Although I’m not totally sure if I would classify myself a “foodie” (I feel like Instagramming every meal you eat is a requirement for the title), I do love food. I like to cook, especially when I’ve got someone else around to share it with. One of the bonuses about having moved in together with my SO a few months ago is that I’ve always got someone around with whom to share meals, which I’m loving. There are other bonuses, too, of course—namely, we don’t have to do the distance thing anymore—but I’m Italian. Food is love, so being able to share meals regularly is a biggie.
Naturally, though, there are still times when one or both of us will be on our own for dinner. He sometimes gets sent out of town for work, and when it’s just me and the cats at home… well, let’s just say that as much as I enjoy cooking, sometimes I just don’t feel like making an entire meal just for myself (and then eating the leftovers for days afterwards).
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that my go-to pick for when I’m feeding myself on my own is pasta; I like to doctor it up with pesto, parmesan, and veggies, but usually it’s as simple as “make pasta; throw in bowl with other stuff; consume.” I don’t often get as elaborate as, say, stuffed or baked pasta dishes—but hey, you know what’s awesome? I don’t have to, because Bertolli does it for me.
The last time my boyfriend was away on business, I found the perfect way to class up eating solo: Bertolli’s new single-serve Rustico Bakes pasta meals. Oven-baked taste straight from the microwave? Yes, please! I went for the Stuffed Shells Alla Vodka—and in just a few minutes, I had three giant pasta shells stuffed with ricotta and parmesan and blanketed in a creamy tomato sauce, hot and ready for me to devour. The boxes for each of the meals even suggest a wine pairing for the ultimate Italian dining experience. Alas, I did not happen to have a sauvignon blanc on hand (and I was feeling too lazy to run to the liquor store to get one); I did, however, have a red blend (Bota Box’s 2011 RedVolution—is anyone else exceedingly pleased with the advances boxed wine has made recently? Because I sure am!), so I poured myself a glass to go with my shells, fired up Netflix, snuggled with my kitties, and had myself a night of it. 
Nom!
Stuffed shells not your thing? No worries; there are five other options to choose from, including Chicken Parmigiana & Penne, Italian Sausage & Meatball Rigatoni, Chicken Portabella Ravioli, Riccota & Spinach Cannelloni, and Creamy Spinach Rollatini. And even though these are all single-serve meals, I actually can’t wait to share them with my SO. I usually make lunch for both of us the night before during the work week—but sometimes I don’t have the time to do more than slap together a couple of sandwiches. He’s lucky enough to have a full kitchen including a fridge and freezer at his office, so it would be easy to tuck one of these tasty pasta dishes in his lunchbox to heat up later on; add a Tupperware salad and a treat like a cookie or some fruit, and bam. Lunch for your loved ones. Perfect.
Oh, and did we mention that we’ve got a $100 Visa gift card to give away? For a chance to win, tell us in the comments below: “Which Bertolli meal is your favorite or which would you most like to try?”
Visit your local freezer aisle to bring home restaurant-worthy meals today; and don’t forget to connect with Bertolli on their official website and on Facebook while you’re at it. Happy eating! .
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