Don't buy "easy-cook" rice; I don't think it's easier or faster and it tastes weird; don't buy frozen roast potatoes, just buy potatoes. Don’t buy minced “fresh” spices in jars. “Lazy Garlic” or “Lazy Ginger” aren’t lazy, they’re horrible – they taste like acetic acid, e-numbers and piss. You can do this yourself and it doesn’t take long. If you want to have an instant little shot of garlic or ginger, put roughly equal amounts of garlic or ginger (or chilli, lemongrass or anything else) and onion in a blender with the minimum amount of water to make the bender work. When it’s a paste put it in ice-cube trays to freeze into little blocks and then put the frozen blocks in a bag. There you have it – instant fresh ginger or garlic with absolutely no preservatives or other crap.