A less spicy sandwich that generously feeds 10 can be ordered from any Publix deli counter. Call a day ahead and then pick up the four-foot sub for $40. It comes in a big circle ready to cut and is nicely garnished with greens, olives and pickles. Choose a deluxe ring (several meats and cheeses) or a roast beef, turkey or ham sandwich. If you don't have time to phone ahead but need it now, the old standby lemon pepper rotisserie chicken never disappoints. It's about $6.50 and will serves four if you pick up some vegetable or salad selections from the deli case to pair with the bird.

At Casa Italia on Constitution Avenue in Sarasota (924-1179), you can wander in and leave with luncheon selections such as boxed salads for two of baby octopus or squid ($6.50). There are also jumbo white and dark marinated anchovies (think of the Caesar salad you could make with those monsters), grilled bell peppers, stuffed peppers and all manner of delectable imported Italian meats and cheeses, which can allow you to invite guests to make their own sandwiches or salad plates. This Mediterranean gourmet market/takeout also has an amiable wine cellar.

And now onto dinner. The suppertime takeout choices at Morton's Market are vast. Most come packaged to satisfy one or two people depending upon appetite. I'm partial to the stuffed cabbage rolls (two large ones in a clear pack for $7.49). They're stuffed with meat and rice and simmered in a light tomato-based sauce. Zap in the microwave for about three to four minutes and serve. Other options in the case are stuffed shells, eggplant rollatini, chicken breast with rice and vegetables. The inventory goes on and on.

The owner of the Chicken Pot Pie Company at 6639 Superior Ave. in Gulf Gate Village, Sarasota (929-9893) is Brazilian, so her takeout menu has a Latin flair, meaning you can take home full meals of picadillo, feijoada, and chicken vevica as well as the more familiar herb-roasted pork, lasagna, snapper picatta or hearty beef stew. Each meal comes with two sides and rolls. The average price is $6.95.

But the chicken pot pie is how the business made its enviable reputation. A whole pie ($14) has no filler, just chicken and vegetables. It comes with a container of rich gravy for you to add when serving. Pick up your pie hot, unbaked, or frozen. You make the call. And do take home a bag of frozen cheese rolls to bake in your own oven. These cloud-light yet surprisingly substantial rolls are bigger than a golf ball and smaller than a tennis ball. Be careful not to stock too many (even though they keep for months in the freezer) because you'll swiftly get addicted to the divine taste and texture and that will be just one more thing you'll have to make a New Year's resolution about. The Chicken Pot Pie Company delivers.

For something exotic and authentically ethnic, consider a foray into the Sahara Cafe and Market in Saba Plaza (954-1423 for the café; 316-9541 for the market). One room is the market, with a huge assortment of spices, canned goods, cheeses, olives and other staples, and the adjoining room is the café. Be sure to try the café's stuffed grape leaves and the addictive little falafel balls, made of ground garbanzo beans, parsley, onions and spices. They're both great if you're serving vegetarians, though meat eaters also go crazy over them. Add to your basket some fresh-baked pita bread, a quart of tabouleh (a refreshing minced salad made with bulgur and mint) and containers of humus and baba ghannuj for dipping and spreading. Finally, grab a few orders of Greek salad and some extra feta cheese. Arrange on platters and set it all out on your dining table as a genuine Bethlehem Buffet. Travelers were eating variations of just this kind of Middle Eastern food in Biblical times.

If you have 20 minutes to spend waiting for dinner to make itself, Nanette Galloni, owner of Casa Italia market, has the meal for you. From her freezer case take a six-tube package of manicotti stuffed with ricotta cheese. ($3.75). Then buy a can of Bella Rosa marinara sauce ($2.25). When you get it home, put the pasta in a baking dish, pour sauce on top and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for 20 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, garnish with parsley and plate it. A field green salad and a bottle of Cecchi Sangiovese De Toscana ($7.49) completes the meal.