recipe for a quick and easy balanced family meal.
Stouffer’s Mac & Cheese recipe includes real, simple ingredients like freshly made pasta, cheddar cheese, milk and butter. While homemade meals are the “golden standard” for many families, we live in a busy world where whipping up homemade dishes every night can be challenging. Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese is an easy solution that you can feel good about feeding your family. And to be honest, my kids like the Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese recipe better than mine!
[Tweet “Short on time? Check out this quick dinner at @momfindsout! @Stouffers #BalanceYourPlate”]
Eating Stouffer’s prepared foods is a win-win for all of us. Their dishes are easy for me to make, and my family enjoys eating them. It’s nice to have prepared foods in the freezer, ready to go whenever I need them.
To build a balanced meal, use prepared foods as your base and pair with an easy-to-make side dish made of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and/or lowfat dairy. I balance out our macaroni & cheese meal by adding a vegetable side dish. According to my research, green beans are loved by 3 out of 4 kids living at my house, especially when I make roasted green beans “French Fries.” Fresh green beans get oven-roasted until they are crispy like potato fries.
Roasted green beans are a nutritious alternative to French fries. We gobble them down so quickly, I always end up wishing I had made more of them.

Servings | Prep Time |
6 people | 5 minutes |
Cook Time |
20 minutes |
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Roasted Green Beans are a crispy and delicious way to enjoy fresh green beans. This kid-friendly recipe is so good, it will have everyone asking for a second helping of vegetables. A nutritious alternative to French fried potatoes.
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- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 1 pound Fresh Green Beans, Washed and Trimmed
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place green beans in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the beans until they are evenly coated with oil.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the green beans. Put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the green beans look shriveled and start to brown. If crispier beans are desired, allow them to cook 5 to 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
This entire balanced meal can be ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Stouffer’s Macaroni & Cheese goes in the microwave for 18 minutes cook time. Roasted green beans takes about 20 minutes in the oven. I cook the mac and cheese in the microwave at the same time I put the green beans into the oven. They get finished at just about the same time. *Note: You can bake Stouffer’s Mac and Cheese in the oven for 75 minutes.
Prepared meals are a great time saver and there are so many new dishes and flavors to choose from. Balance Your Plate is an educational program that helps you put together delicious and nutritious meals using both prepared and fresh foods. Stouffer’s freshly made simply frozen prepared foods come in a variety of dishes my family enjoys eating. No matter how busy my day gets, dinner is truly easy-peasy with Stouffer’s!
How do you Balance Your Plate? Which Stouffer’s prepared foods are your family’s favorites? Have you ever eaten roasted green beans?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Lorelai says
Love how you made veggies look tasty.
#HomeMattersParty
~Lorelai
Life with Lorelai
Nina says
Hi Nicole – thanks for stopping by to visit me at Vintage Mama’s Cottage for the #HomeMattersParty. Your post about quick and easy family meals is really an encouragement to me as I really don’t like to cook (well, actually it isn’t that I mind the actual activity of cooking, it is just that I usually have so many other things that require my attention, I hate to invest the time to cook but I know I need to feed them something occasionally!) and this is definitely one of our favorites, too. I’ll have to try the roasted green beans recipes, that looks yummy! Hope to catch up with you again this week at the party! Nina @ Vintage Mama’s Cottage
Emily says
My kids prefer kraft mac and cheese, but I always make myself a personal sized stoufers one. The green beans sound like a great way to round out the meal. #HomeMatttersParty