Maximum impact, minimum effort is the magic formula when it comes to midweek dinners and snacks – so microwave meals, ready-made cakes and jars of pasta sauce are always handy. The only trouble is, these time-saving ingredients can often look a little lacklustre. Happily, though, there are some easy ways to make shop-bought food look homemade (we won’t tell, if you don’t). From secret ingredients to final flourishes, these simple hacks will take your dishes from zero to hero.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 33 easy tricks that are sure to transform your food presentation – counting down to our cleverest hack of all.

Be sure to keep a paper towel handy when you’re serving up – that way, you can give each plate a wipe around the rim before taking it to the table. A clean edge will give a professional-looking finish, making the food stand out and appear much more appetising (saucy splatters, begone). No one needs to know if it came out of a jar or packet.

With this simple tip, the crust will no longer be the most boring part of your frozen pizza. Use a balsamic vinegar glaze to add a boost of flavour and colour. You can buy it or make your own (just simmer balsamic vinegar and brown sugar until reduced); all you need to do is pour a little glaze over the crust of your pizza when it’s fresh from the oven.

Forget serving hummus in the tub it came in. Present it in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil, a few whole chickpeas and a sprinkle of paprika, and your guests will be none the wiser that you bought it from a shop. Pick a decent olive oil for the best taste – and choose your prettiest bowl to absolutely nail the presentation.

You don't need to spend hours labouring over homemade pasta to enjoy an elegant Italian dinner – just pick up a pack of tortellini. Stir through a jar of sauce, or toss the tortellini with slow-cooked cherry tomatoes, dots of creamy burrata and a drizzle of good quality extra-virgin olive oil for a dish that's as pretty as it is punchy.

Whether you prefer cooked couscous or a two-minute microwave sachet, you can make the grains look more impressive by stirring through fresh herbs, chickpeas, pomegranate seeds or rocket – all of which are guaranteed to add colour and flavour. To give your couscous some shape, give it a good stir with a fork to fluff up the grains.

You can add excitement to ready-made fish cakes with a couple of citrus fruits and a few condiments. Crowning each one with a spoonful of tartare sauce and a wedge of lemon won't only look impressive, but it'll make your meal tastier, too. Serve your fish cakes alongside a pretty salad or an artfully arranged pile of chips, and you'll have a fancy meal everyone will enjoy.

Good presentation is all about the finishing touches – so why not pretend you’re a barista and top your instant hot chocolate with some mini marshmallows and a few chocolate drops? A dusting of cinnamon, cocoa or mixed spice would work wonders too, especially if you’ve got a squirt or dollop of whipped cream to spare.

A plain bowl of soup is a depressing sight indeed – so jazz it up with a splash of olive oil, a dash of yogurt or cream, or some croutons loaded with Parmesan shavings. To make a pretty heart design, drop small blobs of yogurt or sour cream in a spiral shape, then drag a toothpick through the dots to join them up.

Whether frozen or shelf stable, pancakes and waffles are handy to have on hand for a quick breakfast. To add a touch of glamour that's sure to impress overnight guests (or discerning little ones), pile on fruit, whipped cream, ice cream and your favourite sauces. You could cut waffles into strips and present them with a dipping sauce, too.

Scatter fresh Parmesan shavings and rocket over your pizza when it comes out of the oven – it'll add colour and a salty kick of flavour. Experiment with different toppings to find what looks and tastes best; maybe a drizzle of hot honey or a scattering of sliced chillies is more your thing?

If you’re baking a shop-bought lasagne from frozen or chilled, add some breadcrumbs on top for a little crunch. Feeling fancy? You could also mix in some grated Parmesan and lemon zest for added flavour. Crunched up crisps also taste incredible as a baked pasta topping, though you should stick to plain salted crisps for the best results.

If you’re partial to ramen or stir-fries (both excellent quick meals), be sure to mix some black and white sesame seeds together and keep them to hand. The seeds will add texture, and the contrasting colours will make the dish look more striking. A seed mix will bring a subtle nutty flavour to your dishes, too.

Make a quick mix of icing sugar and water to create an appealing drizzle cake. If you like, you can add colour or flavour to give it a little extra zing – but make sure you use a light-handed approach to avoid overdoing it. Top your cake with fresh fruit, lemon zest or edible glitter, and there you have it: a showstopping bake, no oven required.

Pretty edible flowers are now widely available in supermarkets, and they add a gorgeous dash of colour to desserts, cakes and bagged salads. You could even try growing nasturtium flowers in your garden for added ‘I grew this myself’ smugness. Just make sure the flowers are actually safe to eat before you add them to a dish; edible flowers include pansies, hibiscus, honeysuckle and roses.

Buy two or three different colours and flavours of ice cream (we love berry, vanilla and chocolate), line a loaf tin with cling film, then spoon in each flavour one by one to create a layered ice cream cake. Pop the tin back in the freezer to allow the ice cream to firm up. When ready, turn it out onto a plate, then add a drizzle of chocolate sauce, some fresh fruit and a scattering of nuts for that homemade look.

If you use ready-prepared salad bags, it's worth mixing a few packs together to achieve a variety of different colours, shapes and textures. Serve your leaves in a shallow salad bowl and keep the dressing separate – that way, people can add as much as they want, and the leaves won't go soggy if the salad is left sitting out for a while.

Buy a pack of meatballs, fresh or frozen, and you'll have the freedom to cook and serve them any way you like. If you’re gearing up for a party, smaller meatballs make great bitesized snacks. Put the oven on low, then slow cook them in your favourite sauce for an hour or two, until cooked through. Slide a cocktail stick into each meatball, et voilà: delicious handheld party snacks.

Plate up your favourite jarred curry with multiple elements in separate dishes to give your meal that homemade feel. Try serving rice in small bowls, with torn naan breads on the side. A dollop of yogurt will look great on top of your curry, contrasting with the dark brown sauce. Don't forget to add some freshly chopped coriander, too.

To save time, make gravy with granules or a gravy mix, then stir through the meat juices from your roast – they'll add a wonderful depth of colour and flavour. This way, you won’t risk lumpy gravy, and you won't waste the flavourful juices. For an extra dash of colour, stir through some chopped herbs (like parsley, tarragon or rosemary) at the last minute.

To give shop-bought pies a glossy finish, brush them with a little beaten egg before you bake them in the oven. This trick will work just as well for a sweet apple pie as it will for a savoury chicken and mushroom variety. If you don’t have any eggs, try a little milk instead. You won’t get exactly the same colour, but it’ll have a similar effect.

Pre-made potato salad can look a little beige, so it's worth snipping up some fresh chives or mint to add some colour. If it's too creamy and bland, you could also add a dash of hot sauce or Dijon mustard to enhance the flavour – and don’t forget to season it well. For an even tastier potato salad, you could even throw in some chopped crispy bacon (hello, crunchy, salty texture).

Sprinkle several handfuls of fruit over the top of a store-bought pie, tart, cake or other dessert to create interest (and flavour). This trick works particularly well if you use a few different types of fruit in the same colour palette, such as the blueberries and blackberries pictured; alternatively, you could use a mixture of raspberries, redcurrants, cherries and small strawberries.

There’s nothing like the comfort and nostalgia of boxed mac ’n’ cheese. To kick it up a notch, there are all kinds of ingredients you can add; you could go the simple route and just add more cheese, or go bold and mix in some kimchi, bacon or mushrooms. Pick a flavour profile for inspiration, and you could give your mac ’n’ cheese a Korean, Mexican or Italian twist.

Swirl a spaghetti or tagliatelle ready meal into spirals, then lift it off the plate slightly to create a pyramid shape. This will add height, and it'll also keeps the plate looking neat. Finish with Parmesan (finely grated or thin shavings both look good) and black pepper – and perhaps add a little garnish for some greenery and visual texture. 

To perk up boring bagged rice with a hit of flavour, just add some herbs and spices. For example, you could add lemon zest, feta and a bit of chopped cooked spinach – or lime zest and juice mixed with chilli powder, ground cumin and coriander. Zingy flavours will lift the rice and make it a flavourful accompaniment to any curry or stew.

Add more colour to pre-prepared coleslaw by stirring through some finely chopped carrots, some additional red cabbage and some chopped herbs. More vegetables will also make the dressing go further and prevent it from looking gloopy. Serve your slaw in a rustic bowl with a wedge of lemon or lime on top – a squeeze of citrus will liven up the flavour, too.

Layering food adds height – not to mention wow factor. Restaurants often serve 'stacks' because they're more striking, drawing our eyes up. So, pile a pack of ready-made pancakes, create a mound of rice on the side of a curry or use fresh salad leaves to add height to a dish. It’s what all the pro food stylists do!

Cheese and charcuterie boards are the ultimate lazy meals, and it’s so easy to make them look fancy. Start by choosing a range of foods – hard and soft cheeses, cured meats, fruit, olives, crackers and bread – and take everything out of its packet. You might want to slice some of your cheeses, especially the hard and semi-hard ones. Arrange the foods, starting with cheese and fruits, then fill in the gaps with other items. A pretty board or platter will go a long way, too.

Rather than just serving gnocchi with pesto or tomato sauce, make it look more impressive by whipping up an easy gnocchi bake. Roast some aubergine slices, then cut them up and stir them through some seasoned chopped tomatoes, along with the shop-bought gnocchi. Top the whole lot with mozzarella, then bake until the cheese is bubbling. No one needs to know you didn't hand-roll the potato dumplings yourself.

Toast some nuts and seeds in a dry pan, then chop them roughly to make an easy garnish for a range of dishes; this works particularly well with smoked salmon fillets or leafy greens. Meanwhile, slivered almonds are a great pick for tomato-based dishes. Experiment and see what combinations you like. You could even make a jar of toasted mixed seeds and nuts to have on standby.

Grab a sieve and cover your shop-bought cake with a light dusting of icing sugar to immediately lift it up. You could also use a stencil to create a fun design – just draw and cut your design from a piece of paper – or add a scattering of fresh berries or edible flowers. You’ll get that homemade flourish for your cake in minutes.

All it takes to give your microwave dinner the pro chef treatment is to add a dash of colourful chilli oil, a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a few blobs of balsamic syrup to your plate. Or, to make a quick and impressive starter, buy ready-made bruschetta, Parma Ham and rocket. Arrange the ingredients, then finish off with extra-virgin olive oil and a balsamic glaze.

Chopped fresh herbs can transform your dinner. Stir soft herbs like basil or parsley through a ready-made pasta sauce, or mix coriander through a curry. This trick will add colour and flavour, and it’s a great way to explore how different herbs can change the taste of your favourite dishes. Lots of herbs are easy to grow at home; they're usually perfectly happy on your kitchen windowsill, so you can have them within reach at all times.

Now discover the food hacks you're better off ignoring