Food labels are a great place to find tasty recipes. Here are some of the best dishes we've found on the back of the box.
The Best Back-of-the-Box Recipes
Updated on Jan. 05, 2022
Classic Chocolate Cake
If you need to learn how to make a cake from scratch, this easy homemade chocolate cake recipe is a perfect place to start. It appeared on a can of Hershey’s Cocoa way back in 1943. I tried it, my boys liked it and I’ve been making it ever since. —Betty Follas, Morgan Hill, California
1/5
2/5
Macaroni and Beef
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I found this simple skillet recipe many years ago on a can label. I made some tweaks, and my family loved it. Because it's so easy to put together, it's a real timesaver for people with super busy schedules. —Maxine Neuhauser, Arcadia, California
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 317 calories, 11g fat (5g saturated fat), 56mg cholesterol, 700mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 25g protein.
3/5
Rhubarb Crisp
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I found this strawberry rhubarb crisp recipe on a box of Quaker Oats about 20 years ago. It's quick and easier to make than pie. It's versatile, too, because you can add strawberries in spring or apples in fall. I usually pop it into the oven shortly before we sit down to eat so it's still warm for dessert! —C.E. Adams, Charlestown, New Hampshire
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 320 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 124mg sodium, 52g carbohydrate (36g sugars, 3g fiber), 3g protein.
4/5
Pineapple-Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I found the original recipe for this dish on a can of pineapple slices in the 1980s. After making it for a number of years, I lightened the ingredients and adapted it to a quick skillet meal. My family gave it a big thumbs-up, and we've enjoyed it this way ever since! —Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup chicken mixture: 316 calories, 10g fat (1g saturated fat), 63mg cholesterol, 487mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (26g sugars, 1g fiber), 25g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1-1/2 fat, 1/2 fruit.
5/5
Flower Petal Sweet Rolls
Total Time
55 min
Servings
11 petal rolls plus center roll
From the Recipe Creator:
I adapted this recipe from the back of a frozen dinner roll package. You can prepare the rolls the night before for convenience. Then, bake them in the morning to make a lasting impression on guests as they step into the kitchen and smell the sweet aroma. —Celinda Skogsberg, Tuxedo Park, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 roll: 151 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 3mg cholesterol, 104mg sodium, 25g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 fat.
