10 Best Prepared Meals at Publix (2024)

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Publix has plenty of diehard fans—lifelong shoppers who stay loyal to their favorite go-to items. Whether it's the delicious fried chicken or perfect items from the grocer's bakery, there are certain Publix items that simply make life easier and more delicious. And when it comes to prepared meals, the store has several excellent finds in that category as well.

There are choices for quick meals to make yourself or dinners that are already cooked for simple heating and eating. Quick, convenient, and fresh, Publix meals offer menus that don't require a lot of preparation or shopping to achieve a healthy dinner.

From the deli to the cool counter, Publix has so much to offer in terms of prepared foods. Here are ten delicious selections, each listed with nutrition information and price, which can vary based on location. The list is by no means complete, so don't be afraid to try other options at your area Publix.

Deli Three Piece Fried Chicken Tenders Meal

Nutrition: (Per 3 Tenders):
Calories: 700
Fat: 31 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 1,320 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 70 g

Publix famously excels at fried chicken, so it naturally gets included when you think about prepared food at that store. This meal can be sized up for a family or sized down for just one. You can choose King's Hawaiian rolls or cornbread and two sides (the mac and cheese and green beans are hard to pass up). All this for $6.99 makes this dinner a deal.

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Aprons Bacon Cheddar Chicken with Creamy Mashed Potatoes Meal Kit

Nutrition: (Per 1/2 Meal Kit):
Calories: 610
Fat: 32 g (Saturated Fat: 11 g)
Sodium: 1,490 mg
Carbs: 38 g (Fiber: 3 g Sugar: 13 g)
Protein: 39 g

Publix Deli Lemon Pepper Rotisserie Chicken

Nutrition: (Per Whole Chicken):
Calories: 1,260
Fat: 65 g (Saturated Fat: 25 g)
Sodium: 1,970 mg
Carbs: 4 g (Fiber: 2 g. Sugar: <1 g)
Protein: 165 g

Rotisserie chicken is an easy option for many families, and Publix is a great choice for grabbing one. You will always find juicy, flavorful oven-roasted chicken. Maybe because the retailer sells so many, the hot chicken is never dried out. The flavor combinations are all good, but the lemon pepper is a personal favorite. The level of lemon, pepper, and herbs is just right. A whole chicken only costs $8.19to be fully prepared.

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Aprons Chicken and Dumplings Slow Cooker Meal Kit

Nutrition: (Per 1/4 Meal Kit):
Calories: 440
Fat: 7 g (Saturated Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 1,440 mg
Carbs: 55 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 5 g)
Protein: 40 g

This meal serves four and is so easy to prepare. All you need is a slow cooker to have dinner ready to go when you get home. The savory chicken and dumplings come with carrots, celery, onion, and a full set of instructions on the settings your cooker needs. For a family meal, this costs $29.89.

Boar's Head Ultimate Sub

Nutrition:
Ultimate Sub on White Sub Roll (Per Half Order)
Calories: 350
Fat: 5 g (Saturated Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 1,020 mg
Carbs: 47 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 26 g

There are so many sandwich choices at Publix, but this sub seems to cover all the bases. Ham, turkey, roast beef, cheese, and tomato on a sub roll can be customized with all the other toppings you desire. A half of a sub costs $6.99 and can be ordered ahead.

Bourbon Marinated Chicken Thighs

Nutrition: (Per Serving):
Calories: 200
Fat: 12 g (Saturated Fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 680 mg
Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 20 g

If you'd prefer your own side choices, Publix offers some prepared meats through the line of Apron dinners. This pack comes with about six boneless skinless chicken thighs, already marinated in sauce and ready to cook. Taking this step out of the cooking equation helps dinner prep stay fast. The regular price is $8.99 per pound, but I found it recently on sale for $7.99 per pound.

Aprons Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breast, Ready to Cook

Nutrition: (Per Serving):
Calories: 400
Fat: 18 g (Saturated Fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 1,100 mg
Carbs: 4 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 50 g

This dinner pack comes with two chicken breasts nestled on a bed of spinach in a ready-to-use baking tray. Simply pop off the plastic top and put the tray into a 350-degree oven. About 30 minutes later, your main protein is ready to eat. This very convenient and healthy option costs $7.99 a pound.

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Publix Sushi, Crunchy Shrimp Tempura Roll

Nutrition: (Per 1/2 Pound):
Calories: 620
Fat: 27 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 1,950 mg
Carbs: 84 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 18 g)
Protein: 13 g

Publix has a wide range of sushi items, but I picked what was most popular in my area. The crunchy shrimp tempura roll has ten pieces of sushi. The tempura shrimp are rolled up with fresh cucumber and avocado and topped with sweet and spicy sushi sauce drizzles and flash-fried onions. Each container costs around $10.99.

Aprons Korean Inspired Pork Tenderloin Meal Kit

Nutrition: (Per 1/2 Meal Kit):
Calories: 530
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 1,600 mg
Carbs: 53 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 24 g)
Protein: 36 g

This meal serves two for $18.79. The pork tenderloin comes with rice, green and red cabbage, chili sauce, Asian dressing, carrots, and cilantro.

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Publix Dessert Publix Carrot Cake

Nutrition: (Per Serving):
Calories: 410
Fat: 24 g (Saturated Fat: 7 g)
Sodium: 300 mg
Carbs: 43 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 33 g)
Protein: 3 g

If your meal needs a sweet ending, you can't go wrong with Publix cakes. Again, there are a mind-blowing number of choices available in the bakery, but the overwhelming favorite is the carrot, tasting very much like homemade. The cakes are super convenient as well. They can be ordered online and are available in 24 hours, making it easy to celebrate.

FAQs

What is Publix famous for? ›

Publix is well known for their super fresh produce, high-value store-brand products, and their big BOGO (buy-one, get-one) deals. The employee-owned grocery chain's tagline is “Where Shopping is a Pleasure” because it is quite literally enjoyable to step into any of their brightly lit and well-organized stores.

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What are ready prepared meals? ›

Definition of 'ready meal'

Ready meals are complete meals that are sold in shops. They are already prepared and you need only heat them before eating them. Not all ready meals are equal.

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Are prepared meals good for you? ›

A major concern with these meals is their nutritional composition. Unfortunately, most ready-made meals are high in energy, saturated fats and sodium and are often low in fibre and micronutrients.

Are ready meals junk food? ›

Because they are seen as fast options, a lot of them are made without much nutritional value or are just in general not the healthiest meal. However, this is not the case, as plenty of businesses now offer healthier options, including making ready meals from better ingredients and packing in more nutritional value.

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Are frozen meals better than fast food? ›

Frozen Meal Eaters Get More Essential Nutrients

The same study showed that those who reported eating frozen meals had higher amounts of key nutrients in their diet compared to fast food diners, including essential nutrients like: Fiber. Vitamin A. Vitamin C.