I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

I have been a vegetarian since I was a child, and one of my favorite foods has always been pesto. Now that I have kids, life is so busy, but pesto is one of those things that is so easy to incorporate into so many different meals. I have been using Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto, which is the perfect pantry staple for a busy mom like myself.

Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto comes in a small glass jar and does not have to be refrigerated until opened, so it is a perfect pantry staple. This is one of those pantry essentials you can use in so many ways, to really add something to a meal.

This pesto is made with fragrant Italian basil and freshly grated Italian cheese. The texture is smooth, and it makes it easy to use in a variety of dishes, whether you are using it for pasta, sandwiches, dips, etc.

Pesto really is one of my favorite staples, and Barilla does a great job with this creamy genovese, which has a fresh taste and vibrant color. There is minimal handling of ingredients from preparation to the tightening of the lid, as they prepare this recipe in as little as three hours.

In the summer especially, I love the combination of fresh homegrown or local tomatoes with cheese and pesto. For this sandwich, I also recommend a fresh sourdough. We have a local bakery that we love to get fresh breads from.

After a long day at work, this sandwich takes only a few minutes to prepare, using just tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese, and Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto. You can eat this sandwich fresh, or make it as a panini.

For years, pesto pasta is one of my go-to meals. I have made this so many times when we have guests over, because it is so quick to prepare and is always a crowd-pleaser!

Barilla also has lots of great pastas to choose from. We often use popular types like rotini, and we have other favorites like Campanelle. This is one of my faves and I love the shape!

One 6.2 ounce jar of Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto is sufficient for a 16 ounce box of pasta. I usually cook a whole box of pasta at once, because it is a good size for the family and I enjoy having leftovers (and it is more efficient to cook the whole box at once). You simply just mix in the pesto with the pasta, mixing thoroughly. Sometimes I also top with sliced cherry tomatoes and some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

These are just a few of our easy go-to meal ideas, but Barilla pesto can be used for so many other things, from marinating meats and vegetables to using as a dip. You can check out their website for more recipes and inspiration.

A 6.2oz jar of Barilla Creamy Genovese Pesto can be found for approx. $3.29 at stores (including Target (SuperTarget), Publix, Stop & Shop (Super Stop & Shop), Meijer, ShopRite, Hy-Vee, Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, and more).

Visit Barilla at https://www.barilla.com/