Tater tots have been a favorite of kids, young and old, since the 1950s. The bite-sized crispy treats made of shredded potatoes are a satisfying side dish that provides antioxidants, fiber, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin C.

The intense heat of a charcoal or gas grill gives foods a deeply savory flavor, but it isn't always the most practical way to cook. A ridged stovetop grill pan isn't an ideal replacement, but it's still a useful tool for preparing chicken and other meats when your outdoor grill isn't an option.

Many cuts of pork are as lean as boneless, skinless chicken breasts, with less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 10 grams of fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fat in every 3-ounce serving. Because of their low fat content, these cuts can be difficult to prepare in the slow cooker without ending up with tough, dry meat.

The creamy and filling comfort of grits can be ready in minutes in the microwave using quick-cooking varieties. This Southern breakfast favorite of finely ground corn kernels boiled in water or milk traditionally uses stone-ground grits, which can take up to an hour on the stove.

If you don't own a grill, or don't like hassling with charcoal or propane, your oven's broiler is a good alternative. A broiler is essentially a grill turned upside down -- the heat comes from the top, rather than from underneath the meat, and the heated space is enclosed.

Although slow-cooking a tri-tip roast wrapped in foil is typically done in the oven, you can just as easily slow-cook it on your grill, ideal on a hot summer day. Tri-tip is a tender, boneless roast, sometimes cut into steaks.

Trader Joe's frozen section is a boon for seafood lovers with a wide variety of shellfish and fin fish. At 38 grams of protein per 4.5 ounce serving and a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids, tuna steaks are a nutrition-packed find for those looking for a mild, but firm-textured fish.

Crock-pots are becoming increasingly more popular as people work longer hours and have less free time to spend on activities like cooking meals. With slow cookers, you can combine all the ingredients into the crock-pot in the morning, allow it to cook all day and come home after work to a piping hot meal.

Hot Pockets are turnovers filled with savory cheeses, meats and vegetables that are suitable for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The tasty treats, which area available in over 30 varieties, can often be found in the frozen section of your grocery store.

Chicken that's been seared, then baked in the oven has a deep brown color and a rich, caramelized flavor, says The Kitchn recipe editor Emma Christensen.

Cooking pasta in a slow cooker can be tricky. If you cook pasta on low-heat for hours, you are likely to end up with a soggy mess. Instead, high-heat settings can be used and you may cook the pasta directly in sauces you have prepared in the slow cooker.

Cod roe, often confused with caviar, is considered a delicacy in certain countries, such as Norway. Hard roe is the unfertilized eggs of the female cod, and soft roe is the sperm of a male cod. The food is less common in the United States, and that's too bad because it has a distinct and delicate flavor.