We buy food as a commodity several times during the week, but especially on weekdays we try to make it easy on ourselves so as not to spend too much time preparing home cooked meals. This is where convenience food comes in, i.e., ingredients that are not raw materials, but rather ingredients that have already been prepared in some way. Certainly, we need not be ashamed of using these semi-finished products, because they are not only a part of our daily hustle and bustle, but they are also a part of our daily lives. Because they are made to make our work easier in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Our loved ones will surely forgive us with love because we will be able to devote more time to them.

Unfortunately, even professional cooks often reach for this convenient product so that visitors to restaurants and taverns can have a quick meal. But those among us who are willing to pay a considerable amount of money for a bag of soup or a bowl of powdered mashed potatoes can probably stand still and close both eyes in a factory cafeteria.

Half-finished meat and baked goods may not be half-finished either. Even vegetables that are harvested from the garden in the summer and frozen may be labeled as such. Similarly, compotes, preserves, and pickles, which are popular in the Czech Republic, belong to this group.

Products labeled as semi-finished products are divided into several parts depending on the processing method. It all starts with the product (vegetables and fruits). Flour and meat are then cold processed. Thermal processing consists of coating, drying, and freezing. The next stage is powdered products. Lastly, are the dishes that simply need to be heated. Remember, however, that for all these grades of products, the easier they are to cook, the shorter they can be stored. As for fruits and vegetables, nutrients and vitamins are unfortunately lost with less or more processing.