[semi-extrinsic]

> As a practical matter, if you’re strapped for time, having fresh meats on the ready isn’t practical. And canned/frozen aren’t great options.

At least where I live, you can get excellent quality canned soup with meat, like goulash or chicken noodle soup.

Also, cured meats like salami or prosciutto have long shelf life in the fridge and are excellent for throwing together quick pasta recipes. Cook pasta, slice a little salami, fry salami in the pan with some oil, maybe add some chili flakes or garlic or fennel seeds, put the al dente pasta and a splash of pasta water in the frying pan, cook for two minutes more, done.

Also raw eggs last more than a month in the fridge. Hard cheese lasts indefinitely if packaged well. Dry cured slab bacon is good for at least a month. And so on.